Ruby further states that planners would almost always prefer to have all of their programs booked well in advance so they could better concen- trate on other responsibilities and the planning of future events and bigger programs down the line.


“However, we all know that is not the case in our business,” she continues, “there are plenty of days spent with our ‘hair on fire,’ and most of us would- n’t want it any other way. One advan- tage to booking with short lead times, especially for events of 100 or fewer people, is that venues usually have spots to fill. And as long as your ratio of rooms to space isn’t too far out of proportion, one could get a very good deal.”


But what if the planner wants some- thing in a city in where properties have been booked long in advance (per-


haps as part of a city-wide event)? In such a scenario, trouble can ensue.


“Unless a major group cancels, the property won’t have room,” explains Ruby. “How will you know if a group cancels? This is when it’s great to have built strong relationships with sales managers and brands. You just might get a phone call. I also would encour- age using list servers such as MECO or MiFORUM through email as a way to get notifications.”


These list servers are utilized by both planners and also suppliers who inter- act daily, sometimes even hourly, exchanging questions, holding con- tract discussions, and sometimes even announcing group cancellations, Ruby explains.


She adds that, in all of her business dealings, she requests a good rate -


4­ 6 Janiuary­z February­2018


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