Preparing for and executing an expert site inspection is a whirlwind process! It’s difficult to find the time to do it right, but it you don’t, the opportunity to find the best location for your meeting is greatly diminished. This is where the services of your destination expert, and the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB, sometimes referred to as a Destination Marketing Organization) in the destination they represent, can literally be an extension of your staff, saving you time and money, and allowing you to leverage their local knowledge, relationships, and buying power. So, while using a CVB to assist you in the site inspection planning may be the best tip of all, we have 10 other tips to share as well. These insights will guide you seamlessly through the process of finding just the right fit for your next meeting. In this session you will learn: • 10 great tips for super charging your site inspections • How to enlist the help of your destination expert from the CVB, as the best first call in any destination to save you both time and money

1. 10 Essential Tips p
for Getting the Most Out of
Your Site Inspection!
an empowerMINT.com webinar p
Production
Kathy Hedlund
Dir of Global Accounts
Ted File
Terri Roberts
Training and Communication for
empowerMINT.com
Destination Marketing Association International
Dir. of Global Accounts
HelmsBriscoe
Dir. of Site Inspections
San Diego CVB

2. 1. Put all your cards on the table early.1. Put all your cards on the table early.
• Beyond rates, dates, space
• Purpose of your meeting• Purpose of your meeting
• Attendee demographicse dee de og ap cs
• Typical meeting behavior
• Any hot buttons

3. 2. If it happens to me,
ll h h ?will it happen to them?
• Just how VIP is this
treatment?
• Determine what is likelyDetermine what is likely
to happen to your
attendeesattendees

4. 3. Take time to sit…before you walk.3. Take time to sit…before you walk.
• Break the standard
pattern
• Get a “lay of the land”
before you beginbefore you begin

5. 4. To see or not to see.4. To see or not to see.
• Predetermine the
most important
things to see and
insist on seeing them
first
• Bring a camera or a g
video device

6. 5. Have a short list,
b l f fbut leave room for a few surprises.
• Take control of the
agenda, but…
• Encourage creativity

7. 6. Address the hard stuff up front.6. Address the hard stuff up front.
• It’s not sexy, but it’s
gotta be donegotta be done
• Attrition
F d/b• Food/beverage
minimums
• Extra costs of parking• Extra costs of parking
internet, resort fees,
ect.ect.
• Meeting room rental or
extra time need for set
up or tear down

8. 7. Look beyond the
h l f lhotel or meeting facility.
• Walk
• Cab• Cab
• Rent a car
• Can’t afford to miss

9. 8. Make sure it fits‐
d d b ddiagrams and beyond.
Seeing is believingg g
Actual set up
Standard sleepingStandard sleeping
rooms
ffMeet the staff or
understand the staff
dstructure and ratios

10. 9. Decisions, decisions, decisions.9. Decisions, decisions, decisions.
• Clearly articulate the y
decision process
• Define your follow upDefine your follow up
needs and
expectationsexpectations
• You CVB partner can
help communicatehelp communicate
and consolidate

11. 10. It’s not easy being green,
h !oh yes it is!
• Dispense with the p
paper
• Carry no bagCarry no bag
• Wear comfortable
shoesshoes

12. 11. I thought there were only 10?11. I thought there were only 10?
–Kindly refer back toKindly refer back to
tip number 5…there’s
nothing like a littlenothing like a little
surprise!

13. With over 113,000 hotels and facilities in the US…
hi h ?which one?

14. Over 880 destination experts to help you
FIND j h i h FITFIND just the right FIT…

15. Direct to the CVB ….one‐
stop‐shop for planners:p p p
•Planners easily search and
compare meeting needs
across multiple destinations.p
•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.

16. contactus@empowerMINT.com or
troberts@destinationmarketing orgtroberts@destinationmarketing.org
CMP Clock HoursCMP Clock Hours
This session is eligible for .50 Clock
Hours (30 minutes) in continuing
education towards your CMP
application or re‐certification.