It's “Survival of the Fastest" in the World of Corporate Events
Planners Seek out "Cheetahs," not Sloths.
The one thing that you can’t buy is time, yet that happens to be one of the most precious commodities to planners. No matter what they do, they can never get enough of it. The speed of a Cheetah comes to mind when debating the topic. It is the fastest land animal and goes from 0 to 40 mph in three strides. With that said, it should never take three days to respond to an RFP. While Cheetahs are quick to get the job done, sloths move slower than any other animal on earth. Slide over sloths, there is absolutely no place for you in the planning process. Planners want information now. Why such a sense of urgency?
Out of hundreds of other professions, event planners rank #5 on the list of top stressful jobs in America. Planners rely on the reaction time and accuracy of their suppliers so if you show any signs of procrastination verses a sense of urgency, you are dead in the water before you even get started. Speaking of getting started, let’s begin with the expectations of a planner during the very first stage of an event, the RFP process. You made the initial “cut” and the planner has determined that you might be a good fit for their group. You have 24 hours or one business day to respond to the RFP to confirm your unwavering commitment to earn their business. Allison Bishop, Event Operations Manager at Stockton & Partners in Philadelphia, goes one step further with regard to speed and accuracy. “When I reach out to a vendor, my biggest pet peeve is when they send back a response but without answering all of my questions.” In this case, “haste makes waste”, and you may have just “wasted” a great opportunity for new business.
Suzanne Gildea, Director of Corporate Sales at Normandy Farm Hotel, walks the walk and talks the talk when it comes to leading her team with a sense of urgency for their clients. Suzanne is most definitely a cheetah versus a sloth! In the competitive world of meeting planning, Suzanne is very well aware that if you “snooze you lose.” Suzanne’s approach to urgency might not work for everyone but it sure has received accolades from planners. Sharon DeFelices, CMP, and owner of Mosaic Meetings and Events, LLC and client of the farm states; “I will always remember the effort a venue salesperson puts forward in communicating where they are in terms of responding or submitting a proposal. No response or late response will usually result in my limiting any chance for future business.”
Brian Tracy encourages all of us to pump up our sense of urgency when responding to meeting planners. He suggests that we, “develop an inner drive and desire to get on with the job quickly and get it done fast. This inner drive is an impatience that motivates you to get going and keep going. A sense of urgency feels very much like racing against yourself”.
In conclusion, be the cheetah, not the sloth when it comes to the speed in which you react to your planner’s requests and needs. Trust me, they’ll notice and your reward will likely be new business and long term, trusted relationships.
Located just 25 minutes from Center City Philadelphia and situated in the heart of Blue Bell, Pa.,Normandy Farm Hotel and Conference Center is more than a meticulously restored American landmark—it's a fully wired, high-tech hospitality venue. Relax on our grand terrace, sip a cocktail in America's oldest silo, play a challenging game of golf on our championship course, plan an event with us or dine on our delectable farm-to-table cuisine. It all adds up to One Historic Experience.
