Successful Meetings - April 2008 - (Page 48)

Planner’s Workshop > MiForum Q & A RFPs: Cast a Wide Net or Fish with a Pole? Is there a standard rule of thumb on how best to go about contracting and selecting a site for a meeting? I believe in sending out an RFP, getting the proposals, and deciding Q which one best fits. Mary Ann Linder The Soap and Detergent Association For site selection, I’m a big advocate of really limiting the playing field. A Hotels are on RFP overload. Many planners are looking at more hotels for one meeting, because in today’s electronic world it’s easy to do so. If I worked for a hotel, I would be very aggressive about disqualifying (vs. the normal practice of qualifying) leads. One of the filters that I would use is the number of other hotels am I bidding against. I wouldn’t want to be another hotel on a grid that is unable to differentiate on service, quality, or my property’s ability to deliver a better meeting experience. Of course planners are looking at more hotels for each meeting . . . but I dare say it’s not solely because it’s easy to do so via electronic RFPs. We are also doing so because we know that in the current business climate a certain percentage of hotels either (1) won’t have the space available, or (2) simply won’t respond to our inquiry. If we send out eight RFPs, we’re lucky to hear back from four or five properties. Of those four or five, maybe two will have exactly what we’ve requested; the others will want us either to switch dates or alter the program format. Some of the best properties are, at some point during the process, “another hotel on a grid.” From the planning side, that’s how the hotel selection process works. To disqualify a piece of business simply because you are bidding against too many other hotels seems very short-sighted to me. Dave Lutz Velvet Chainsaw Consulting Aurora, OH Is it possible to actually look forward to three all-day, round-the-clock meetings? Yes. her you’re brainstorming the next level in your corporate evolution or planning your next steps on the road to success, Doral Arrowwood offers the amenities, facilities and people to make hard work almost something to look forward to. To find out more, go to DoralArrowwood.com or call us toll-free at 1-866-428-9739. Whet APRIL 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS http://DoralArrowwood.com http://DoralArrowwood.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - April 2008

Successful Meetings - April 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
Industry Trends
Suppliers
Events
On the Record
Suppliers
Planner's Spotlight
Technology Talk
Personal Success
Websites of the Month
Food & Beverage
On Site
Professional Development
On Site
Pre-Event
Professional Development
Miforum Q&A
Beyond the Flames
Reservation for—21,000
Casino Riches
Entertainment Jackpot
Who Needs a Passport?
The International Swing
Around the World in 18 Holes
Places & Spaces
Denver
Orlando
Missouri
Puerto Rico
Show Special: Washington DC / Frankfurt, Germany
Gurus

Successful Meetings - April 2008