Post on 22-Nov-2014
description
5 Tips for Fast, Complete Responses to Your Hotel RFP
Anna-Marie PresuttiGeneral Manager
Hotel NikkoSan Francisco Terri Roberts
Training for empowerMINT.comDestination Marketing Association International
John ReyesEVP and Chief Customer OfficerConvention Sales and Services
San Francisco Travel
What We’ll Cover
5 Tips for Ensuring Your RFP is Given Top Priority
What Hotels are Really Looking for When They First Evaluate a Meeting
Ways in Which Your CVB Can Help!
Why do CVBs make perfect meeting planning partners?
• They are the best first call to help you FIND the right fit for any size meeting
– Comprehensive view of the destination– Local expertise– Extensive in-market relationships– And they’re FREE…to YOU!!!
1. Work With Your CVB• Educate you about the hotels • Help you understand the desirability and fit of your meeting for the
different types of hotels. • Discuss the seasonality and pattern preferences of the hotels, especially
if lower rates are a priority or preferred date availability is an issue.• Help you tweak your RFP to be destination-specific.• Distribute your RFP to the hotels you want to consider, and follow up
with them to be sure they are responding in a timely and complete manner.
• Lobby on your behalf.• Intercept hotel questions and collect responses so you’re not inundated
with emails or phone calls.
2. Educate the Hotels
• You organization and it’s mission• Type of meeting• Goals and objectives of meeting• Demographics of group• Top 5 priorities or hot buttons• Transparency
3. Build a Complete RFP
All meeting specifics not
just dates/space
Don’t forget the details!!!
Attach previous programs
Check out APEX
Standards…all smart ducks
do!
Convention Industry CouncilStandard RFP Forms
• APEX, the Accepted Practices Exchange
• http://www.conventionindustry.org/StandardsPractices/APEX/RequestsforProposals.aspx
4. Provide History
Provide 3 years of history if possible; including room block flow, meeting schedule, meal function totals, and
any other revenue producing activities.
*and if you have inconsistencies, please explain!
5. Demonstrate Flexibility (or not)
Determine hotel
“sweet spots”
Be realistic
Look for the
WIN-WIN
With over 113,000 hotels and facilities in the US… how do you navigate?
Well, there are over 880 destination expertsto help you FIND just the right FIT
and all the right answers…
Direct to the CVB ….one-stop-shop for planners:
•Planners easily search and compare meeting needs across multiple destinations.
•Planners save time and money submitting one FastTrackRFP to multiple destinations.
•Planners manage a single profile, check their histories and power shop at over 200 top cities.
CMP CREDIT
• This session has been verified by CIC to qualify for continuing education credit. towards the CMP certification.
• Participation has earned you .50 Clock Hours (30 minutes) for CMP-IS Domain: B Project Management
• We will send you an email following the webinar that will give you a link to print proof of your participation
• Simply list the course on your year-end detail.
• Thank you for participating!