Negotiating a Win for Everyone

When you are negotiating with a facility you want the best for your firm, but you also want the facility to welcome your business - not to dread having to deal with you. The negotiating should be a win win for each party.

Our firm has about 50 -100 off-site meetings and trainings each year. I research which property would be the best fit for each meeting. Then I check their pricing online before I make the initial call to the facility. I want to know their package pricing prior to my first meeting. I negotiate each meeting for their different needs. I try to partner with the facility and I am not afraid to ask for different concessions. I have a clear plan of the needs for my meetings (meeting space, food, beverages, audio visual and overnight rates) when I meet with the facility. Each item is negotiable. You know when it's been a successful negotiation when all parties are content with the outcome and you can look forward to a successful event.

If the facility is not willing to work with you nor does it show it wants your business, do not be afraid to walk away. If they are not willing to work with you at the negotiation stage then things will not get better prior to the meeting or during the meeting. It's better to know at the start and to go to another venue.

After the negotiating and planning when the meeting is a success - I am very loyal to that facility and they will be the first one I call. I truly believe the different facilities want to work with you and have a true partnership. You end up forming a friendship with the staff and there is trust on both sides. You know your event will be successful and the facility knows you will continue to use them.

The information and views of this contributing columnist are not necessarily the views or opinion of Meetings + Events or its parent company, Tiger Oak Publications.

Lin Donahue has been with Plante Moran for nearly 13 years.