by Carolyn Davis, CMP Revenue per available room, or RevPAR for short, is a ratio commonly used to measure financial performance in the hospitality industry. The metric, which is a function of both room rates and occupancy, is one of the most important gauges of health among hotel operators.
As a meeting planner, you should understand and talk knowledgeably about the importance of your group’s business. With this information, you can then assess how it plays into and benefits the Rev PAR of the hotels you are considering. The more it benefits the hotel’s RevPAR, the more it will benefit your group’s rates and concessions. The good news is that it’s not us against them. It is us working with them for a win-win. How can we do this? Know the factors that affect RevPAR:
Ask your Salesperson:
Once you understand how RevPAR works, you’ll have a powerful tool that will help you negotiate your next meeting. Carolyn Davis, CMP, owner of Strategic Meeting Partners is a past Meeting Planner of The Year for MPI San Diego. She is an WOSB and IATAN certified meeting and event planner. She has been responsible over the past 20 years for producing DMC programs, special events and meetings for corporate and association clients ranging in size from 100 to over several thousand people including John Deere, Oracle, RealPage, CSC, InTouch Health, and US4Warriors. Davis is a noted expert and speaks globally. Any views or opinions represented in this blog belong to the writer and do not necessarily reflect the view or opinion of SPIN. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information and will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the use of this information. This blog may not be copied and published without the written permission of the writer and SPIN. Have something to say? Say it on The Chatter, SPiN members are invited to submit Blogs for publication in The Chatter. If you are interested send an email to blog@spinplanners.com. Let us know what you want to blog about and we will contact you.
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by Kathie Niesen, CMP It’s been a little over a year since I took this volunteer job as Blog Coordinator for SPIN. A lot has changed over those months, I attended my first SPIN leadership meeting and my first SPINCon. I met some amazing people – you know who you are!
I’ve gotten a little busier in the last year as my business has picked up, not from the website I labored to create, that everyone told me I needed. No I’ve gotten business in part from my SPIN colleagues. Who have mentored, informed and helped spread the word. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the challenge of getting SPIN members to write blogs, why? I think there are a lot of misconceptions about what a blog is and is not. It is not an article for the newspaper or a white paper, it is by definition a discussion or informational site published on the internet consisting of posts by a small group of individuals or a single individual. It’s your opportunity to share your opinion and even to preach a little bit if you want. It’s an opportunity to get your name in print and to share your knowledge. Blogs are in general short, 300-350 words and can include information about meeting planning issues or even just life issues. There are some general suggestions for writing a good blog but we tend to be pretty laid back here at SPIN, and as lifelong learners, we don’t stick to just one subject. If you have never blogged this is a great opportunity to get started and if you blog regularly, consider increasing your exposure through the SPIN blog. So come on, contact me at blog@spinplanners.org and let me know what you would like to submit a blog about and when you think you can get it done. Your fellow SPIN members will thank you! Kathie Niesen, CMP is the Owner of KMN Meetings and Events. She plans meetings of all sizes. Consulting services include instructional design, working with volunteers and faculty development. She is the SPIN Blog Coordinator and a member of PCMA. You can contact her at kathie@kmnmeetings.com Any views or opinions represented in this blog belong to the writer and do not necessarily reflect the view or opinion of SPIN. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information and will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the use of this information. This blog may not be copied and published without the written permission of the writer and SPIN. by Laura Howe, CMP The hospitality industry is a magnet for networking. So why is it so hard to meet the right people? When I say the right people, I mean the authentic kind. The type of people who through genuine camaraderie become walking, talking advertisements for one another. Professional networking is more than just a LinkedIn profile or exchanging a business card. So, how do you meet the “authentic” people out there? Join an association. Take advantage of the networking prospects you have access to right now. I’ve been a member of SPIN, for years. In the beginning, I was a LinkedIn member who would occasionally read the posts but never engage. Years later, I elevated my membership and began participating in the educational offerings. Amazed with the topics and candor from the members, I knew this was an association that was building people up to succeed and I wanted more. Presently, I have upped the ante again and have volunteered within SPIN as their Director of Membership. The amount of like-minded, intelligent, professional and did I mention FUN people that I have encountered and have access to is well…priceless! I attended SPINCon for the first time last year (and now I am officially hooked.) Cultivating a professional network doesn’t happen overnight. It sure didn’t happen like that for me. I am a firm believer that you get what you put in - you must make an investment of time and effort in the association and become involved. In the spirit of leveraging your network, I am reminded of a fellow bloggers quote, “Learn to enjoy the networking for the satisfaction of helping others, the pride in seeing your contacts succeed, the friendships that form. And learn that sometimes "paying it forward" has rewards.” ¹ Be the “authentic” kind! As the Director of Membership for SPIN, I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to remind everyone that SPIN has eliminated membership dues for all qualified members until the end of 2016. It has also waived registration fees for all member events and activities in 2016, including its annual North American conference; SPINCon. Visit http://www.spinplanners.com and sign up today! This is a great way to expand your professional network.
Any views or opinions represented in this blog belong to the writer and do not necessarily reflect the view or opinion of SPIN. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information and will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the use of this information. This blog may not be copied and published without the written permission of the writer and SPIN. Have something to say? Say it on The Chatter, SPiN members are invited to submit Blogs for publication in The Chatter. If you are interested send an email to blog@spinplanners.com. Let us know what you want to blog about and we will contact you. by Doug Chorpenning It is too easy for us to associate our value with the organization we are working for at any given time. However, the truth is that you are always self-employed, even if you are getting a steady paycheck from an employer. As we have seen over the last decade, there is no such thing as job security. “This isn’t your father’s economy.”
Considering this reality, we must always be cognizant of how we are creating our own personal brand. Similar to actual consumer brands, we are measured by the value and integrity we extend to the marketplace. The good news is that it is easier than ever for us to create our unique brand of You, Inc. Here are five fundamental ways you can generate buzz around your personal brand and prepare yourself for a smoother transition into a new role or such when the time comes.
Doug Chorpenning is the founder and CEO of the wet paint group. wet paint specializes in corporate messaging, branding, & experiential marketing. Prior to wet paint, he owned and managed the hip performance group (a boutique branding & event management agency) from 2000-2010. Doug is a member of SPIN. Any views or opinions represented in this blog belong to the writer and do not necessarily reflect the view or opinion of SPIN. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information and will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the use of this information. This blog may not be copied and published without the written permission of the writer and SPIN. Have something to say? Say it on The Chatter, SPiN members are invited to submit Blogs for publication in The Chatter. If you are interested send an email to blog@spinplanners.com. Let us know what you want to blog about and we will contact you. by Kathie Niesen The case of Erin Andrews suing a major hotel chain for allowing a stalker to obtain her room number and then occupy a neighboring room is so disturbing. If you have heard the story you know the stalker went on to record her naked through the peephole and then put the video on the internet where nearly 17 million people have viewed the video. That a hotel employee, even four years ago would give out her room number and abet this horrible deed is truly shocking.
Again, nearly 17 million people have watched that video. Can you even imagine that many people seeing you in your native state? I certainly can’t. So who is culpable? Certainly the stalker who served some jail time related to the case. And what was the hotel chain’s responsibility in the case? Where is their training program and why did someone not question this man’s request when it was made? And what really was the damage to Erin Andrews personally? Beside the obvious, a horrible invasion of privacy and of course knowing that forever that video can be accessed by anyone. Did it hurt her career, has it affected her love life? She claims yes and how can anyone possibly prove that right or wrong. As meeting planners, we take safety measures to the nth degree and we should. We have a strategy in place to ensure the safety and security of our meeting attendees. We have all been trained to ensure that the hotel, meeting venue and even transportation have measures in place to ensure a happy healthy attendee and a successful meeting. What more can we do? This blog and the recent one that Barbara Scofidio wrote on human trafficking should spark a discussion. Let’s talk about how safe we feel or not when staying in a hotel. How often have you noticed what is going on around you, in the hallways, lobby and other public spaces. How many times has the desk clerk announced your room number? How many times have you been concerned about the person on the elevator with you? How many of you have opened the door without calling the front desk to ensure the person is really a hotel employee? And what have you done about it? Lets talk about it. Kathie Niesen, CMP is the Owner of KMN Meetings and Events. She plans meetings of all sizes. Consulting services include instructional design, working with volunteers and faculty development. She is the SPIN Blog Coordinator and a member of PCMA. You can contact her at kathie@kmnmeetings.com Any views or opinions represented in this blog belong to the writer and do not necessarily reflect the view or opinion of SPIN. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information and will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the use of this information. This blog may not be copied and published without the written permission of the writer and SPIN. Have something to say? Say it on The Chatter, SPiN members are invited to submit Blogs for publication in The Chatter. If you are interested send an email to blog@spinplanners.com. Let us know what you want to blog about and we will contact you. by Tracey B. Smith, CMP, CMM Every time I see another report of a terrorist attack or a politician spouting that certain people do not belong in the United States, my stomach goes into knots. First of all, I don’t like confrontations. Second, all this spewing of hate gets me riled up.
I am not sure I can muster true forgiveness for the terrorist couple in San Bernardino, or, for that matter, the Aurora cinema shooter. I certainly cannot forgive the evil-doers of 9/11 and Paris and elsewhere. So, I got to thinking about what I could do. The meetings industry is unique in that we planners and suppliers do business together all over the world. And, we do it peacefully. I am always awed by IMEX, because hundreds of countries come together to promote meetings, travel and tourism. No one gets into a fight there. No one openly shuns another because of race or religion. It is precisely because of the meetings and travel industry that people come together for a common purpose, and often leave with a new understanding. So, I intend to talk about how our industry can push the answers this world needs to be peaceful, prosperous and safe. I will encourage people to go somewhere new to get a different perspective. Those who travel tend to understand that, for the most part, we all have the same needs and desires: to be productive in our communities and to go home to have dinner with our families each day. It is not any more complicated than that. I’ve been apolitical all my life, which really means I don’t want any of those buffoons representing me. I struggle with each election, worried that the buffoon I finally vote for will mess things up totally. So far, I’ve managed to get by all of them and the world still stands. We’ll survive this next one, too, but it IS up to us to keep the message going: when we meet, we show a few more people the love, and the world changes. Peace out. Tracey B Smith, CMP, CMM discovered the meetings industry in 1989 and never looked back. In those years, she has planned corporate meetings and conferences, association meetings and public events. In 2010, Smith joined the SPIN, developing programs for the organization’s members and the first three SPINCon conferences. Currently, Smith is a contract meeting manager for American Express Meetings & Events. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and various dogs. Have something to say? Say it on The Chatter, SPIN members are invited to submit Blogs for publication in The Chatter. If you are interested send an email to blog@spinplanners.com. Let us know what you want to blog about and we will contact you. by Barbara Scofidio I’m amazed at how often I still hear that question. Even after most of the major hotel companies and meeting industry associations have signed what’s known as “The Code” (the Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct), forging a commitment to train their employees to spot the signs of sex slavery. Even after the largest-ever FBI sting last October led to 150 arrests in one week (and saved 150 children) in the same cities—and hotels—we all meet in.
Meeting planners can make a huge difference in growing awareness among our hotel and other vendor partners. Start by bringing up the subject in casual conversation with the director of sales or GM, asking what policies and procedures the hotel has in place around trafficking. There have been situations where these discussions have led to hotels signing the Code so their employees are trained to spot the signs. Once they realize there isn’t a big financial burden, they’re more apt to get involved. Other planners build language right into their RFPs. The leading organization in the U.S., ECPAT, has resources that can help you get started. So the next time someone asks you, “What does human trafficking have to do with my job?” I suggest you answer with two responses: 1) Did you know it happens all the time in four- and five-star hotels? (Subway spokesperson Jared Fogle made headlines when he was arrested for child prostitution at The Plaza in NYC.) 2) You travel, don’t you? Traffickers move victims across cities and countries using air and ground transportation companies. If you think you spotted something when you were on a trip, you probably did. Those two answers will help build awareness so that, one day, this question is never asked again. Barbara Scofidio is editor of Prevue magazine and recently spoke on human trafficking at SPINCon. Have something to say? Say it on The Chatter, SPiN members are invited to submit Blogs for publication in The Chatter. If you are interested send an email to blog@spinplanners.com. Let us know what you want to blog about and we will contact you. By Tracey B. Smith, CMP, CMM I am a contract meeting manager. I work from home. It can be a bit lonely sometimes, so I have to make myself get out of the house and connect with other people. I prefer other meeting planners, when possible. SPiN has been that source for me. It’s not just that we’re meeting planners. It’s the levels of experience we all have. I can come to SPiN members for answers, for directions, for opinions, and more importantly, for friendship. Seriously, where else can you reach out to another person half-way across the country to partner with you on a site inspection? Or, a lip-sync contest? Or, new contract work? True stories! And, I know I can reach out when necessary if I need help in a different city, or just need a recommendation for an offsite venue. This is a community that goes beyond a career. It’s a community that cares about each other and seeks to help each other. It’s emotional. I don’t get that in other industry organizations. I have yet to pay for my membership in SPiN, because I signed on as a volunteer in the early days and I kept accruing enough credits to cover those costs. While I am delighted to have a free year, I truly would pay the price to be a member year after year. SPiN is worth it, and I am worth it! Tracey B Smith, CMP, CMM discovered the meetings industry in 1989 and never looked back. In those years, she has planned corporate meetings and conferences, association meetings and public events. In 2010, Smith joined the SPIN, developing programs for the organization’s members and the first three SPINCon conferences. Currently, Smith is a contract meeting manager for American Express Meetings & Events. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and various dogs. Have something to say? Say it on The Chatter, SPIN members are invited to submit Blogs for publication in The Chatter. If you are interested send an email to blog@spinplanners.com. Let us know what you want to blog about and we will contact you. by Shawna Suckow, CMP As senior-level planners, dare I say that we’re the most respected segment of planners in the industry? Some of us logging more than 30 years in our jobs – long before our jobs were really even defined by the federal government, or anyone else for that matter. Long before there were college courses or mentor programs. We’ve been trailblazers along the way, forging paths for others to follow. Whether we realize it or not, younger planners are watching us and molding the future of the industry based on what they learn from us. What we do, and how we behave, matters. With that in mind, I challenge all of my fellow veteran planners to pledge along with me to improve the industry in the following three ways:
Shawna Suckow, CMP, is the Founder & Chairwoman of SPIN, the 2,500-member Senior Planners Industry Network. Honors include being named Top 100 Women Business & Tech Speakers Globally, Top 25 Women in the Industry, Top 25 Most Influential in the Meetings Industry, and Planners' Favorite Speakers of 2014 and 2015. Have something to say? Say it on The Chatter, SPiN members are invited to submit Blogs for publication in The Chatter. If you are interested send an email to blog@spinplanners.com. Let us know what you want to blog about and we will contact you. by Pat Ahaesy, CMP, CSEP Are you an event planner planning a program, and want to be sure that your attendees are engaged during the various sessions? Are you a presenter who wants to be sure that your audience is engaged?
Event planners and speakers want to engage their audiences, but the trick is how to engage effectively. Even the very best speakers may have a tough time keeping audience interest at times. No matter how important, fascinating or humorous the content is, audience interest waxes and wanes. What to do? Integrate an audience response system into the presentation. In addition to engaging your audience, an audience response system can be used as a research or survey tool. This is quite effective and results are obtained almost instantly. There are a plethora of companies and types of audience response systems out there, but the end result is being able to get the audience reaction/response to the content being delivered on stage, and adding another level to their engagement. Some of the systems consist of wireless keypads and use Wi-Fi to communicate, while others require an App on your phone . There are pluses and minuses to each. There more than likely is a technician on hand to assure that all works. The wireless units as well as the apps work with Wi-Fi, but you must be sure that you have enough bandwidth available in the room for serving the size audience you expect. One of the costs to be considered in this instance is the cost of Wi-Fi. This is vital as audience members will be very unhappy if they get knocked off the Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi costs and negotiating those costs are another topic. When it comes to an App, the Pew Report says “64% of A merican adults now own a smartphone of some kind”. Make sure your audience is not part of the other 36% In the long run, whichever type that you choose, the most important thing is how you plan for them. The first question is, should you use a w ireless keypad or an app? This will depend on the outcomes desired, your audience and budget. Next is which of the short list of types of systems and vendors that you’ve created has the capabilities that you want and need. This is not a one size fits all situation. Then you need to come up with your questions. You can ask very simple questions with A or B answers, or slightly more complex questions with multiple choice answers. Key to getting true ROI from your system is preparing real questions that require real answers that will be useful to your audience, your speaker and to your company or association. Pat Ahaesy is the owner of P&V Enterprises is a Certified Woman Owned Business, certified by both the New York City Dept. of Small Business and New York State. We began as a business, producing corporate and non profit events in 1994. Our company has evolved over the years and in addition to planning, production and management we leverage technology, successfully managing online and on site event registration and successfully producing hybrid events and webcasts to extend the reach of an event. I am a CMP and CSEP as well as an instructor for the online Special Events Institute. I was the President of the NYC Chapter of NAWBO, and on the Board of the NYC Chapter of ISES as well as a Committee Chair for MPIGNY. Have something to say? Say it on The Chatter, SPiN members are invited to submit Blogs for publication in The Chatter. If you are interested send an email to blog@spinplanners.com. Let us know what you want to blog about and we will contact you. |
Blog CoordinatorKathie Niesen, CMP Blog WritersMembers of SPiN Archives
April 2017
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