“Share your budget with the venue salesperson and collaboratively partner with them to get where you need to be. Be a good planner partner at the venue by being willing to compromise on one or two of your ‘must haves.’ If you are only on the ‘ask’ end, the
salesperson may feel that you are not willing to accommodate their needs, as well. In addition, always include your contingency line when planning the budget. Things will
always pop up as an event date gets closer, and if you have a small contingency cushion built into your budget, you’ll be ahead of the game.”
- Sharon DeFelices, CMP, Mosaic Meetings and Events, LLC
that planners ask the vendor to offer suggestions that can work within the set budget.
Other ways to save in planning for meetings or events, Even says, include working with the venue or destination to secure off-peak dates. In addition, “discuss a give-and-take method with the hotel to see how you can help them and, in turn, they help you. For exam- ple, review your agenda to see if you can give space back. Review your room block early and rely on sugges- tions for F&B cost savings.”
For Sharon DeFelices, CMP, owner of Mosaic Meetings and Events, LLC, one very important consideration for her when sourcing a location is the cost of attendee travel and availability of direct flights. She explains, “If air travel is nec- essary, I typically source destinations where direct flights are available. Com- panies are more thoughtful about their employees’ time away from family and work, and we want to reduce that oc- currence when we can.”
Creative food and beverage is some- thing else that DeFelices seeks out whenever possible for an event or meeting. “I love when a venue will work with me to create interesting options that check all the boxes for the way folks want to eat now. While this is sometimes more expensive than a typi- cal buffet offering, the creativity is appreciated by clients and attendees. By playing with the menu, we can have buffets that actually help to keep folks focused on the learning and having more productive sessions.”
When it comes to choosing a destina- tion for the meeting, the “walkability”
5 0 Marchz April2020
of a city, town or resort area is an impor- tant consideration. “If employees are attending a multi-day meeting, having access to things to do in the area dur- ing free time is important,” explains DeFelices. “I also look for opportunities to break up the day and set up time for them to do something outside of the meeting room. Being able to explore a destination and create opportunities for camaraderie is important, too.”
DeFelices notes that she looks for affordable options for her clients, so most often her choices are within range of their budget. But if a client has a particularly tight budget and travel is needed, she might select a hotel near an airport.
She explains this is always a good option “so that we’re not having to figure out how to get attendees to the hotel upon arrival. That can save significant money.”
When it comes to food and beverage options, a limited budget will often dictate how creative DeFelices can be with regard to menu planning. “I have found that people really care about the food that they are offered during meet- ings. It is one of the more common survey feedback items that we see.”
When it comes to “go-to” destinations, DeFelices cites Normandy Farm Hotel and Conference Center in Blue Bell, PA as being at the top of her list for group functions. “The food is amazing, healthy and creative. The meeting package rates and guestroom rates are incredibly budget-friendly. The location is easy for commuters as well as atten- dees flying into Philadelphia. I’ve never had a dissatisfied group who hosted a
meeting there. The sales and events teams are first-rate.”
She adds that she also is a fan of the Westin in Jersey City, NJ. “It is a wonder- ful hotel with amazing staff and great food. The location is very easy to reach from Newark and La Guardia with options for public transportation from NYC. There is a lot to do in the area and The Westin is very accommodating for group needs.”
Several Philadelphia hotels rank high on her list of places to consider for meetings, as well. “The Loews Hotel, Ritz-Carlton and Westin Philadelphia are great locations with easy airport access, good walkability and great service,” DeFelices asserts.
When it comes to working with vendors, cost is likely the number one factor DeFelices considers.
“And AV production is, in my opinion, one of the best opportunities to find savings,” she explains. “A lot of hotels are in partnerships with audio-visual companies, and their rates are high. I always bring in quotes for outside vendors for AV and can say that I often save the client up 40 to 50 percent on audio-visual resources.”
It’s not all about the cost, however. “The service piece is important to me, as well,” notes DeFelices. “I want my vendor partners to know that I’m as vested in their success as I am in mine. When they look good, Mosaic Meetings and Events looks good, and vice versa.” She says she likes to work with compa- nies who will “dig deep” to find creative - and sometimes necessary - solutions for an event. “I have forged some won-
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