1. Vital Meeting Disclosures
BEFORE Talking Hotel Room Rates
Dawn Norman
Independent Events Services Professional
Normand Productions, LLC

2. What do I need to share/find out before I ask about room rates?
The Power of the Information You GIVE and
How It Affects What You GET for Your Meeting
• Revealing your meeting’s value puts you in a
stronger negotiation position
• Information shared upfront ultimately saves you
time
• Resources/components for compelling RFPs
• Added discoveries/opportunities when
stakeholders understand your goals and
objectives

3. SHOW, TELL
and UNCOVER

4. TIP # 1 SHOW

5. RFP: Inspection Checklist
Contact Info (host, third party, key person)
Event Profile
 Market segment
 Total Attendance
 Organization Overview
 Event Overview
 Event Goals
 Attendee Demographic
 Accessibility/Special Needs
RFP Information
 RFP Decision Date
 RFP Decision Process
 RFP Special Requirements
 RFP Submission Instructions
 RFP Preferred Method of
Communication
Room Block
 Desired Dates
 1st choice, 2nd choice, & 3rd choice
 Dates to Avoid
 Locations Under Consideration
 Locations (recent & upcoming)
 Room Block (day by day, room type, suites,
staff)
 Desired Room Rate Range
 Rate Net or Commissionable
 Room Rate History
 Concessions
 Headquarter Hotel (citywide)
 Housing Method (citywide)
Event History (venue, city, start/end date, attd,
room nights, F&B spend and day-by-day room pickup)
Event Space Requirements (day, function
type, setup, #attd, start & end time, 24 hour hold)
Source: CIC APEX RFP Workbook

6. This saves you time, how?
• Fewer calls for
clarification
• More complete
responses
• Less turn downs
• Better able to meet
your specific needs
• Fuels the creative
process of your sales
team

7. TIP # 2 TELL
 Seasonality
 Special events
 City wide conventions
 Business and leisure transient demand

8. TIP # 3 UNCOVER
Be specific about your goals and objects …
challenge your sales professional to
tie their offerings to your specific
goals & objectives!!

9. How CVBs make position planners as
better destination negotiators
1. They serve you by being a destination educator and facilitator
2. They advocate for the complete picture of the organization/planner
3. They help you understand local demand factors
4. They give hotels the opportunity to put their best foot forward with all the
information they need to respond
5. They assist you in uncovering the unique opportunities to meet your objectives

10. www.empowerMINT.com
A free one-stop shop resource for planners.
• Search and compare
• Review at-a-glance destination profiles
• Find your Destination Expert
• Submit a Quick Request or RFP to multiple destinations

11. CVB Promise and Value To Planners
• Comprehensive View of the Destination
• Local Expertise
• Extensive In-Market Relationships
• FREE to YOU!
We are the best first point of contact
to help planners FIND the right fit
for any size meeting or event.

12. 4 Ways to Keep in Touch!
Email: Contactus@empowerMINT.com
Website: www.empowerMINT.com and search & connect with a
local expert for FREE
Blog: blog.empowerMINT.com FREE meeting planner resources
including previous webinar replays
LinkedIn: Join our group-- DMAI Network for CVBs and Meeting
Professionals