SCOPING OUT SITES OUTSIDE LA
by Nicholas Harper
One of the first things anyone should do that is planning to exhibit at a convention or show in a city away from home is check out the local Convention Visitor’s Bureau (CVB). Most cities these days have them and they give you instant entree into virtually any show market and
connect you with the right people to get the job done. Knowing how these
high-powered bureaus operate, and how to use their newly expanded
services, can help you stage a top-notch event in even the most
unfamiliar surroundings.
Services that were once available only in major show destinations are
now offered by small- to medium-sized cities as CVBs of all sizes try to
be more full-service. Because shows are a major source of revenue for
them, whether in terms of hotel room nights or of dollars spent at
consumer shows, CVBs will do whatever it takes to get your business.
Here’s a sampling of services:
-Site selection assistance. When one Los Angels-based show manager began searching for
new venues, she spread the word, and bureaus from Denver to Dallas and
New Orleans to Portland, OR rolled out the red carpet. She visited
several sites and at each one was hosted by a liaison from the local
CVB. In New Orleans, for example, she visited 20 properties, discussed
room blocks, dined at “incredible” restaurants and met event planners
who could coordinate extra-curricular activities for attendees.
-Pre-show promotion. Once you’ve chosen your show location, ask for CVB
help in spreading the word. After the American Academy of Family
Physicians (AAFP) selected Dallas for its annual meeting, the Dallas CVB
sent its convention services manager (CSM) to the AAFP’s meeting the
year before to promote the upcoming event. The CSM staffed a 10-by-10
booth where she distributed brochures and maps, answered questions about
everything from Dallas weather to her favorite Mexican restaurant, and
recorded the names of people who requested more information.
-Supplier contacts. CVBs make sure you meet florists, hoteliers,
photographers and other professionals. “The focus now is on providing
customers with information about only the facilities and services they
need,” says the executive director of one CVB. But, a word of caution:
CVBs are member-driven. The hotels, restaurants, attractions and other
industry suppliers you’re offered still come from CVB membership rolls.
Also, because of their neutral position, CVBs rarely recommend one
supplier over another.
-Collateral connections. CVBs will send your potential exhibitors and
attendees four-color brochures, maps, fact sheets and directories,
usually at little or even no cost.
TIP: If you’re a show manager seeking bureau assistance, look for a
destination where your show will have the most impact. If you’re a big
fish in a little pond, the local CVB will go that extra distance to
accommodate your event.
Help for Those Who Help Themselves
Get the most out of your working relationship with the CVB in a city of
any size by keeping these tips in mind:
-Know your show. How many exhibitors do you expect? What are their
special needs? How many attendees came to your last show? Did the
location affect that number? What off-site events does the show sponsor?
The answers will make finding the right city — and the right CVB to
work with — much easier.
-Do your own homework. Develop demographic requirements as they relate
to your target audiences, talk with other show professionals about
venues they’ve used and visit sites on your own. After you narrow the
field, solicit help only from those CVBs whose cities interest you the
most.
-Deliver your specs. Provide the show specifications that CVBs need to
link you with the best contacts in their cities. Tell them what
suppliers you’ll need so they can complete the necessary legwork before
you arrive. Get a good fix on the number of room nights your group will
take, the probable off-site events you’ll generate and the financial
impact your event could have on the local economy.
-Make reasonable requests. Prioritize your wish list, letting CVBs know
what you absolutely must have and what could be considered optional.
It’s Not an Inspection Checklist
A detailed checklist of fundamental specifications is essential to
conducting a productive site inspection. But it’s also important to go
beyond such quantifiable basics as available exhibit space and meeting
rooms. Here are other factors to take into consideration before making
your final decision:
-First-hand experiences. Even if you are very familiar with a facility,
check with show managers who have used it recently. Are any areas being
renovated? Have union situations changed? Have local traffic patterns
changed?
-Service-contractor insights. If possible, take your contractor with you
on the site inspection. The contractor’s familiarity with the facility
can help with details that save time, trouble and money.
-Attitude of facility staff. Did they make an attempt to understand your
show? Did they ask about your overall objectives as frequently as they
asked about their potential revenues?
-Management concerns. Do you want information on union jurisdictions?
Are you concerned about the liability limits you’ll be required to
carry? Include anything that you want to know about that you won’t
actually “see” on your inspection.
-Show-specific needs. Do you have any unusual requirements for power?
Storage of exhibit materials? Security? Signage?
-What-ifs. What happens if power goes down? If there’s a fire at 2 a.m.?
If the cleaning crew doesn’t show up when it should? Is there a call
list for senior management, and does the event coordinator have the
authority to summon the person who will solve your problem?
-How it all works. Visit on a busy day, during a big show, to find out
if the facility lives up to management’s promises and really can meet
your needs. Check out such things as the lines in the registration area
and at the concessions, and traffic flow in the exhibit halls.
Second-Tier, Not Second Rate
Considering second-tier cities for your event dramatically expands your
options. But are they the right choice for you? This list of pros and
cons can help you decide. But remember: each destination has its own
unique characteristics, and this list does not apply in its entirety to
every second-tier city.
The Upside
-Second-tiers try harder. You’ll get more attention from the CVB, the
convention center, hotels and vendors. They appreciate your business and
recognize that you have many other cities to choose from.
-Many costs are lower. You could find better rates for meeting space
rentals, hotel rooms, food and beverage, and labor.
-You’re worth more. The economic impact of an exposition is felt more
keenly in a second-tier city. And that increases your negotiation power.
-Your event looks bigger. Filling an entire convention center, rather
than one corner of a larger facility, makes your show look more
impressive to exhibitors and buyers alike.
-Labor is less stressful. Many second-tier cities have relaxed work
rules that save exhibitors an enormous amount of money and create a more
user-friendly environment for your exhibitors.
The Downside
-Fewer services. One show manager finds that convention centers in
second-tier cities don’t always have enough tables and chairs for
breakout meetings, or can’t make signs quickly enough.
-Limited attractions. Some second-tier cities have less to offer for
dining, entertainment and sightseeing. This might be important for shows
that are spouse-oriented.
-Transportation hassles. Although some second-tier cities are served by
virtually every major airline, others are less easily accessed by air.
This is a special concern for overseas attendees who might need to take
connecting flights.
-Less international appeal. Many international participants are aware of
only the largest exposition cities and might consider a show in a
second-tier city less important. Also, they might prefer cities with
many attractions – for a vacation in addition to the event.
Hotel Hospitality
Hotel exhibit space can be an option for both trade and consumer shows.
Some hotels have large, dedicated exhibit space and state-of-the-art
services that rival those of the best convention centers. Others can
turn their ballrooms and meeting rooms into high-quality exhibit space.
Some have flexible rooms that can be converted into exhibit space, but
they lack many of the support services needed by a show organizer.
Keeping that broad spectrum in mind, you can use these guidelines to
help determine if a hotel is the appropriate choice for your event:
-Fewer distractions. Because everything and everyone is self-contained,
exhibitors and attendees can go directly from their rooms to the
program. Show organizers don’t have to consider shuttle transportation,
attendees are less likely to stray to go shopping or sightseeing if they
aren’t leaving the building, and networking opportunities are greater
when people spend more time in the same building.
-Simplified contracts. You’re dealing with a single entity for exhibit
space, room blocks, insurance, catering, audiovisual needs, spouse
programs and so on.
-More bargaining chips. If you’re booking rooms and holding food
functions, you’re bringing in more total revenue and are therefore in a
better position to negotiate costs — including costs for exhibit space,
which are frequently non-negotiable in a convention center.
-Multi-group competition. Simultaneous events are not as segregated as
they are in a convention center. This could mean confusion in common
registration areas or in lobbies, or crowding in food areas at mealtimes
and freight elevators during move-in/move-out.
-Restricted exhibit space. Hotels are less likely than convention
centers to have large, column-free expanses of exhibit space. Also,
ceilings are generally lower — typically, 17 to 23 feet high, vs. 30 to
35 feet in convention centers.
-Limited utilities. This could be a concern for show managers whose
exhibitors consume quantities of electricity, water or compressed air.
-Awkward move-in/move-out. Hotels typically have limited loading dock
facilities, without direct dock access to the exhibit areas. This could
mean higher drayage rates. Also, marshaling facilities might be lacking.
-Exclusive contractors. Some hotels have exclusive or in-house
contractors. This could be a problem for show managers who have a
contract or long-term relationship with a contractor.
What You Can Negotiate
Space rates are often cast in stone by governmental bodies such as
facility authorities, city councils, state legislatures or other
agencies. If you manage a consumer show, or a small or regional show,
you aren’t booking enough hotel rooms to have much clout in the city.
Mega-shows that can fit into just a few cities, or shows that have rigid
schedules, also have little flexibility. Does that mean that negotiation
with the facility is a lost cause for most show managers?
Hardly. The key is learning what to negotiate. Here are some of the
areas that show managers have negotiated successfully. For best results,
don’t ask for them all. Choose the ones that are most important to you,
and the ones on which you are willing to yield.
-Payment plans. Can the facility reduce the amount of your deposit? Can
it adjust the due date to accommodate your organization’s fiscal year or
marketing budget?
-Move-in/move-out days. Aim for a time period that is reasonable, given
the size and complexity of your show. But don’t automatically jump at
“free” days. If the facility’s schedule gets pressed, and it cuts some
of your free time, you won’t be compensated. But if you’re paying for
the time that’s cut, your prorated refund can help pay for any overtime
charges you incur.
-Comfort items. Will the air conditioning be turned on during move-in?
Will the lights be at full power? Will food-and-beverage service be
available during all hours of move-in/move-out? If these are really
important to you, you might want to hold firm here and yield elsewhere.
-Food and beverage. These rates are usually negotiable if you’re holding
several food functions on site. But go beyond rates. Can you extend the
hours that food stands are open, for the convenience of exhibitors
working late? What about free coffee and doughnuts for exhibitors on
set-up days? Upgraded centerpieces? Extra servers for large food
functions?
-Meeting rooms. This is one of the most flexible areas. If the facility
provides ice water only for head tables, request it for all tables. Ask
for draped tables, with pencils and note pads. Try for extra rooms for
board-of-directors lounge, speaker-prep rooms, press rooms or executive
offices. If you are using a large portion of the facility and purchasing
substantial food and beverage, ask for a waiver of meeting room set-up
charges or the fee for turning a room more than once a day.
-Safety and health personnel. Can you choose your own provider for
on-duty nurses and paramedics? If not, can you negotiate hours or rates?
-Trash removal. You might be able to negotiate a lower rate if you can
demonstrate that your show has low trash output.
Avoid Billing Errors
Billing errors can wipe out your hard-won negotiation gains. These tips
can help you spot or prevent such errors:
-Have operations people on site who know your budget.
-Insist on a bill before you leave the hall.
-Don’t pay undocumented charges.
-Before dismantling, walk the show floor with facility personnel and
check the usable square footage. Is it really as stated? Should you
receive deductions for any pillars and posts? If aisles run through any
large block exhibits because of fire regulations, be sure the aisles are
deducted from total exhibit space.
-Create sign-in sheets for all workers contracted through the facility.
The sheets help you locate personnel, but also account for hours worked.
-Send the facility a function manual listing everything you order. Then,
have your staff sign off on room set-ups and event orders. If something
is delivered that you did not order, alert the facility immediately and
head off that charge.
Leveraging your show’s value
The greater your show’s economic impact, the stronger your negotiating
position. Be prepared to prove how many dollars will come into the
community and how many businesses will benefit from your event. Assemble
figures on everything from hotel, restaurant, entertainment and shopping
expenditures, to facility rent and general and specialty contractor
expenses. If you manage a smaller show, include even more statistics,
totaling small-ticket items such as parking revenues.
Nicholas Harper is an independent trade show consultant based in Ventura.