5 Cost Saving Tips

Today I sat on a panel for MPI's Southern California Chapter. Each area of the hospitality industry shared their top 5 tips for cost savings. Here the ones I spoke about:

1.       Inquire about seasonality/peak times before you source (avoid citywides and seasonal events). This prevents disappointment when your dates aren't available, and sets appropriate rate expectations for your stakeholders

2.       Ask about incentives/promotions (find value in need dates). They can be offered by the CVB/DMO, the hotel, or both!

3.       Determine what services are offered beyond sourcing (most are free!). Don't try to do it all alone. We are your partner in business, so find out what else your DMO provides (volunteers, referrals, marketing materials, etc). Also, save time by using your CVB/DMO as a single funnel for all communication to hotels, keeping your inbox free of too many requests for the same information or updates.

4.       Consult your destination marketing organization for event marketing tools (don’t reinvent the wheel!). Make sure you are using the best images and video that represent the area, that you know are fair game for your public use.

5.       See for yourself (ask for assistance in arranging a site visit). Get the experience you want by having your DMO/CVB partner arrange the site visit. They can usually help in absorbing or mitigating some of your travel costs.