FEATURESTORY

Off-Site Insights

Serious Business: "Four or five years ago, it was common to see a sales meeting end at 2 o'clock so everyone could fit in a round of golf," says Malark. "There is a seriousness across all businesses now to be more accountable and make sure that every dollar is spent well.'

Viva Las Vegas: Sin City remains the No. 1 destination for off-site meetings, and New York remains popular despite the high costs. Budget-minded managers are finding value in second-tier cities like Atlanta, Portland, Ore., and Oklahoma City.

Build Buzz: Companies have discovered the importance of generating enthusiasm before the meeting with lots of communication and useful information. An online registration center and "HQ" is a great pre-meeting meeting spot.

Be A Big Fish: "Regardless of whether I have 20 people or 2,000 people, I need to feel like I am a hotel's only client," says Laura DeCastro, trade show and special events manager for Comdata in Nashville, Tenn. She won't book into a resort where she feels her group is not significant enough to warrant VIP treatment.

Agendas In Triplicate: Tell participants about times, events, locations and transportation -- and then do it again. "No matter how hard I try to keep people informed about the agenda, that's what I always get graded lowest on," DeCastro says. She sends agendas electronically and redistributes them when participants check in at the hotel.

Straight Talk: Speakers continue to mix in motivational messages, but they focus on the sales process, the sales cycle or specific sales activities rather than "What if...blue sky" concepts, says Malark.

Finding the Right Fit

Off-site selection is more
than a price issue

How do you decide where to hold your off-site meetings? For most, it's a combination of quality, price, proximity to participants, the kind of activities you have planned, and past experience or referrals.

Few sales managers factor their meeting objectives into site selection, but Greg Malark says it may be the best place to start. And Malark knows a few things about site selection. He is executive vice president of HelmsBriscoe, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based conference resource firm that booked approximately 3 million room nights last year, making it the largest buyer of hotel space in the world.

"It's not just about getting a rate or buying in a certain spot. The most important thing is to understand the meeting objectives. What message do you want to send to your salespeople?" Malark says. "What tone do you want to set?"

He's sympathetic to tight budgets, but cautions against shopping on price alone. "Salespeople in particular tend to be very aware of their environment. They take away a lot of messages from the property you choose, the way they're treated and the overall quality of the experience."

 

See also in the article:  Finding the 'R' In Off-Site ROI

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Finding the Right Fit

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Take Homes

 
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