A successful corporate event at Disney merges the entertainment and hospitality industries. Michael Roach, Sales Director for Walt Disney World understands both worlds. In addition to nearly 15 years of experience at Disney, he has also held national sales positions with the Ritz-Carlton Company, Amelia Island, and Hyatt Resorts Caribbean. For the past 20 years, he has managed people, programs, and budgets to deliver events that are both entertaining and effective. Recently, I sat down with him to discuss how he continually succeeds with negotiating deals for Disney. His insight was inspiring and his success is based on what he calls “the river of trust”.
RF: First, I want to thank you for taking some time to talk with me about your role at Disney. You certainly have a busy job making magic happen at Walt Disney World. Can you start by explaining your role with Disney Parks and Resorts?
MR: My job at Disney is to create opportunities for corporations to hold a dynamic event at Walt Disney World. We work with our amazing creative teams to develop an event that finds solutions and maximizes their return on investment. Their decision to book an event here is not taken lightly. There are a lot of other locations where companies can take their business, not only in Central Florida but also around the world. Our differentiator is what we call the “Disney Difference”. We have some of the best Creative Directors who focus on their message by using the vast amount of resources available at Disney. This includes the incredible entertainment that we are known for around the world. Our tagline at The Disney Event Group is “Everyone has a story, we help you tell it”. My job is to help build that river of trust with the client so that we secure the business and our clients walk away with a world-class experience for their attendees.
RF: What do you mean by building the river of trust?
MR: It’s about building professional relationships so that our guests feel they can trust us with their event. The meeting planners are tasked with making sure they deliver on the experience. They have to trust us before they sign a contract to ensure the deal works for them. Building that professional relationship is the key to gaining their trust. They have to feel that they are “winning” something from the negotiation. If they can trust that we are looking out for their best interests they will move forward with signing the contract. We build that relationship by listening to their needs and collaborating with them to develop solutions for our client’s event. The result is quite powerful when all the stars align. My proudest moments, and the most rewarding ones, are when our clients come back year after year because of the foundation of mutual trust.
RF: It sounds like you work with your clients for mutual benefit. You gain a sales contract that ultimately helps the Disney stockholders and the client gains an incredible “Disney” experience with a strong return on their investment. Would you agree? Do you believe that mutual benefit is important in negotiations?
MR: Absolutely! The client must feel that they are benefiting from the negotiation. They must walk away knowing that the investment was worth the experience. In the end, if the client is happy than we are happy. We know that their experience with us will play a role in their decision to return in the future. That is why the Disney brand is so successful. We are dedicated to delivering world-class service. This is a winning model for us and ultimately benefits our company while servicing our client’s specific goals.
RF: Have you ever dealt with clients with differing values than Disney? How do you deal with dirty tricks in a negotiation?
MR: Disney has strong corporate values that we take very seriously. We believe in honesty, integrity, diversity, courage, openness, respect, and balance. These values are so important when it comes to a negotiation. They become a road map for a successful outcome. There are times when I have seen different tricks played by some clients. Typically when I see dirty tricks, I have not done my homework with the client. I need to listen more to their needs and come up with alternative solutions for them. For example: They may want a lower cost for their experience. My job is to present those solutions. I will work with my team to look for cuts in the budget that will not have a large impact on the overall experience. This approach has worked for me with these clients and many times I have been able to secure the business.
RF: You certainly have a very interesting role at Disney. Thank you for your time and explaining your important position to me.
Mr. Roach has an incredible perspective on successful negotiations. Developing professional relationships to build the river of trust is so important for a successful outcome. I think we all can take his advice when it comes to negotiating a deal.
For more information on The Disney Event Group check out their website at www.disneyeventgroup.com
