When planning offsite meetings, ask hotels for their AV costs upfront. This is a practice you’ll want to add to your to-do list to be sure AV pricing is determined prior to signing a hotel contract. If you’re not sure what you’ll need, talk with the AV tech to help determine the answers.

It’s important to know, hotels do not have a storage closet full of AV equipment. Hotels outsource AV items to a local provider. This is good for you, as AV items are constantly getting smaller is size, and faster in speed, and you’ll always want the latest and greatest AV tools for your meetings. However, it is equally valuable to know hotels increase AV rental pricing and pass those costs on to you, as hotels make a nice profit off of your AV rental items! And, this is why you will always want to negotiate AV costs before signing a contract.

Here are 10 helpful tips to determine what you’ll need for AV and reduce costs:

  1. Ask hotel sales managers to connect you with their AV tech.
  2. Request a 25% discount from the AV company for all rental items.
  3. Share with the AV tech the meeting room name that the hotel assigns you to, and the seating style set up to help the AV tech determine what you’ll need. 
  4. How many guests will be in the meeting room?
  5. What is the square footage of the meeting space, including the ceiling height?
  6. Determine if the hotel has built in screens or sound in that meeting room?
  7. Are you providing Wifi capabilities for the presenters/speakers, and for all attendees? 
  8. Can you bring in some of your own equipment to save money? 
  9. Are there added fees if you bring in your own AV items?
  10. Negotiate costs with the AV company!

Number 10 is probably the most important, as you will always want to negotiate costs with the AV company! Most often you will get reduced pricing. This is a common practice; don’t be shy about asking for discounts. AV providers are accustomed to being asked for discounts from organizations hosting events. Ideally, you can also ask the hotel sales manager for an AV discount, as well as an additional discount from the AV provider! Start with a request for a 25% discount. Keep negotiating. You’d be surprised at how much you can save your organization by working closely with hotels AV provider to keep your costs as low as possible on this very expensive line item when it comes to planning offsite meeting.