As the events industry rebounds with full force post-pandemic, event planners face new challenges in sourcing venues—one of the most essential components of any successful event. High demand, limited availability, and increased costs are reshaping the market, making hotel sourcing more complex and competitive than ever. Jackie Baker, founder and CEO of Spark Events, a full-service event planning company in Seattle, Washington, recently shared her insights into the intricacies of hotel sourcing on Shanondoah Nicholson’s podcast, Beyond the BEO. With more than 25 years of experience, Jackie offered essential advice for planners navigating today’s challenging environment. Listen to the full podcast episode here: https://www.beyondthebeo.com/podcast/episode/29276e46/37-finding-the-perfect-venue
Sourcing Specialists: A Secret Weapon in Venue Selection
For those who may be unfamiliar, venue sourcing specialists—or “sorcerers,” as Jackie jokingly calls them—are third-party professionals who help event planners locate the best venues, negotiate contracts, and ensure seamless venue coordination. Third-party sourcers operate in a way that typically requires no upfront payment from the client. Instead, they’re compensated through commissions from the venue, which does not impact the client’s price. “The industry values third-party partnerships because we bring business to venues, much like an outside sales team,” Jackie explains.
For many planners, especially those who regularly venture into new cities or handle high volumes of events, outsourcing these projects is not only convenient but also efficient. “Sourcing specialists take on the heavy lifting of researching venues, negotiating terms, and ensuring that every detail aligns with the client’s needs,” says Jackie. “It’s invaluable for those who may not have the time to reach out to dozens of venues or negotiate every line in a contract.”
Busting the Myths of Sourcing and Commissions
One common misconception Jackie encounters is that planners believe they could get a better deal on their own. “It’s a myth that booking directly always results in lower prices,” she explains. According to Jackie, most venues treat third-party agents as strategic partners and often offer comparable rates regardless of direct or third-party bookings.
Jackie adds that a sourcing specialist can save hours of research for planners unfamiliar with a market or who lack time for extensive negotiations. Plus, third-party specialists have established relationships with venues, which can expedite the process and offer access to perks and discounts that may not be available to the average planner. “Our connections and negotiating power enable us to get additional benefits, like waived fees or enhanced amenities, without changing the base cost,” she says.
Post-Pandemic Challenges: A Seller’s Market
Today’s sourcing landscape, as Jackie describes, is vastly different from pre-pandemic times. “We’re in a seller’s market right now,” she notes, adding that demand for venues has skyrocketed, and availability has decreased. This scarcity is causing venues to become more selective, favoring clients with specific requirements or longer-term engagements. According to Jackie, “Hotels are being cautious with bookings, and some are turning down business if it doesn’t fit perfectly within their schedule.”
For planners, this translates to longer lead times, increased costs, and greater flexibility regarding dates and location preferences. “We’re seeing venues booking years in advance for highly sought-after dates, and it’s getting more common to see planners being told to wait until 2026 for a spot,” Jackie reveals.
Flexibility Is Key
Jackie advises planners to approach sourcing with flexibility to navigate this high-demand environment. “Think of it as a puzzle where you can’t have everything,” she explains. Planners should determine what elements they are most flexible with—dates, location, or price—and communicate these preferences to their specialists.
She emphasizes that this approach can streamline the selection process and allow venues to offer the best package possible. “If you have a little flexibility on dates or even minor details like food and beverage options, it makes it easier for a sourcing specialist to find the right venue without breaking the budget.”
Build Relationships with Venues (Or Let Your Sourcer Do It)
According to Jackie, another key advantage of working with a third-party to source is access to long-standing relationships with venues. “If you’re a planner contacting a hotel for a single event, they may not prioritize your request over their established clients. But when a sourcer brings them ten events a year, that connection gives us leverage,” she says. These relationships mean that sourcers can often negotiate better terms, ensure quick responses, and get creative with offers.
Beyond their own relationships with venues, sourcing specialists are also connected with other industry professionals. “If we don’t know a contact at a particular venue, we can often reach out to a network of colleagues to find someone who does,” Jackie explains. This collaborative approach, she says, can help move things forward when responses are slow or details need to be sorted out last minute.
Negotiation Tactics: The Art of the “Wish List”
When it comes to negotiating, Jackie recommends that planners outline their “wish list” clearly with their sourcer, so they can focus on essentials and be strategic in negotiations. “It’s important to identify high-value items, like room rate discounts or waived resort fees, and know what’s non-negotiable,” she advises.
This approach not only helps planners prioritize their needs but also gives sourcers a framework to guide negotiations. “Planners often hate paying for things like Wi-Fi or meeting space when they’re booking large blocks of rooms,” Jackie says. “A sourcer can leverage this wish list with the venue, negotiating for perks that may not be offered up front.”
Jackie also suggests starting with a high-level budget outline, allowing the sourcer to gather preliminary rates and assess whether the event’s requirements fit within the planned budget. “This way, we can negotiate down from the top without giving everything away up front. And we know the client’s must-haves versus nice-to-haves, which is invaluable in getting the best deal,” she explains.
Adapt to the Changing Market
Jackie’s final piece of advice is to be realistic and adaptable in today’s event market. “You can try to negotiate for 2019 rates, but with inflation and high demand, hotels don’t need to give you discounts,” she explains. Understanding that room rates, food and beverage costs, and service fees have all increased allows planners to adjust expectations and communicate effectively with their stakeholders.
This adaptability also applies to scaling event sizes and budgets, something Jackie encourages planners to clarify early in the process. “Knowing the per-person cost for everything can be a game-changer, especially when stakeholders want to increase attendee numbers without adjusting the budget,” she says.
For example, knowing that each added attendee means added food, seating, and sometimes even AV adjustments help planners communicate effectively with both their clients and their venues.
Planning for a Bright Future
As planners continue to navigate this complex, evolving sourcing landscape, Jackie believes that third-party sourcing will remain a crucial tool for managing the workload and securing ideal venues. “A sourcer frees up a planner’s time to focus on the event itself while we handle finding the right space,” she explains. “The right partnerships can really elevate the event planning experience, especially in times as unpredictable as these.”
Jackie’s insights remind planners that while challenges in hotel sourcing may be growing, so are the resources available to help. With the right approach and strategic partnerships, planners can still achieve their event goals while adapting to the realities of a post-pandemic world.
Jackie’s advice underscores the value of working with a knowledgeable sourcing specialist to negotiate deals, secure venues, and save time in the current climate of high demand and rising costs. In today’s event planning world, having a trusted sourcer in your corner is more than a luxury—it’s a competitive advantage.
