Aug 17
Ashley SpitzerRFP, Tips for Meeting Planners meeting planning services, RFP, rfp valet
Frustrated by slow response time to your meeting RFPs? Wish you didn’t have to keep calling to find out whether a property is going to respond?
It’s not that hotels don’t want your business – they do! They want to make sure they respond quickly to potential buyers, but they are often inundated with incomplete RFPs that need to be qualified, or RFPs get buried in their systems.
Meeting professionals can help themselves by following these 10 tips to increase RFP response time:
1. Do some homework and narrow your search to a short list of qualified properties.
2. Include a reasonable range of preferred dates and be clear about which dates are the first, second, or third choices.
3. Provide complete information about the number of rooms, number of attendees, overall meeting requirements, etc.
4. Send a verified room block history so the property can see a strong track record for the meeting.
5. Create a deadline for the response and a realistic time frame for the decision.
6. RFPs are taken more seriously if you avoid looking as if you’re fishing around for rates.
7. Provide rate thresholds for rooms and information on how the rooms will be fulfilled and paid.
8. Indicate how the decision will be made, including the steps properties can anticipate in the process.
9. Call the hotel sales department to ask about the status. Properties interested in landing business should have procedures in place to respond quickly to phone requests, especially if a planner is following up on a previous communication.
10. Consider using an online search directory to distribute the RFP and ensure that properties respond. ConventionPlanit.com offers an RFP Valet® service and guarantees that properties will respond within 24 hours to say whether they will send a proposal and when the proposal can be expected.
ConventionPlanit.com Principals and Co-Founders Katherine Markham, CHME, and David Markham also authored a column on this issue entitled “RFP Response Malfunction” that appears on MeetingsNet at http://meetingsnet.com/technology/hotels-respond-request-0810/. The column also appears in the August 2010 issue of Association Meetings, to be available onsite at the ASAE Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, California, August 21-24, 2010.
ConventionPlanit.com will also be available at the ASAE Annual Meeting in Booth #941 to provide more information and answer questions about the RFP Valet® service and other RFP distribution options.
May 25
Ashley SpitzerMisc Tidbits, News meeting planner help, meeting planning services, Tips for Meeting Planners
Simply invite five meeting planners to your office for a breakfast, lunch or a cocktail hour featuring an online demonstration of ConventionPlanit.com. We’ll deliver the presentation and the cuisine.
As a sponsor of the presentation, you’ll receive a $50 American Express Reward Card for your efforts. You can also spread the word about this offer to your guests – they can host their own presentation and take advantage of this great offer.
For more information, please contact Katherine Markham, CHME, at 301-975-9462, or katherinem@conventionplanit.com.
Apr 16
Ashley SpitzerNews advisory council, Hilton, hotels in washington dc, meeting planner feedback, meeting planning services
Seven years ago, ConventionPlanit.com was formed, with the hopes of making the lives of meeting planners easier. An Advisory Council of respected meeting planners from a variety of fields was formed to help make this possible.
Now, the Council is going strong, and their input is valued more than ever!
Yesterday, the Washington Hilton hosted a meeting and reception for our Advisory Council, in the brand new Heights Executive Meeting Center. (The hotel is undergoing a $140 million dollar renovation – more on this plus photos to come). The Council members came ready to work!
They were full of suggestions and ways to improve ConventionPlanit.com, and spoke candidly about some of the industry issues affecting them.
The Council provided group input during a tour of the website’s features, and offered insight on specific areas of the website in break out sessions.
Look for some improvements to pop up on ConventionPlanit.com in the near future, as we work to implement some of the Council’s fantastic ideas!
Some of the CP Staff & Advisory Council Members
Courtesy of Larry Glatt Photography
Mar 02
Ashley SpitzerTips for Meeting Planners meeting planner help, meeting planning services, RFP, rfp valet
Researching properties and distributing an RFP is considered easy compared to the most daunting task at hand for a meeting planner – receiving timely responses (or responses, period, for that matter).
As a meeting planner, following up with multiple properties, wondering if your RFP was received, and actually receiving a quote can be an exhausting (and time consuming) game of cat and mouse. But that’s just how the system works, right? A hotel will respond on their schedule, not yours.
All hope is not lost! There is a fast, reliable, way to distribute your meeting requirements through ConventionPlanit.com and receive a guaranteed response within 24 hours!
It’s simple; here’s how:
1. Conduct property research and send RFPs through www.conventionplanit.com as usual (I recommend the fast “add to cart” feature; attach your specs and send to several properties at once).
2. Relax! The hard work is done.
3. Within 24 hours, you’ll rest assured that each property received your proposal, and you’ll know when to expect a response. (The CP RFP Team will send you a detailed summary).
And, best of all, since ConventionPlanit.com is commission-free, meeting planners use these services for free! Visit www.conventionplanit.com to get started, or email ashley@conventionplanit.com for more information.
Feb 01
Ashley SpitzerContests, Tips for Meeting Planners meeting planning services, Peppermill Reno, refer a meeting professional, Reno Tahoe
Just announced moments ago…
…the new Refer a Meeting Professional Contest, sponsored by The Peppermill Reno Casino Resort Spa!
If you’re a frequent user of ConventionPlanit.com, you know what great meeting resources are offered. Why not share the tip and help your meeting planner friends and colleagues save some valuable time?
Just for referring fellow meeting professionals to the website, you’re entered to win a trip for two to the all new Peppermill Reno Caisno Resort Spa!
Prize Package Includes:
-Two nights in the all-new Tuscan Tower suite, complete with European soaking tub
-Round trip air for two valued at $500 each on Southwest Airlines
-Limo transportation to and from Reno-Tahoe airport
-Couples massage for two…or spoil just yourself with a massage and a facial
-Dinner at Bimini Steakhouse valued at $150
Contest runs until May – but you can enter today!
Jul 10
Ashley SpitzerContests, RFP, Tips for Meeting Planners meeting planner help, meeting planning services, RFP, rfp valet
For a meeting planner, researching and booking a meeting is more complicated than selecting the number of rooms and date availability. The planning process is involved, tedious, and often frustrating.
With the rise of hotel and venue directories geared specifically for meeting planners, the process, no doubt has the potential to become far easier…if you can choose a website to use, that is.
The choices can be overwhelming, and many search directories are even adding hidden fees into costs for the planners, or requiring hotels to pay fees for each RFP they receive.
For a planner looking for an honest and free website to research and plan their meetings, check out ConventionPlanit.com.
What sets it apart? The RFP Assistance Service. Planners submit meeting specs, and ConventionPlanit.com’s team of experts research properties that meet the criteria – and send out the RFP to properties approved by the planner.
The properties respond directly to the planner, and ConventionPlanit.com steps in only if the planner asks for help receiving responses. The decision-making process remains entirely in the planner’s hands…and the service is entirely free.
Now, planners can even receive a $50 American Express-branded Reward card for using the service!
To get started, email your meeting specs to info@conventionplanit.com.
Mar 11
Ashley SpitzerContests, Misc Tidbits, Places to Stay, RFP, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners meeting ideas, meeting planner help, meeting planning services, RFP, rfp valet, Tips for Meeting Planners
Did you know ConventionPlanit.com can help you craft the perfect RFP, for FREE?
We’ll even give you a $50 American Express Rewards Card — as a thank you!
Call 866-922-8988 or click here for free RFP assistance
Feb 27
Ashley SpitzerMisc Tidbits Hotel Rennovations, hotels, Marriott, meeting planning services
Have you seen the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile lately??
The hotel just underwent a $36 million total renovation — including entirely redone meeting space!
Check out some pictures of the renovations here!
Also be sure to check out the link to their special meeting offers for 2009.
Feb 23
Ashley SpitzerMember News, Misc Tidbits, News, RFP, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows economy, hotels, meeting ideas, meeting industry, meeting planner help, meeting planning services, RFP
Have you checked out the Divine Deals section of ConventionPlanit.com lately?
It’s the best place to learn about special discounts and promotions from our members – full of ways for you to save big on your next meeting.
Get started saving! Access Divine Deals…
Feb 20
Ashley SpitzerMisc Tidbits, News, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows economy, meeting attendance, meeting industry, meeting planner help, meeting planning services
The electronic petition, Keep America Meeting, is now live at http://keepamericameeting.com
Sign the petition to “help send a message to our legislators nationwide that we need them to take the proactive step of publicly supporting the meetings and events industry in order to hasten the U.S. recovery.”
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