When people think about what makes an event unforgettable, they often credit the keynote speaker, the content, or maybe even the décor. But ask any seasoned planner or attendee, and they’ll tell you: the hotel venue and the staff that comes with it are most often the unsung heroes.
From the first sales pitch to the final farewell, hotel teams hold the power to either elevate or unravel an event’s success.
Let’s look at how that happens—from both sides of the curtain—with insights from two pros who live and breathe this industry: Cory Falter, hotel B2B sales expert with Lure Agency, and Phil Mershon, Director of Experience for Social Media Marketing World and Author of Unforgettable: The Art and Science of Creating Memorable Experiences.
“Planners don’t just pick venues. They pick partners who won’t let them fail,” says Cory Falter. And when they’re on the fence, it’s not about your ballroom square footage or chicken piccata. “It’s about trust.“
What lands the deal in today’s marketplace? According to Falter:
Don’t lead with square footage. Lead with empathy. “Ask better questions. What’s their boss measuring them on? What would make this event a career win vs. just another Tuesday?”
“Share your battle scars,” says Falter. “‘We’ve done 47 pharma meetings in the last two years. Here’s what we learned about their AV needs and compliance requirements.” That’s not bragging. That’s proof.
“Your job isn’t to be the star,” Falter insists. “It’s to make the planner look like a rockstar to their stakeholders.“
And that begins with positioning your team as an extension of theirs. Because, as he puts it, “They’re not buying a hotel. They’re buying peace of mind.“
Falter sees the future of hotel sales teams clearly: “The ones crushing it in 2026? They’re already in the planner’s feed before the budget even gets approved.”
Today’s buyers are observing silently. They’re scrolling LinkedIn at 7 a.m., “watching who actually knows their stuff vs. who’s just pitching.” The winners? “They showed up consistently with useful content when nobody was asking for it.“
That means:
Don’t wait for RFPs. Get in the feed now.
Don’t just follow up—educate.
Creating content isn’t ‘marketing’s job’ anymore. It’s how you build authority.
Falter’s bottom line: “The playbook for 2026 isn’t complicated. It’s just uncomfortable enough that most people won’t do it. Which is exactly why it works.”
Falter warns that hotels relying too heavily on third parties are slowing themselves down. “Smart hotels add a short inquiry form on their website. Name, dates, rough group size. That’s it.“
Then, “give them something useful while they’re thinking.” Like:
A Meeting Planner Toolkit
AV setup guides
Transportation logistics templates
“You’re staying top of mind and building trust while they’re still figuring out their budget. By the time they’re ready to book, you’re not just another option. You’re the one who’s already been helping them.“
And for heaven’s sake, says Falter, “No more radio silence for three weeks while legal reviews the contract.“
Congrats, you’ve secured a confident deal with a hotel and now the planning begins. Where do you start? Walk every space with intention and start getting up close and personal with every detail. “Event hosts win or lose in the ‘in-between’ spaces,” says Phil Mershon. “Elevators, escalators, corridors, lobby bars, bathrooms, the last 100 feet before a room, and the thresholds where one vibe becomes another.“
In Phil’s audits at SMMW, the biggest disruptions didn’t happen in the keynote hall. They happened in the lobbies and between rooms: “Noise bleed near lobby bars at peak times, and the queue choreography for coffee and registration.”
One year? A hotel rolled out giant carts during final sessions. “The noise echoed like a closing bell. The message was clear: your experience no longer matters.“
Atmosphere is another essential factor. Lighting, sound bleed, temperature, and even scent shape perception within seconds. Mershon has “walked into hotels where dark, cavernous entryways created an immediate sense of unease, and others where confusing layouts left attendees lost before they reached registration. The fix isn’t always expensive—it’s about intention. Make the first impression warm, well-lit, and easy to navigate.“
When venues are intuitive and supportive, they “extend the life of the event far beyond the schedule.“
And then there’s the friction file. “How do elevators perform at peak times? Are ADA routes dignified? Do sponsors get sightlines that feel valued? If a table-top sign requires a committee to approve, that’s a red flag. The best hotels anticipate problems, remove friction before it’s noticed, and make the planner feel like a co-creator, not a guest.“
“A hotel space begins to feel like it belongs to an event the moment identity transfers from the venue to the community it’s hosting,” says Mershon. And it doesn’t take massive décor installs.
“When staff greet guests with language that mirrors the event program with verbiage like, “Welcome to the Creator Commons” instead of “Ballroom C”, you’ve already shifted the tone. The same goes for subtle, branded micro-touches: framed table cards, reader-boards with the event’s voice, or custom menu names in the outlets. The goal is to say “yes” as often as possible to creative personalization within policy limits.“
Mershon has seen events go further by reimagining their spaces entirely by, “transforming foyers into living murals, renaming hallways, and turning coffee stations into connection labs. Forward-thinking hotels equip their event managers not just to execute but to co-create, acting as consultants who help translate a brand’s identity into the physical environment.“
It’s the little things:
Greet guests using the event’s language
Customize menu items
Rename ballrooms to match program themes
“Add a ‘Welcome Home’ script and an intentional threshold moment—what I call an ‘Open the Door’ choreography—and suddenly the space stops feeling rented. It starts feeling like a campus.“
Mershon begins by looking for signs that the hotel can reflect the event’s identity.
“Can we introduce small, frequent brand cues—like readerboards, framed cards, or menu naming—without jumping through approval hoops? The hotels that understand how to mirror a brand’s personality through their policies and touchpoints always stand out.“
Then he looks at memorability. “The best venues know how to create moments that people will remember long after they leave. That might be as simple as noticing small details in guest preferences. I’ll never forget the hotel that spotted a guest’s note about loving pickles and peanut butter before bed. They delivered it on a tray with a smile. The guest posted about it, and it went viral. Those small gestures define hospitality and become extensions of the event’s culture.”
Next, Mershon examines how programming logistics impact the attendee journey. “I walk the path from sleeping rooms to breakfast to the first session—coffee in hand—testing travel time and friction points. I ask whether the planner has been notified of overlapping events, construction, or demonstrations that could disrupt flow. Proactive communication and creative problem-solving separate the good from the great.“
“Evaluating a hotel’s readiness for an event goes far beyond counting meeting rooms or measuring square footage,” says Mershon. He looks for:
Whether hotels allow brand cues without red tape
Memorability: “I’ll never forget the hotel that spotted a guest’s note about loving pickles and peanut butter before bed. They delivered it. It went viral.“
Friction: “How do elevators perform at peak times? Are ADA routes dignified?“
“You can have panoramic views, flawless décor, and the perfect floor plan, but if the staff act indifferent or irritated, the atmosphere collapses,” says Mershon. “When they care, guests feel seen. When they don’t, nothing else can save it.”
His dream team? A venue that assigns an “Attendee Journey Liaison“—someone who manages experience in real time: lighting, music, signage, and crowd dynamics.
According to Mershon, “Hotels become true partners in event delivery when they see themselves not as venue providers but as co-architects of the experience. It starts with purpose. When staff can articulate why attendees are there—what the event is trying to accomplish—they shift from policing to hosting. That awareness turns small actions into meaningful ones and helps every team member see their role in creating moments that matter. The most successful hotels work with planners months in advance to design an experience that not only achieves event goals but also highlights what makes their property unique.“
When paired together, Cory Falter and Phil Mershon aren’t just talking trends—they’re issuing a challenge:
Show up early. (Falter)
Solve problems before they’re problems. (Falter)
Support moments that matter—especially the micro ones. (Mershon)
Become co-creators, not just providers. (Mershon)
“When hotels evolve from asking, ‘What’s your BEO?’ to asking, ‘What experience are we co-creating?’, they stop being service providers and start becoming essential partners,” says Mershon.
Because in the end, unforgettable events aren’t just booked—they’re built together.