Time to Get Creative!

I’ve been booking meetings for a variety of association, non-profit and corporate clients since 2009 as a meeting planner with HelmsBriscoe. Since COVID, costs have been skyrocketing. Hotels are adding fees on top of fees; food & beverage and audio-visual costs have tripled in some venues; service levels have dropped just about everywhere due to staffing issues; the list of pain points goes on and on.

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I am an optimist. I like to get creative when presented with a challenge. I would like to encourage my clients, colleagues and fellow sufferers to think outside the box about your meetings and events in this new reality.

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Here are a few ideas.

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1)??????? Change your location or time of year. Consider a different time of year or second- or third-tier cities. Yes, airlift won’t be as good, but many attendees have switched to driving in or taking the train, if that is an option. Additionally, some of these cities may offer financial incentives or other perks to book their destination, especially during slower times of the year (summer and the first two weeks of December are often need times for cities). Ask your third party meeting planner or the convention and visitors bureau in the destination about this when you send your Request for Proposal (RFP).

2)??????? Consider alternate venues. What about using a hotel for your sleeping rooms and hosting the meeting at a nearby venue? There are many unique venues that may save you lots of money versus a traditional hotel. One example -- some of my non-profit clients use their board member’s office space and just book a hotel for sleeping rooms. Airport hotels are often more affordable, as well – and some airports like Atlanta have lots of restaurants and shopping nearby.

3)??????? Change your pattern/shorten/lengthen your program. Travel has changed a lot post-COVID. Many attendees bring their families and partners with them or extend their stay to combine business with pleasure (“bleisure”). Don’t assume that your event must start on Monday and end on Thursday. Shortening your program or changing your pattern (days of the week) can save LOTS of money on hotels costs/airfare and it may also be more appealing to attendees. Our attention spans have shortened, too – make sure you are providing top-notch content and a well-planned agenda.

4)??????? Take a chance and book a cruise! I would love it if more of my clients would consider this option. It’s an all-inclusive price and your audience is essentially your captives for the entire time they are on the ship. There are cruise ships that focus on meetings these days. Truly an exciting alternative.

5)??????? Consider multi-year/multi-brand bookings. Hotels love multi-year bookings and repeat business. If you find a hotel that you love, why not secure it for 2+ years? You will save money and have more peace of mind, as well. Multi-brand bookings are also a great option – one of my clients has two favorite brands, so we are booking different locations and multi-year programs – a win-win for everyone.

6)??????? Save on food & beverage costs. This article has some great tips – credit goes to Meetings Today magazine. How to Slim Down Your Meetings & Events Food and Beverage Spend

7)??????? Save on audio visual. Make sure you get a bid from the in-house AV company BEFORE you sign the hotel contract. If the client is okay with it, have them sign it now versus waiting, as costs are only going up in this area. Look for hotels that have screens built into some of the meeting rooms – plug and play can save you lots of $$. Ask custom questions in your RFPs about what the hotel can offer to save money on AV – such as comp high speedf wifi, no service charge on AV, no charge to bring in outside AV equipment.

8)??????? Pay attention to the attrition clause. Hotels have required groups to pick up a percentage of their contracted sleeping room block for decades now – the industry standard is 80-85%%. I’m seeing a lot more nightly attrition clauses in contracts – or attrition increasing to 100% after the cutoff date. Make sure you negotiate these terms carefully with your hotel – they should be able to agree to 80% cumulative attrition, and give you credit for rooms outside the block.

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Bottom line – we are going through a challenging time in our industry. We need to be more flexible, patient, and resourceful than ever before. Let’s work together to create great meetings and events that are a win for everyone! I welcome your creative suggestions.

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