Black Meetings and Tourism

September/October 2013

Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/187632

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 22 of 72

•pg_13-27__BMT_pg3-58 9/25/13 1:08 AM Page 22 vent and convention planning is a combination art and science. It's a canvas with a kaleidoscope of possibilities and more moving parts than a Boeing 747. This is one area of our industry that truly requires both sides of the brain to be in sync, if that's even possible. It's not easy to be creative one minute and deal with contracts and budgets the next. Yet, our industry is full of individuals who have mastered the complexities of planning. We asked a hotelier, a meeting planner, a DMO sales and service manager and the founder of an organization with an annual convention for their input on best practices and some not so best practices in the meetings and conventions process. No two event planning processes are identical, yet there remains some commonality in planning and execution that all groups, regardless of size, must practice to insure success – timely and appropriate site selection, budgeting and a realistic timeline are just a few. But before all these considerations are taken into account, buyers and sellers must conduct some due diligence and research. For example, meeting planners should have at their disposal the economic impact of previous conferences and attendance figures. My unscientific research suggests that many planners do a poor job of tracking their direct spending, economic impact or basic attendance figures. Clara Carter, president and founder of the Multi-Cultural Convention Services Network says, "its vital C LAR C ARTER to have this economic E 22 data to provide leverage during negotiations with a supplier. When I go into meetings on behalf of a client without this data, I am at a huge disadvantage." The end result, the meeting planner leaves substantial sums of money on the table in the form of better rates for hotels, food and beverage and more. Suppliers like hotels have a business to run. As such, they are seeking to maximize profits, as any good business should. "Organizations and associations can't act like they're the only game in town," says Carter. If there are competing interests for the same time slot, an organization that can prove their economic bona fides typically wins the day. Darryl Stewart, director of Sales and Marketing for the Sheraton Gateway in Los Angeles has carved out a wonderful career as both a planner and supplier. In his role at Sheraton, Stewart is concerned his sales people "don't have the opportunity to build relationships" due to the proliferation of D ARRYL S TEWART third-party planners, many who submit proposals electronically. Stewart believes direct contact between buyer and seller allows his team to build rapport and trust. "Speaking directly allows us to understand what's important to the planner," says Stewart. Many hoteliers are uncomfortable with the shift to technology or third-party planners. There have been too many instances of late where the supplier doesn't know the seller until they walk through the front door to attend their event, says Stewart. How do they handle issues should a problem arise? Stewart says, today he sees fewer and fewer site inspections or meeting planner familiarization (FAM) trips. Some hoteliers have reported that as many as 90 percent of their business is booked site unseen. Stewart, like Carter mentioned lack of sufficient economics provided by the buyer as being a continuing problem. He like many suppliers are often left to figure out how to evaluate a certain piece of business, slowing down the whole process. Barrie M. Perks is vice president of Convention Sales for the Cincinnati USA CVB. He is a strong advocate for better access to planners and their organizations. "If we can get more information than what is provided in an RFP the better off all parties are," says Perks. "We look for connections," adds B ARNE M. PARKS Perks. "Give us the opportunity to ask questions." A recent client submitted an RFP to Perks and his staff. It was a basic RFP. But because Perks and his team were able to question this potential new client, they could ascertain "attendance building" was of primary concern. Armed with that simple piece of information, the Cincinnati USA CVB put their research department to work. They found that 65 percent of the workforce for this particular group lived within a one-day drive of Cincinnati. When you match Cincinnati's great infrastructure (hotels, convention center, restaurants and attractions) with client needs, it's no small wonder Perks and his team won the contract. B M & T ••• September/October 2013 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Black Meetings and Tourism - September/October 2013