I was in Nashville earlier this week where I interviewed Randy Rayburn for the May Management Insight Series tape. What you won't hear about on the tape is the commitment he has made to hosting meetings at Sunset Grill. He has recently expanded his space for private functions and now can handle two separate groups of 50-70 at the same time. As an incentive to groups to hold meetings at his restaurant, he offers free use of wireless microphones, screens, an overhead projector . . . Just before I arrived, he hosted a dinner meeting for group of 50 . . .
Hotels sell space, so a group that wants to meet in a hotel pays for the space.
Restaurants sell food and generally will provide the space at no charge to a group holding a meeting with meals attached. This is a major market advantage that few operators are exploiting. As you can see, there is more to doing it right than just having a room you can close off. It helps to sweeten the pot a little by offering all the amenities a group will need to make the meeting a success. Give a little, get a lot.