Michael Morrow-Fox was staring down a $100,000 conference.
The American Heart Association’s Great Rivers Affiliate, based in Columbus, needed to bring together staffers from the Heart Association’s Ohio, Delaware, Kentucky, West Virginia and Pennsylvania offices for its quarterly all-affiliate recognition meeting, where employees are singled out for their contributions.
The aim was to “stop work and celebrate outstanding achievements,” says Morrow-Fox, the Great Rivers Affiliate vice president for human resources. “These employees put in extra time and extra thought-power because they feel good about their employer. In this meeting, we take time to catch people doing things right and recognize it.”
But taking into account the cost of travel to a central site, plus food and banquet space, Morrow-Fox was looking at a $60,000 tab — before hotel expenses.
That’s when he turned to Amy Janos, facility sales and event manager for Tri-C’s Corporate College, who set up a multisite videoconferencing event at the college’s meeting and conference facility. During that May meeting, Corporate College linked with six other conference facilities in various cities, all for under $2,000: no room costs, no travel costs.
“I see a lot of scaling back on meetings now,” Janos says. “People are spending less and taking advantage of technology. "
The videoconference wasn’t just a budgetary win. In previous recognition meetings, the Heart Association audioconferenced with its affiliates while simultaneously using a Power Point program to highlight various topics of discussion. This time around, the meeting was much more personal.
“This was nice because it was an interactive videoconference,” says Morrow-Fox. “We went from site to site to site — it became very intimate.”
Morrow-Fox sees a link between fully engaged employees and higher profitability. But that doesn’t mean you need to overspend in order to rally your staff.
According to Benchmark Hospitality International, which surveyed 30 conference hotels, resorts and conference centers, the No. 1 aim of meetings today concerns return on investment. Company gatherings are strategic affairs, now more than ever, with an eye on what’s being gained from every dollar spent.
You can temper costs by being smart about planning your event, from negotiating fees to timing the meeting so you’re not paying top dollar for the most in-demand dates. But that’s just the start. We asked Northeast Ohio meeting and event mavens how to make sure you’re getting the most out of your next conference.
Lay the groundwork.Use the services of your local convention and visitors bureau. That’s why it’s there.
The CVB will distribute your event specifications and requests for proposals to local meeting venues, hotels and other vendors, as well as set up site inspections so you can make your final decision with confidence.
Walk through everything the attendees will experience so you’ll know exactly what the participants will see and here, and check for potential trouble spots.
Carol Haslett, a Cleveland Heights-based project management consultant, warns, “The No. 1 thing to look out for is a poor sound system. That’ll ruin any event.”
Take advantage of the economy. With fewer meetings, prices are more competitive now. Conference centers are much more reasonably priced than a year and a half ago, notes Ken Hlavek, of Geneva-on-the-Lake Lodge and Conference Center. The most negotiable area is hotel room rates, which Hlavek says is a buyer’s market. This is an ideal time to shop around for a venue. “Get as many quotes as you can,” says Corporate College’s Amy Janos. “Give us the chance to compete with each other.”
Find a comfort zone.Feel comfortable negotiating for things such as meeting room rentals, audiovisual equipment, set-up fees, menu options — everything. The best way to do that is develop relationships. “Find a planner at a venue that you have confidence in, who understands your purpose,” says Craig Campbell, director of sales and marketing at the InterContinental Hotel.
Consider a one-stop shop: Conference center event planners are well aware that there’s a lot less money flying around these days and can help work within your budget.
“Conference centers are built and managed to provide one-stop shops,” says Debbie Jancsura, conference manager at Lorain County Community College. “One phone call takes the burden off the client. We shop around for lower costs in technology, food services, linen costs, custom menus. We understand the climate.”
Some conference centers have adjunct facilities that could save you, too. Lorain County Community College, for example, has multiple outreach centers that offer different pricing options.
Understand timing is important. Schedule meetings for dates in lower demand. Ask the venue about its hot dates, and deal from there.
For example, peak sesasons for Geneva-on-the-Lake’s conference center are in spring and summer, so there’s more room for negotiation in October and November.
“There’s quite a swing where you’re dealing with seasonal operations,” Hlavek says.
Another cost-cutter is to package your meetings, scheduling them at the same time at the same venue.
Get the big human resources and accounting meetings done in one day.
Watch out for hidden costs. Consider the full cost of the event instead of shopping a la carte. “If you’re only comparing one thing, like room cost, you’re not doing yourself a service,” says Janos. From menus to set-up fees, audiovisual equipment — it’s all negotiable.
“Don’t get nickel-and-dimed to death,” adds Francis Girard, president of Cleveland’s Forum Conference Center. “A complete package is cheaper.” Calculate your per-person charge.
Have a zeal for meals.While you want the best prices for your event’s menu options, don’t scrimp too much and end up with the same old, same old.
Rather than serving potato or macaroni salads, offer a colorful blend of fresh fruits and vegetables.
“Food and beverage should be colorful and make a statement,” Campbell says. “If the food is plain, attendees will walk away with that impression of the event.”
Be creative.Be flexible with your meeting space. Instead of paying for separate rooms, section the general session room into a few smaller spaces.
Let the hotel suggest solutions, says Campbell. “You can meet in a small foyer or other unique areas in the hotel that may not involve meeting fees,” he says. Maximize space by using round tables that can used for the morning meeting then cleared and set for lunch.
Get down to it.Having a hard agenda is the best assurance of a productive meeting.
Cut your session from a full day to a half-day to better focus the group, suggests Francis Girard, of the Forum Conference Center.
Time is money, so keep to your schedule. “These are like billable hours,” he says. “If it starts at 8:30, be here at 8:30. Don’t let people wander in at 9:10. Keep breaks on time. Ten minutes means 10 minutes. Lunch is from noon to 1 p.m., so we’re starting at 1 p.m. The agenda is so
important.”
Ask how you did. Plan your meeting with post-event objectives and measurements. For example, the American Heart Association’s Zoomerang survey found that 93 percent of the attendees found the videoconferenced recognition meeting successful in its goal to improve morale. Not one attendee thought the meeting was poorly planned and executed.
Set up goals and anticipate levels of return prior to an event. “This can range from [discussing] leads from a trade show, revenue generated, legislative advocacy, member benefit or engaging a specific market segment,” says Gregg Mervis, vice president and COO of Akron/Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau.
As for surveys: Beyond distributing them at the event or sending them out afterward, direct participants to an online site created for the sole purpose of getting feedback on your meeting.