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Experient, the source for integrated
meeting and event solutions, will offer its unique and informative Meet With Success® program eight
times in 2007. Meet With Success brings event professionals together for a
full-day of education, networking and information sharing from some of the
event industry’s most well-recognized thought leaders.
Rick Binford, Experient chief marketing
officer, says, “The goal of Meet With Success is to provide attendees with
an opportunity to learn and exchange ideas in a non-promotional
environment. We are excited about the 2007 Meet With Success schedule, and
the quality of the programming we are bringing to the meeting and event
industry.” Popular Meet With Success topics include event industry trends,
hotel negotiations and contracts, Strategic Meeting Management Programs,
tradeshow technologies, sponsorships, event marketing and
return-on-investment (ROI) strategies.
Some of the Sessions Planned for the 2007
Meet With Success Series Include:
·
Future Shock: Trends and
Forecasts: A panel discussion that will address
issues such as attendance patterns, space availability, rate
inflation, procurement and outsourcing...and the inexorable demand to
demonstrate greater Return-On-Investment for the event marketing
dollar.
·
Contract Clauses for Concern: An interactive session that will
challenge your understanding of key contract clauses, and give you
tips for negotiating more beneficial contracts and limit your liability.
·
Leveraging the Efficiencies of
Strategic Meetings Management Programs (SMMP): A facilitated discussion of the
process efficiencies, cost-saving opportunities and ROI/ROO benefits
of Strategic Meetings Management Programs (SMMP) in the corporate world.
·
Compliance...and Other Legal
Issues Keeping Corporate Planners Awake at Night: Discuss risk management, intellectual property, copyright
issues and more with the industry legal experts.
·
RFID...and Other Emerging
Applications in the Tradeshow Technology Pipeline: Learn about creative applications and
identify other emerging technologies enhancing measurable ROI for show
organizers, attendees and exhibitors alike.
·
Sponsorship Programs that Transform the Bottom Line: Explore successful strategies and tools for staying
competitive in today's growing sponsorship market.
In 2007, Experient will take Meet With
Success to the following locations:
·
Hilton New York; NYC, NY –
May 21, 2007
·
Fort Worth Convention Center; Fort
Worth, TX – May 23, 2007
·
Hyatt Regency O’Hare; Rosemont, IL
– June 5, 2007
·
Washington DC Convention Center;
Washington, DC – July 24, 2007
·
Pennsylvania
Convention Center; Philadelphia, PA – September 12, 2007
·
Hyatt Regency Santa Clara; Santa Clara, CA – November 6, 2007
·
Hilton Atlanta; Atlanta, GA –
November 9, 2007
·
Hilton Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN
– December 4, 2007
There is no fee for planning
professionals to attend the education program, luncheon and reception. Due
to tremendous interest in this event, registration is limited to three (3)
members per organization.
For an invitation to an upcoming Meet With Success in your
area send an e-mail to: meetwithsuccess@experient-inc.com
and let us know which city you’re interested in attending.
Food &
Beverage Service
There are many practical
ways to reduce waste while serving food, for example:
·
Work with the facility to understand what type of
containers will be used for beverage service (glass bottles, aluminum cans,
etc.) and make arrangements for recycling containers to be made available.
·
Wherever possible, serve drinking water in reusable cups or
glass wear. Individual plastic water bottles are a very large source
of waste.
·
Washable, reusable spoons should be used in place of
stir sticks with any beverage service.
·
Insist that the caterer serve all condiments in bulk
via serving containers instead of offering small, individual packages.
·
Use cloth napkins and tablecloths instead of paper
when possible.
A little bit of common sense can make a big difference for
our environment. Watch for more Green Meeting Tips in upcoming EventROI
publications.
On April 10 the
Washington, DC office of Experient invited area clients to an open house at
the new Experient DC office at 4401 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 500 in
Arlington, VA. More than 40 clients attended the open house and were
welcomed by members of the Experient Executive Leadership Team and Board.
The evening was an
opportunity for clients to discover the new DC location and discuss new
opportunities and strengthen relationships with Experient staff members.
Click on the
following link to view pictures from the event: http://www.experient-inc.com/solution/event_roi/ezine/dc-opening/
Making The Move to
A Center
By Michael Smith, CMP
Congratulations! Your hard work, diligence and dedication to
the job have resulted in increased numbers in all categories for your
annual convention—general membership, exhibitors, sponsors, speakers,
etc.—and everyone is singing your praises. Higher attendance means not only
more networking opportunities for your members, but also more buyers for
your exhibitors, resulting in more exhibitors for your trade show, leading
to more profit for your organization and so on. There’s just one
glitch...your meeting is now too big to be accommodated as a self-contained
program in a hotel. Now what?
First, you must
understand some of the intricacies that differentiate working with a hotel
and a convention center.
The Differences
The most obvious
difference is that convention centers consist purely of function space;
they lack additional profit centers like guest rooms and food and beverage
outlets. As a result, facility rental fees and a long list of potential
charges (labor, water service, tables and linens, trash removal, etc.) are
a reality. Before signing a lease, make sure you are aware of all fees and
their possible impact on your budget.
Also unlike
hotels, most convention centers are publicly owned and run by a
municipality. They are in existence to support the local economy by drawing
tax revenue-generating business to the city’s hotels as well as its
restaurants, shops, attractions, etc. So the requirements for booking a
convention center are dramatically different than the requirements for
booking a hotel. For example, a set minimum number of guest rooms on peak
night and/or cumulative totals are often required for your group to even be
considered more than 18 months out. This is especially true when booking
first-tier cities in peak season.
In addition, many
convention centers operate under various types of union labor agreements.
They may have agreements with individual unions, for instance, or they may
have joint-craft agreements in which all unions work under the same
agreement. Find out how this factor may affect your event prior to
contracting with the facility.
Certain suppliers
also may have exclusive contracts with the center. Typical examples include
catering, audio-visual service, security, telecom and electrical.
Convention centers
may have tougher guidelines and restrictions than hotels regarding fire codes
(exhibit hall floor plans), security (exhibitor move-in/move-out),
utilization of public space (signage) and changes (room turns, last-minute
add-ons). Don’t assume that any service is free or included in your rental
package.
Lastly, convention
centers are not open on a 24-hour basis like hotels are, which means you
will need to plan ahead for the center locking down for the evening or the
utilization of lighting and A/C.
Contracting Issues
Most convention
centers are less flexible on their agreements than hotels because most are
owned by state or city government...and changing “official” language is
difficult. The leases are written with inflexible language to deter
litigation and to give the facility more control. This doesn’t mean that
suggested changes via an addendum are not possible, just limited. Some
contract terms are simply untouchable based on the fact that, for various
reasons, centers do not carry liability insurance.
When contracting,
try to do so as far out as possible and be cognizant of competing or
conflicting organizations’ site selection process as well. Whom you begin
negotiations with depends on the time frame of your initial lead. Many
facilities will have the local Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), not
convention center sales; get involved during a certain booking window. Ask
the CVBs what services they can provide and how they might partner with you
for site inspections, collateral material, attendance promotion, housing,
etc.
When securing a
location, especially five years out and beyond, do not expect to receive a
contract from the center, but rather a Letter of Intent or Letter of
Agreement outlining your space agreement and applicable rates in some
capacity. Many facilities will issue a contract 18 to 11 months prior to
your event. If this is the case, ask for a sample lease in advance so that
you can begin negotiating terms and conditions that might be deal breakers.
Also, make sure you have a copy of the current policies and procedures
along with current labor rates for reference.
Understanding the Impact
Considering
today’s travel-savvy meeting attendee and the accessibility of a plethora
of hotel reservation streams, it’s important to examine how your move to a
convention center might add to your liability exposure. By moving your
event to a center, you lose one of the best incentives for attendees to
stay in your contracted hotel—unmatched convenience to events and ease of
networking.
Know that unless
you provide real incentives and benefits to your attendees—above and beyond
just a nice group rate—that “shopping” and booking outside the block is
likely to occur. This will have a direct effect on hotel performance and
could cause serious financial setbacks to your organization in the form of
hefty attrition fees. Be sure to take the time to develop an effective
strategy and take charge of your room block.
Transitioning from
a hotel to a convention center should not be viewed as a necessary evil,
but rather a symbol of growth, success and a real opportunity to improve
your organization. Taking the time to understand the process will allow you
to make a seamless transition and inspire everyone to continue to sing your
praises (even louder).
Michael Smith,
CMP, is a Strategic Account Manager at Experient.
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