Event Planning - Negotiating for That Best Deal

What is the "Best" deal when it comes to negotiating for a convention contract? ?Should it be entirely based on the sleeping room rate or are there other factors involved? Let's discuss a couple of factors that should help you determine "Best" deal for your group.

Rate vs Location - if a meeting planner starts the negotiation process with only room rate as the determining factor, attendees might not always be pleased. For example, a low room rate for members gets strained when the location of the event is on the other side of the United States and each guest pays high prices to fly to the destination. Then you also have to add lost travel time into account.

On the other hand, maybe picking a facility that charges a slightly higher room rate, but saves time and money traveling is a "Better Value."

Rate vs Space - let us talk about room rate versus function space. Some facilities have great meeting space, super AV and logistics between meetings makes for a better meeting. So, wouldn't it be better to sacrifice a few room rate dollars for the overall satisfaction of the conference? Would you rather be cooped up in smaller meeting rooms, with poor lighting and bad acoustics or sitting comfortably in a well lit, well air conditioned room that was conveniently located near everything? Rate is not the "End" all.

Convenience to Activities - what will make your attendees happy? Obviously, they come to meetings to learn and network, but what about after the meetings are finished for the day? What happens when it comes time to ask the question "What can we do now?" Is that isolated hotel with a low room rate now the "Best" deal? Is there anything close to do or eat? Is there entertainment close or is room service partnered with an "in-room" movie the only choice? Or, if the location does have something of interest nearby, what will it cost to get there?

Good deals may be great in the eyes of the meeting planner, but will that good deal be seen in the same light by each and every attendee?

Let's look at it at it another way and define "Best" deals by types of meetings.

Corporate Meetings - are primarily command performances where attendees are scheduled to attend and the corporate "Best" deal is that low convention rate. Since corporations pay the bills, budgets alone may determine where and what hotels are booked.

Association Meetings - are normally meetings of choice. Everything from agenda, to location, to convenience, to external options comes into play, in addition to room rates. "Best" deal is not really considered by the attendees unless there are more factors in favor of going to the meeting versus staying in the office.

So, what is the "Best" deal when it comes to a sales contract? The answer depends upon "all" the factors involved. Just remember to think about the purpose of the meeting, who will be attending, what is the ideal location and is this meeting a "command" performance. When a meeting planner says "I got the Best deal," what do they actually mean? Was it only the convention room rate that determined "Best?"