Meetings and Events Online Booking and Marketing Optimization Tips

“Ah, the conundrum of event bookings online. First, I use the term event for ANY formal gathering (symposium, workshop, convention, conference, social activity, etc.). And, that alone means your system has to be BROAD enough to narrow the choices for the user. You should have every type of event possible listed as a “best practice” FIRST step, and then narrow it down by size, date, specific amenities or locales (i.e., outdoor beachfront, patio rooftop, etc.) so that the more customised the Request for Proposal (RFP) is, the better the end user feels about your knowledge of handling events.

The process should also gather information in as complete a format as possible so that your sales staff are not left asking more questions during a first virtual chat or phone call. Instead, they should already know a great deal about the event and have plenty of information to chat with PRIOR to starting the introductory conversation. To me, the MOST prepared venues have already come up with several ideas JUST from my personal input of information. I honestly push to the bottom of the choices venues who come back to me with their first call or Zoom meeting as “Hello there. Let’s start fresh with your meeting.” Why on earth did I spend 20 minutes entering detailed information?

Again, ask relevant questions by starting with a HUGE variety of event possibilities and then using a system that strategically asks follow-up questions and information based on the first entry of event type. Next, respond to the inquiring client within 12 hours if possible, or within 24 hours maximum. This includes weekends and holidays. Someone across the hotel needs to be able to monitor this platform day and night, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.

Lastly, come to your initial conversation with an arsenal of materials already prepared. If the dates do not work, you should still have all the other items so you can convince the client that you are excellently prepared and that they should even consider a week prior or later because of your personal expertise and ability to treat them as a client.

With the sophistication level of today’s technology, if you do not customise your online event inquiry process accordingly, one of your competitors is bound to do it better and take away your potential (and existing) clients.”

“Due to the pandemic, there was a dramatic shift in the group landscape with the rise of non-professional meeting planners and remote work culture. Many companies have elected not to bring back dedicated planners and have reassigned these tasks to admins and other staff members. High turnover has compounded the problem.

The Meetings and Events of most hotel websites assume the visitor is an experienced meeting planner void of any helpful resources or simple way to ask basic questions. It’s an intimidating experience for many new to the process. A highly optimised website experience should ideally cater to both levels of planners.

For the experienced, offer them the ability to manage as much of the process as they are comfortable with, including the ability to book small meetings themselves.

For the non-professional planner, it’s all about education. Include in-depth resources, blogs, FAQs, and video content. Also, include a basic four-field form for basic questions and easy inquiries. They most likely will not have the information needed to fill out a lengthy RFP form.

Some of our hotels are reporting as much as half of their business is now coming from prospects with little to no experience planning an event.”

“From a guest/client perspective, a booking module on the website with instant booking for day-use of MICE venues would be very helpful. It requires hotels to be upfront about pricing, optional extras etc., but it also supports quick decision making. Going back and forth between the MICE department and the client can be very time-consuming, and it requires more resources from the hotel. Furthermore, in this day and age, having to call or email could be a barrier for some.

For more complex enquiries and/or high-end solutions it of course makes sense to have personal contact for tailored offers and solutions. A long-term relationship can then start to be built and is worth investing in.

Marketing-wise, you can use the advantages in your messaging to attract users, such as ‘easy booking’, ‘last-minute’ or ‘tailor-made solutions’ – depending on the complexity of the booking. Focus on B2B platforms to reach the right decision-makers.”

“AI-enhanced websites, featuring interactive AI-driven chatbots, provide responsive support, answering questions and assisting with bookings. Predictive analytics personalise the browsing experience by anticipating customer preferences. Automated booking systems streamline operations with calendar synchronisation, automatic room allocation, and real-time updates. Virtual tours using augmented reality help visualise event spaces effectively. Personalisation also involves AI analysing data to tailor the booking experience with personalised package recommendations and dynamic pricing.

In marketing, AI is crucial for targeting and engaging potential clients. AI algorithms enable targeted digital advertising, effectively identifying and reaching prospects, particularly on social media and search engines. AI-driven automated email campaigns improve engagement by segmenting audiences and sending customised messages. AI tools also play a key role in analysing social media trends, aiding in content creation that resonates with audiences, and automating responses for consistent interaction. Furthermore, AI enhances content personalisation on websites and social media and boosts search engine rankings through SEO.

Best practices include creating user-friendly interfaces for websites and booking platforms, optimising for mobile users, and using AI to establish feedback loops for gathering and analysing customer feedback for ongoing improvement. It is also essential to maintain high security and privacy standards, especially in compliance with data privacy laws.”