Managing event housing can be a complex task, but with the right strategies and tools, it becomes a whole lot easier. Whether you’re managing a small conference or a massive event, having a few tricks up your sleeve can help streamline operations, keep attendees happy, and ensure that inventory is managed efficiently.
At our user conference, The Unconvention, we hosted a May Mania session to share event housing hacks. Based on the popular March Madness basketball bracket, this session was designed to encourage clients to share their unique hacks and creative uses of Meetingmax’s housing software. The goal was to foster a collaborative learning environment while injecting some fun and stimulating conversations among attendees.
Below are some creative event housing hacks from seasoned professionals, aimed at helping housing managers like you tackle common challenges and optimize your workflow.
Hack: When event inventory is sold out, it can be tricky to accommodate sub-block requests without complicating the main event’s inventory. One clever solution is to create a separate, cloned event solely for sub-block requests. This allows housing managers to continue collecting guest information and requests without affecting the main event’s inventory. This way, you can handle overflow smoothly, and contract the exact amount of additional inventory required, all while maintaining control over your existing inventory.
Hack: Personalizing communication can significantly enhance the attendee experience. One strategy is to send customized welcome letters and pull attendee reports for each event. These reports can then be shared with the marketing team, who can send targeted email blasts highlighting key activities and local attractions. Some event organizers even go the extra mile by providing VIP vouchers or personalized recommendations for attendees. A personal touch can make a big difference in how attendees engage with your event.
Hack: Want to boost bookings within your event block? Try incentivizing attendees with giveaways. One simple yet effective strategy is to use vertical banners on your booking site to promote exclusive prizes for those who book within the block. Select a random guest or reservation to win the giveaway, creating excitement and motivating more attendees to book early and within your preferred inventory. Examples include gift baskets themed to the region (think Bourbon gift baskets in Louisville, KY), room upgrades, or pizza parties for youth sports teams.
Hack: Managing multiple sub-blocks can be overwhelming, but labeling each one based on its status (such as “new,” “pending,” “accessible’, or “closed”) can simplify the process. Meetingmax offers a Sub-Block Group feature which allows you to quickly sort by status. By organizing sub-blocks by status, you can easily view reports and summaries at a glance, helping you keep track of everything without digging through endless data.
Hack: Allocating a small portion of your inventory for last-minute needs is a smart move, especially for high-demand events. Some managers create a reserved block, affectionately referred to as the “Oh Shit Inventory,” which acts as a buffer for unexpected needs. This ensures that you always have a few rooms available for those critical last-minute reservations, giving you peace of mind.
Hack: Before launching your event to the public, it’s a good idea to run a test. Create a “test” event and send dummy reservations to your hotel partners. This allows them to verify hotel details, test the reservation process, and ensure that everything looks good from the guest’s perspective. By making this a regular practice, you can catch any potential issues before they impact actual attendees.
Hack: Standardizing the way you collect pick-up reports from hotels can save you a lot of time and effort. One approach is to pull a pick-up report at the end of the event, condense it into an easy-to-use Excel format, and share it with hotels to fill in their final data. This method ensures consistency and makes it easier to input data back into your event management system.
Hack: Want to improve the overall attendee experience? Adding a link to local attractions or “things to do” pages in your communication (such as email footers) can be a game-changer. This helps attendees explore the local area and make the most of their trip, creating positive associations with your event.
The May Mania session was a resounding success, filled with practical tips and creative strategies from our clients. These event housing hacks not only showcased the versatility of the Meetingmax system but also highlighted the collaborative spirit of our community.
Managing event housing doesn’t have to be a headache. With these hacks, event housing managers can improve efficiency, enhance attendee experiences, and maintain control over inventory. If you’re looking for a system that takes the guesswork out of event housing management, Meetingmax is here to help. Our room block management software is designed with housing managers in mind, offering the tools and support you need to manage sub-blocks, streamline communication, and handle complex inventory challenges.
Ready to streamline your event hotel inventory management? Book a demo with Meetingmax today and discover how our platform can work for you!