At SAGE Event Management, our goal is to make every program your best program. With fifteen plus year’s experience meeting clients’ needs, we know what you and your guests expect, and we are dedicated to exceeding those expectations.

Development and Design

• Work with your team to determine space requirements, hotel preferences, best dates, proper format, banquet needs, and AV specifications
• Develop customized agendas to support sales meetings and incentives, VIP meetings, executive retreats, team-building, tradeshows, special events, and customer entertainment
• Work with committees and staff to define session content

Site Selection

• Compile meeting needs and draft a request for proposal document (RFP) structured to get a qualified hotel/vendor response
• Identify appropriate hotels, contact the hotels’ meetings salespeople and transmit requests for proposal
• Review hotel proposals, select several hotel options for your approval, and create an easy to follow “Meeting Smart”spreadsheet that allows you to evaluate rates, amenities, concessions, and space options
• Provide comprehensive site inspections to ensure the right facility for your meeting or event

Contract Negotiation

• Negotiate hotel and vendor contracts advantageous to you
• Negotiate room rates, food and beverage terms, contract terms, amenities, attrition, cancellation, and related clauses
• Reduce your liability and maximize your investment

Marketing and Public Relations

• Brochure and website copywriting
• Press releases and media communication
• Coordinated marketing strategies and timelines

Budgeting

• Develop realistic budgets for meeting and event activities
• Monitor budgets to avoid overspending
• Track ongoing expenses and provide final accounting to include bill review, consolidation, and negotiation.

Logistics

• Develop a detailed timeline to ensure a smooth production schedule with no last minute surprises
• Negotiate best possible arrangements and fees with hotel and related vendors (including speakers, printers, airline/car rental, shipping, signage, audiovisual, destination management companies, exhibitor decorators, audio and video taping and more)
• Reduce client workload by managing ongoing hotel communication pre and post-event
• Manage room set-up to reflect program agendas and attendee/speaker needs
• Track room pick-up and recommend strategies to meet room block minimums (and avoid attrition)
• Secure overflow rooms at neighboring properties (as needed)
• Confirm all arrangements prior to event

Registration

• Coordinate on-site registration process with your in-house staff or Receive and track registrations
• Pre-conference production, including printing and proofing badges
• On-site management, including product sales tables, delegate/guest check-in, customer service support, and coordinating on-site giveaways (VIPs, sponsors, etc.)

Speakers

• Work with your team to select the speakers who will best support your theme, your goals, and your audience
• Negotiate agreements and terms
• Confirm arrival/departure, stage set-up, meal needs, audiovisual, transportation (as needed) and handout requirements
• Create an easy-to-understand chart for staff and AV detailing schedules, order forms, handouts, and payment requirements
• Design speaker incentives and speaker appreciation programs
• If applicable, maintain head counts in each session to assist with future planning and tallying “close percentages” (per head) for your speakers

Tradeshow Management

• Develop an effective schedule and floor plan that encourages interaction and a proper selling environment
• Design integrated sponsor packages, marketing timelines and support strategies
• Provide exhibitor confirmations, communication, and support services
• Oversee on-site logistics (set-up, activities, tear down)

Execution

• Anticipate hotel implementation timelines to ensure timely delivery
• Work closely with any outside vendors to ensure seamless delivery
• Ensure the audio-visual equipment is properly set up and working, and immediately resolve any failures
• Deliver whatever is necessary to create the best possible buying and networking atmosphere for members.

Follow-up

• Design delegate/guest surveys
• Oversee final vendor accounting
• Provide final accounting of resource allocation for use in future planning (including room pick-up, sales in hotel outlets, final food and beverage consumption, etc.).
• Provide post-event reviews and recommendations including suggestions for improving the member and speaker experience, maximizing future revenue, and improving leverage in future negotiations.

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