It's important to talk to the right person when trying to get a great deal, that means someone who has the authority to negotiate with you. You can ask to speak to the Sales Manager or if they have a dedicated staff for meeting and event coordinating, speak to the manager of that department. Remember to research comparable room prices in the area online so that you'll have a good point of reference to bring to the negotiation table. It does take some advanced planning to get the best deals, but hotel room prices are more flexible than the average person realizes.
Be aware of the seasons and try to schedule your seminar during a time when the hotel's business is typically slow. Getting a great room at a great price will always be easier when the hotel isn't full. If you're booking a block of rooms for seminar guests and speakers in addition to the meeting room, you're also more likely to get a better price for both. Several popular hotel chains have extensive planning tools available online so be sure to take advantage of the wealth of information made available.
Once you've got a list of possible venues together, you can start contacting the sales department of each hotel and sending them your request for proposal or RFP. Make sure your RFP includes preferred dates, number and type of sleeping rooms you require, food and beverage requirements, a tentative agenda and the amount of meeting space that is needed. Based on the hotels' responses to your RFP, you should be able to narrow down the field of possibilities and schedule some site inspections. To save both money and time, you can substitute an actual site inspection with a detailed questionnaire, virtual tour or both!
When you start negotiations, always remember that everything is negotiable. If the group generates sufficient guestroom and food and beverage revenue, the meeting room rental fees can and should be waived. If you're planning a reoccurring event, you can also use your loyalty as leverage.
Once you've weighed your options and made your decision, make sure everything, big and small, is outlined in explicit detail in the written contract. Deposit procedures and acceptable methods of payment are two things that should be agreed upon before you sign anything.
After the event, take your time going over the invoice with a fine-toothed comb. The first draft of the invoice from the hotel is almost never correct so be sure to point out anything that needs to be corrected. Get feedback about the hotel from the seminar attendees. If there are complaints, politely let your hotel representative know about them. Any good salesperson will gladly offer an additional discount to ensure that you consider them again next year.
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