| With the economy being in a slump, many groups have | | | | book a room, they can attend the auction and drink as |
| canceled or scaled back their events. Hotels are | | | | much wine as they'd like, because they won't be |
| working to entice organizations to sign contracts, but | | | | driving home until the following day. (And who doesn't |
| before you sign on the bottom line, negotiate! If you are | | | | love breakfast at hotels?) |
| one of the many groups holding a benefit auction in a | | | | Auctions celebrating a milestone ("It's our 25th |
| hotel, consider these negotiation points with your | | | | anniversary!") should market their gala to founders and |
| respective venue. | | | | alumni who launched the organization oh-so-long-ago. |
| * Ask for discounts on food and drink (F&B in the | | | | Select a Friday or Saturday night to make the date |
| vernacular of the trade). F&B is often the largest | | | | more appealing to out-of-towners. They'll want to |
| expense of any fundraising auction, so any discounts | | | | support the group (especially if you are honoring them |
| are savings straight to the bottom line. | | | | during the evening) and will often need a room. |
| * Ask if committing to a minimum room block will grant | | | | * Ask to eliminate penalties for rescheduling and drop |
| you a deeper discount. If the hotel is interested (and | | | | any no-show fees. Planners usually secure critical |
| they will be), don't be afraid to commit to, say, a | | | | functions well in advance (e.g. venues, auctioneers, |
| 10-room minimum as it might be worth it to commit. | | | | bands), but specific schedules are often not |
| Here's how you can use those rooms: | | | | determined until dates near. Your group might secure |
| One of my clients uses four rooms for staff. After | | | | the venue nine to twelve months in advance, but the |
| they've set up the auction, worked the event, and tore | | | | Board of Directors might decide to reschedule the |
| down the party, it's often 1 AM and staff are | | | | auction date two or three months before the event |
| "rewarded" by getting to sleep upstairs in a hotel room | | | | (I've seen it happen.). Avoiding rescheduling or similar |
| instead of driving home in exhaustion. You might even | | | | penalties is a good way to play it safe in uncertain |
| offer a room to last year's top bidders. | | | | economic times. |
| Market sleeping rooms to your guest list in advance of | | | | The key point: Don't be afraid to ask. As a former |
| the event to help sell the room block. Couples can | | | | event planner at a corporation, I can tell you that asking |
| enjoy making a weekend of the party ... even if the | | | | is just part of the negotiation. |
| party isn't on a weekend. Remind them that if they | | | | |