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.
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.
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 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 11
Ashley SpitzerContests, Member News, News, RFP, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows meeting ideas, meeting planner help, meeting planning services, RFP, rfp valet
Want Personalized Assistance With Your RFP, For FREE?
Call Us Directly at 1-301-975-9458.
Jan 29
Ashley SpitzerMember News, News, Places to Stay, RFP, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners guest-friendly hotel tips, hotel reviews, hotels, hotels in miami, meeting ideas, RFP
Mid-Beach Miami is becoming South Beach’s newest party spot -
in part thanks to The Gansevoort South Hotel’s chic lounges, enourmous guestrooms, and 42,000 square foot gym.
Check out the rave review from the New York Times…or visit the Gansevoort on ConventionPlanit.com for more information.
Dec 01
Ashley SpitzerContests, News, RFP, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners economy, meeting planner help, RFP, rfp valet
Welcome back to the work from the long weekend!
Now that the holiday season is officially upon us, I bet we could all use some extra cash now more than before…
…and for meeting planners it’s as easy as sending us your open meeting specs.
We’ll send you a $50 American Express Reward card AND help you find the perfect venue!
Sep 12
Ashley SpitzerNews, RFP, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows meeting ideas, meeting planning services, RFP, rfp valet, Tips for Meeting Planners
Need a sample proposal or template for your meeting?
ConventionPlanit.com has you covered with our library of Sample Meeting Proposal Templates.
Access sample proposals and RFP examples from nearly every type vendor you can think of, from airlines to transportation, and everything in between…because let’s face it, we could all use an extra boost during crunch time.
Check back often for new submissions and ideas to make your meeting a success – or stay up to date with our rss feed!
May 07
Ashley SpitzerContests, RFP, Tips for Meeting Planners free $50, RFP, rfp valet
When meeting planners submit a request for proposal, they win a $50 American Express reward card.
How can you get paid for your job??
Just use ConventionPlanit.com’s free RFP Valet RFP assistance service now through June 15 and qualify.
It’s so easy – the experts help you find the perfect location, contact the properties and do all of the follow up for you…can you believe you’re the one getting paid in this deal?
Submit your request for proposal today and take advantage of this fabulous deal.
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