7 Rules for Choosing a Hotel

Call me silly or too demanding, but in the age of everyone-has-a-voice, I choose to write this post to share my seven rules for taking a client to, or staying at a given hotel. As a corporate planner in a past life, event designer now and a regular conference attendee, these are the things that drive me bonkers! The hotel sales or catering manager or conference planner would be wise to pay attention: if I am (or any other guest is) on property and these seven things are missing, my perceived experience of the venue or the conference will be less high than it probably ought to be:

Rule 1: When you inquisitively inquire through your online room reservation process to learn that I like high floors, extra pillows and being as far away from the elevator as possible with my room, don't put me on 2, across from the elevator doors with one pillow.

Rule 2: If I cannot get a A) Cheeseburger, B) Fries, and C) Strawberry Milkshake after 10:30 PM - I am going somewhere else.

Rule 3: Take every planner (and vendor) through the back of house on a site visit. It is way more helpful to know up front that to get to the dock, you need to make 3 sharp lefts, go through a smaller-than-average, single door and walk 927 yards than to figure that out when the lounge furniture can't make the corner to get into the freight elevator.

Rule 4: Not everyone drinks coffee. Put soda and water into every coffee break. Yes, even at 10 AM.

Rule 5: Desk, Chair, Lamp, Internet Connection: Must mean this is a workstation in my room. So why are the only free outlets in the bathroom? (Subsequent points: the chair should be tall enough to comfortably work at the desk, not just a decorative accessory. Put in more than one extra outlet at the desk - Really, I need at least 3. And stop it with the glass top desks or the really well finished wood. No mouse ever works on these. Give me a mouse pad or a surface that functions - because the amenities price list is too small a surface to use as a substitute.)

Rule 6: Now I know as a planner that hotel room blocks are booked months and years in advance of the conference, meeting or event. And I know that clients can and do pay big attrition rates on the rooms that don't fill up. But stop telling me that you negotiated a great rate at the conference hotel when a 30 second search on Google shows me (attendee) that the rate at every hotel in the neighborhood is $50-$100-$200 less expensive. Re-negotiate the rate.

Rule 7: Internet is not a marketing ploy. Low/Mid-range business hotels promote regularly the free internet offered in their $89-$129 rooms. So why is it $12.99+ (++) in my $200+ (++) hotel room. It is no longer a relevant bargaining tool for only the big conferences. Internet should be free. Period.

Rule 7.1: Internet should be free. Period. In all meeting and event space and rooms, general access to Internet should be provided for all attendees, presenters and conference organizers.

ReClaiming (and ReDefining) my job as a Designer

I hate the response:

"What do you do"
"I'm an event designer"
"Oh, so you make parties pretty."

No. I am a Designer. I am not a decorator. Yes, I do create, design and provide decor for events, but that is only one small component of the responsibilities our clients task and trust us with as the designer of their meeting or event.

And yet as an industry and community, we do not necessarily celebrate the role or work of the designer the way we celebrate the decor at an event. So many times we offer awards and print in magazines beautiful pictures of stunning events without ever thinking about or asking how that event came to be; without examining the design process which did (or did not) make that beautiful event successful. And yet it is in the process of the art of design, not in the product of that design that the reality of our contributions lives.

Now note! In NO WAY is this a value judgment about the role of a designer or the work of event decorators. There is not a value judgment to be made. Both are required, but one is much better understood (and exposed) and the other is not. So I am making it my job to change that.

I have been reading the fine blog, The Business of Being Creative by @seanlow for the last eight months and his graceful words have motivated me to put a stake in the ground. Sean discusses the art of the creative business as being something each artist must define for themselves and stick to, as their art is their contribution, their art is their value. And how true. The gift we bring is an understanding of the process of creating an event. We understand the role of strategy and the important need for everyone to conceptualize the purpose of their projects, identify their audience and articulate the message of their brand or organization or of the individual celebrating. Only after this significant thoughtful energy has been spent can one really create a successful event which actually functions to serve a purpose.

It is these purpose-driven events which by design grow brands, change behavior, commemorate the past, the present or the future and create cause for celebration through the articulation of a defined set of values shared in a live, virtual or hybrid experience. It is not that these events are not "pretty" - but they are first purposeful. They are beautiful creations because they know why they exist, not because we put a bunch of beautiful things together. They are events which tell great stories - because that is our art, as true storytellers on the stage of the lived experience.

There will always be pretty events. But we don't make these. Because we are designers. And it is through our design that we make events matter.

A Question of Value?

Not a newsflash: the economy is (still) in the tank. Projections for 2010 meetings suggest things will be worse before they get better. And as an event designer that initially doesn't sound very fun! With budgets slashed, clients keep coming with the desire to do the same or more for less. They want (or internal bosses are demanding) they demonstrate good value for their spend. And yet, more and more it seems the word "value" is being swapped for "cheap price".

While I could write for several paragraphs on the multitude of meanings of the word value, I want not to bore anyone who has given me the precious time to read this post. So instead we will just focus in one idea: "cheap price". And here is my thought: "cheap price" does not equal "good value" though you may find "good value" at a "cheap price".

It is not that I am advocating that vendors don't help their clients out in this time of need. Absolutely the opposite. Being a good vendor is about being a good partner, and as a good business partner we work very hard to understand the clients need and create solutions which deliver to those needs, as well as those limitations. Times are tough all around, and working together to create cost-effective solutions is always the way to go. That said, vendors shouldn't discount just to discount and grab up an extra piece of business. Doing so is short-sighted and steals away any real "value" the vendor's brand had. Good service and great ideas will always be valued and paid for. And in the creative solutions, cost reductions can be found, as long as the players in the project have clearly identified what they value in the first place.

The mistake I so often see is folks wanting to do what they have always done for a better price. But step back for a second. Ask instead "what value do we want to get out of what we are doing." So many events happen "because they always have" without real interest invested in the "why are we doing this project and what do we hope to achieve from it." To get "good value" you have to know what you "value" in the first place. What are the reasons and objectives for the meeting. Knowing these, does there have to be a general session? Does anyone really want name entertainment on opening night? Would the event be better with less people, but higher level discussions? Is our education track working? Is the networking earning us any business? The answer to any one of these questions (and the ones you have) may be Yes or No and both answers are right, provided it is a "value" to your situation.

Once you have identified these items which the organization or the attendees at the event value, you can set in on making good investment decisions with how to best spend the budget for the greatest return. It is not about checking the boxes, but spending money where it will reap the best benefit and foregoing or cutting back what you don't value. For the event planner: articulating the budget conversation in terms of organizational values provides leverage for you to articulate why you made the decor or entertainment or food choices you did (because our (clients/attendees/executives) value or don't value these items). It allows you to design your event to your needs-good value and therefore return-rather than design to tradition.

And one more note on the decor: "Right" is always best, but "nothing" looks better than "cheap". For example: if you are struggling to come up with a cheaper solution for a centerpiece, remember the right size/scale centerpiece for your 72" table will always look best. But if you can't afford it, no centerpiece will always play better in the arena of "perception" than that $25 version which is too small for the table. Choose wisely, because declining perception value, in the minds of your client, your attendees, your boss or the company executive is not a scale you ever want to be [measured] on.

What does Value mean to you? If you are a Twitter Fan: Join the conversation at #eventprofs, Tuesday July 21 at 9 pm EST. How to Join a Twitter Chat

Calling all Attendees: You Choose how you want to Learn.

It seems clear. The future of events is in the direction of facilitated attendees experience. As a myriad of Social Media tools in hand with explosions in cell phone technology allows for engagement among attendees at any meeting and conference, I have been struck by a curious idea. Will we reach a point when attendees will be free to choose their own experience for a given learning objective? That is to say, will organizations be willing to create a portfolio of events all with the same objective?

For example: Lets say your organization wants employees to learn about Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethical Business Practices. Based on that learning objective, the event team create a series of learning modules for attendees to choose from. An experiential learner: head to China for a week to visit the factor where widgets are made. A tech-learner: a Web 2.0 environment lets attendees engage in an experience with colleagues from around the globe. A thought leader: Attend the executive summit over the weekend where small group interactive learning is the rule of thumb.

As a side note, there would appear to be value in this idea for cross-organizational learning opportunities. Consider it: the top organizations in the world create learning modules which attendees can pay to attend for continuing education. As an employer, dollars are dedicated for key talent development and those can be spent for a week at Google Camp or as a flavor creator for Ben and Jerry's. For the sponsors of the such learning programs, return is reaped from increased brand affinity and fresh ideas from outside the organization. For the individual learner, the are able to take a Liberal Arts approach to their life-long development choosing the experiences which are best suited to their development needs. Yes, this may be the Disney-ification of education - but for experience based learners is that a bad thing?

Thanks to @jaysmet for engaging with me on this converstation.