As much as “holiday creep” is an annoyance, the answer is yes: if you want to book a hotel, function room, bar, restaurant, or other popular location for your winter holiday party, it’s time to start making some phone calls.

Event planners report that many businesses are waiting a little longer to book their holiday parties this year – but you can bet that by late October or early November, bookings will start to pick up. Get ahead of the curve and you’ll find that you have more leverage for getting a good deal.

Everything’s negotiable…

And we mean everything. As companies large and small attempt to deal with the still-faltering economy, restaurants and bars know that holiday party budgets aren’t likely to have a lot of give in them, so you’ll find that many will be willing to work with you to find something that fits your budget.

Here are a few areas to negotiate:

• Food choices. Get more and/or better snacks for the same price.
  

  A good spread is key -- but don't overpay!

• Room fees. Most restaurants and bars will waive room fees if you so much as ask – they make their money on the catering.
• Alcohol prices. The location may offer a discount if you let them pick a couple of brands of wine or beer to serve; if you’re going for an open bar you may be able to get soft drinks included for free.
• Per-server costs. If the location is staffing your party with waiters to pass food or bartenders, consider those costs negotiable.
• Times. The venue may offer a private room until 10 pm, wanting to open it to the public after that. If you have a late-night crowd, ask if you can extend private hours.

… if you’re willing to walk away

Of course, negotiating is easier if you’re willing to look at other locations. If you simply must have a location, because it’s the hot spot in town or because that’s where your company party has been held for 15 years, you may find it harder to get the venue to give any ground.

It’s always worth shopping around. Call two or three places and get detailed proposals before committing to a single location – you can always use details from one proposal to help get a better deal out of another venue.