Meeting Sites Resource

 

Researching and evaluating hotels for a meeting, convention or incentive can take considerable time, however, a detailed and careful analysis is essential for a highly productive meeting. The key is to look beyond “dates, rates and space” and assure that all meeting goals, objectives and criteria are achieved. Here is a 12-step process to assure success:

 

     a. Meeting Objective - Determine the purpose

     b. What do you want attendees to take away? What changes in behavior or

         work habits do you want to accomplish?

     A. MEETING REQUIREMENTS

          1. Number of attendees

          2. Sleeping room block

          3. Meal functions required

          4. Location

          5. Meeting rooms and other facilities needed

          6. Sleeping room rates

          7. Are meeting objectives best served by a resort,

              metropolitan hotel or conference center

          8. Where are attendees coming from

 

    B. MEETING HISTORY

 

    Prepare a five-year record of previous meeting, including:

          1. Annual attendance
          2. Arrival and departure patterns
          3. Hotel and location by year

    For each year, calculate expenditures on:

          1. Food and beverage - guarantees vs. actual

          2. Hotel rooms - Rate paid, number of

              rooms blocked vs. pickups, number of no shows

          3. Exhibits, if any

          4. Hotel room service, restaurants, golf, spa, etc.

          5. Other on-site activities

 

3. DEFINE THE ATTENDEES
          a. What percentage of the group are male or female?

          b. Age, gender

          c. Interests

          d. Status/level of education

          e. Corporation, association, religious organization, government group

          f. Spouse attendees? Children?

          g. Expectations of attendees

 

4. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS IN RELATIONSHIP TO THEIR IMPORTANCE TO THE MEETING
          a. Weather (related to time of year of the meeting)

          b. Accessibility (transportation availability and travel time)

                    1. By air

                    2. By ground

          c. Special needs

          d. Type of traveler

5. DETERMINE THE BUDGET/BY CATEGORY

6. DESIGN PROGRAM AGENDA & MEETING SPECIFICATIONS BASED ON DATA COLLECTED
          a. Are the sites being considered meeting our objectives?

          b. Will general sessions be needed? If so, how many & what size?

          c. Are breakout meetings necessary? If so, how many & what size?

          d. Are audio/visual requirements heavy or light? Will you bring or rent?

          e. Are group banquets anticipated?

             (What else in room – dance floor, head table, rear-screen, etc.)

          f. Are dine-arounds required?

          g. Is extensive sightseeing and/or shopping required?

          h. Are leisure activities to be included? Whose expense?

          i. Is entertainment important?

          j. Off-site venues

          (These are just a sampling … there can be many many

          more based on your agenda needs)

          a. Name of organization, and contact name

          b. Name and purpose of meeting

          c. Description of meeting

          d. Dates or optional dates of meeting

          e. Sleeping room types and numbers required

              for each day of the meeting

          f. Food functions & estimated attendance

          g. Meeting space required for each day,

              including set-up times, exhibit space, office space, etc.

                    1. Note any special ceiling heights,

                        room configurations or other special meeting needs

                    2. Include meeting design

                    3. Allow for growth if appropriate
          h. Special requirements or services necessary in the immediate area

                    1. Golf, tennis or other sports

                    2. Unusual, AV equipment, professional or staff services
          i. Date response needed and when decision will be made
          j. History of past meetings

8. BEGIN SITE RESEARCH - HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT MATCH (OPTIONS)
          a. Site Research company
          b. National and regional hotel sales offices
          c. Convention and visitors bureaus (CVB’s)
          d. Recommendations from other planners, MPI members
          e. Trade publications
          f. Internet - MPINET, Plan Soft, Concordia

9. NARROW YOUR SELECTIONS
          a. Evaluate Research Data
          b. Narrow preferred properties to no more than three (3)

10. SITE INFORMATION - WHAT TO EXPECT YOUR SITE TO FURNISH
          a. A detailed description of the number
             and type of accommodations available
          b. Meeting space floor plans with dimensions/capacities
          c. List of technical equipment and support services
          d. Tentative meeting room assignments
          e. List of special features that make property unique
          f. Complete description of property’s restaurants,
             sports facilities, entertainment areas and shops
          g. Information about insurance, licenses, taxes,
              beverage control, union contracts, automatic charges, gratuities
          h. Food and Beverage Menus

11. CONDUCT SITE INSPECTION OF FINALISTS
          a. Use Site Inspection Checklist

 

12. WHAT TO DO IF YOU CANNOT PERSONALLY CONDUCT A SITE INSPECTION
          a. Send someone in your place with site inspection
             check list & meeting specifications
             (using site inspection checklist)
          b. Get conference packet and hotel video
          c. Get 4 references of organizations with a
              similar profile that have been there in the last year
          d. Ask hotel to send floor plans and diagram your meeting layout
          e. Check flow of meeting space
          f. When was the property renovated? What specifically, how much spent?
          g. What are the awards that the facility has won?
          h. Who else is in house?

Now that you have selected the perfect site, it’s time to request a hotel contract. Be sure you are specific about your needs so that the contract an be designed to cover your meeting and event agenda and specific room ssignments, value-added concessions (prioritize for each meeting), deposit(s) and payment schedule, all performance clauses and contract option date. Good contract planning is a critical part of successful meetings. Don’t rush into signing a contract if you do not understand or agree with the content. Good Luck!

 

Jennifer W. Brown, CMP is a Partner at Meeting Sites Resource, a global specialist in meeting site research and hotel contract negotiations. The company also offers full service planning and professional meeting staffing service, Staff On-Site (SOS). Jennifer can be reached at (949) 250-7483 ext. 315 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .