Sign up for our newswire newsletter

 

Rayna Katz

Cost Consciousness

Often in life, procuring goods and services of quality means paying top dollar. Not so in meetings.

There’s enormous flexibility in terms of what must be spent to have a productive meeting that comes in under budget, perhaps with a healthy dose of return on investment. It’s possible, in fact, to plan and execute a successful meeting without breaking the bank. The key, according to veteran meeting planner and dollar doyenne Bonnie Wallsh, chief strategist at Bonnie Wallsh Associates LLC, a Charlotte, N.C.-based firm, is having savvy, planning ahead, asking questions and requesting concessions where appropriate.

Following are Wallsh’s tips, culled from years in the trenches. Meetings Focus South thanks her for these many tips—broken into various meeting planning categories—as we’re sure you do, too.

 

ACCOUNTING | AGENDA | EVENT TECHNOLOGY | PRINTING | SHIPPING/POSTAGE | MEETING SPACE | NEGOTIATIONS | SIGNAGE | SLEEPING ROOMS | SPEAKERS | STAFFING | TRANSPORTATION | ENTERTAINMENT | FOOD/BEVERAGE | MARKETING | MISCELLANEOUS

Accounting top

  • Review your master account bill daily.
  • Limit authorized signatures.
  • Discuss the possibility of a discount if the major portion of the bill is paid on-site.
  • Offer a discount for early registration at association meetings.
  • Use early registrants to entice additional registrations.

Agenda top

  • Streamline agenda to minimize meals and additional hotel nights.
  • Offer videoconferencing as an option for those who can’t attend physically.
  • Supplement education programs with webinars.

Event Technology top

  • Work with one AV company as your preferred supplier for volume discounts; if the facility charges 15-20 percent, use it as negotiating leverage.
  • Assign meetings to rooms with the same AV requirements and set-up arrangements, wherever possible.
  • Share AV with other groups, if the previous meeting’s set-up works.
  • Bring your own flip charts and markers, blank overhead transparencies and extension cords.
  • Rent equipment such as a fax machine or copier if you anticipate heavy usage.
  • Buy AV equipment, if it makes economic sense; it could be donated to a local school or charity following meeting.

Printing top

  • Use a local printing outlet (such as Kinko’s) in the meeting city to reduce shipping charges.
  • ALWAYS request a proof before printing documents.
  • Do layout and design on your own software.
  • More e-mails [with attendees] means less printing. Eliminate handouts (or use designated printers); it benefits the environment and saves money.
  • Negotiate for FREE printing at the meeting facility’s business center.

Shipping/Postage top

  • Prepare a timeline with deadlines to take advantage of the least expensive shipping rates.
  • Check post office regulations before creating mailings.
  • Barter with shipping companies to send your shipments at no charge.PageBreak

Meeting Space top

  • Seek out unusual venues.
  • Negotiate that assigned meeting room space is NOT connected to sleeping room slippage.
  • If you agree to switch meeting rooms, ask for something in return.

Negotiations top

  • Rates/Dates/Space—ask for two of three.
  • Use value season/holidays/days of week or hot dates.
  • Watch for special deals.
  • Book FAR in advance—NOW is the time to get real deals with hotels and convention centers.
  • Negotiate attrition clauses.
  • Negotiate discounts for repeat business.
  • Be aware of hotel booking patterns: Sunday–Wednesday; Wednesday–Saturday.
  • Check local taxes during your site selection process; as tax revenue for visitors declines, room taxes can increase.
  • Select cities where participants can conveniently walk to the conference center from adjoining hotels.
  • Consider airport hotels with complimentary shuttles.
  • EVERYTHING is negotiable!

Signage top

  • Create permanent generic reusable signs with updated information on hook-and-fastener material, such as Velcro.
  • Prepare room signs listing all meetings in that room throughout the meeting.
  • Use hotel sign boards.

Sleeping Rooms top

  • Using CUMULATIVE instead of NIGHTLY—it saves you $$$.
  • Negotiate upgrades to concierge level for VIPs and key executives’ comp rooms; don’t settle for 1 for 50.
  • Request free amenities for VIPs.
  • Negotiate for free Internet.
  • Get reduced rates for staff/speakers.
  • Negotiate for free local telephone calls.
  • Negotiate “No additional fees may be added to [groups’] guests’ sleeping rooms invoice.”
  • Negotiate for refrigerator, when requested at time of making reservation, at no additional charge.
  • Negotiate no penalty for early check-out.

Speakers top

  • Use local speakers.
  • Get multiple bookings rates for the same event.
  • Discuss discounted fee for sale of product.
  • Get free speakers instead of fee speakers.
  • Arrange air transportation for speaker or specify least expensive air fare.
  • Review speaker audiovisual requests upon on-site registration.

Staffing top

  • Develop company travel policy prior to the meeting.
  • Arrange group breakfast functions with one menu to review meeting updates and ensure that staff doesn’t oversleep.
  • Students and interns can work for expenses and mentoring.
  • Consider temps on site instead of flying in staff.PageBreak

Transportation top

Entertainment top

  • Contact local schools for entertainment in exchange for donations.
  • Contact entertainers who are in town for other shows or functions.
  • What is the potential for entertainers to book additional business at your event?

Food and Beverage top

  • Work with the chef in developing your menus.
  • Piggyback off other groups’ events.
  • Theme events using ethnic foods are less costly.
  • Chicken marinated in cumin, coriander, and a splash of lime juice can be called Marinated Mexican Spiced Chicken.
  • Give grains a try. Replace potatoes and rice with options such as couscous, quinoa, amaranth or faro.
  • Serve light lunches such as salads rather than heavy entrees.
  • Use lower-cost cuts of meat/protein and ask the chef to use different cooking techniques like braising or slow roasting to both tenderize and add flavor.
  • Serve dishes built around cuts or slices of meat and poultry instead of whole pieces.
  • Cut down on portions.
  • Reduce number of courses at dinner.
  • People drink less at cash bars.
  • Instead of a single plated dessert, consider placing a plate of small desserts in the center of each table.
  • Order by consumption, not per person.
  • Know the menus in room service, restaurants and banquet prices. Use the best price for your group.
  • Consider scheduling your function in a restaurant rather than a meeting room.
  • If you are faced with F&B attrition, enhance your meal functions or provide bags with breakfast pastry and fruit upon checkout.

Marketing top

  • Use CVBs and tourism boards.
  • Use destinations’ media contacts to get coverage for your event.
  • Use social media.
  • Partner with sponsors and exhibitors to increase attendance.
  • Begin marketing on-site for future meetings and events, and offer reduced rates and give attendees 30 days for payment.

Miscellaneous top

  • Make sure to check travel costs during site-selection.
  • Recycle badges.
  • Select hotels that have loyalty programs that can be used for speakers, staff, or attendees.
  • Take advantage of airline frequent flyer points.
  • Develop good working relationships with your suppliers; you’ll usually get more than you are contracted for.

 

A generic silhouette of a person.
About the author
Rayna Katz
Read more articles from this author

RELATED ARTICLES