Monthly Archives: September 2008

Sales People and why they should keep a Data Base

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Hotel Sales People should always keep a private database of their clients. There are many reasons why. Although I use the Opera System and have used Goldmine and Delphi, I keep my clients close to home in my personal computer. Yes, that means that you will have to take the time to put them in the database but it has proven to be worth it.

First, if you find an opportunity at another hotel that is a beneficial move, then a data base will assist in “WOWING” the potential employer. These days the employer will expect you to have your client base at hand. A selling point is to have your clients information handy and they will want to know who you can shift to their hotel.

Having your database handy will assist you in increasing your sales much quicker. You will want to impress your new employer and utilizing your database for email blasts or simply to easily find their phone number is a smart move.

Having your database updated will keep you organized and assist in focusing to capture more sales. I note special things about my clients and even log room night production and catering revenue where I can.

A database also will allow you to target certain accounts that you want and call on accounts that you have qualified to have potential.

If you are at home and want to do some research or contact your client, you can easily do it by using your own resourses that you have established for yourself.

I do not always provide full information about my clients in my database at work. As a competitive Sales Person, why should I give up every detail on an account that I have worked to death. And with this economy I never know day by day if my position is secure. So I have taken the time to back myself up just in case.

There are many programs out there that you can purchase to establish your database. I prefer Goldmine and you can purchase the program for under $100.00. My database is separate from the hotel’s and stored on my own personal computer. This database will make me more attractive when interviewing, if I needed to.

Good Luck!

Pure Energy

How to Steal your Competitions Business in Hotel Sales

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Through my recent connection with my competitions Sales People, I realized that they were sitting in the office booking inquiries and not making outside appointments.  Every one’s occupancy is down.  Some larger chains are laying off staff.

The Sales Position is a “Revenue Producing Position” and revenue needs to be produced.  It’s that simple.  How the Sales Person does it, is up to them.  Every Sales Person knows what they are lacking and knows what they need to do. 

They need to focus and get connections that generate revenue.  Steal the competitions business, that’s the game.  Since the economy is down and companies are cutting back on travel, the Sales Person must steal the business from their competitor.  No new business is moving into the area.  The market is stagnant.

Here are some examples or idea’s on how to identify what business is at their competitors:

1.) Make an appointment to tour your competition and meet with the Sales Person.  If at all possible, set a lunch tour and get to know the Sales Person.  You would be surprised on how much information could be dumped in your lap.  And you can use this to your advantage.  Sometimes they will even give up account information.  Remember this is business and it’s their business you want.

Set traces to email or call these Sales People just to maintain them.  Stay in touch for referrals.

2.) Check out their Reader Boards every day if possible and on weekends.  I have asked other Manager’s to help.

3.) If you are daring and wanting to go to the extreme, hit their bar at night with your partner and get chatty with the bartender.  One technique could be to mention that you are not from the area and that you are job hunting.  Do they have any recommendations?  Don’t be fooled on how much these bartenders know. They will only talk about companies that they are familiar with that stay at their hotel.  They might even give you a contact name and phone number.

4.) Parking Lot Drive-thru – drive through their parking lot at night when you believe that most of their rooms are checked in.  Let’s say after 9pm.  It is a lot on the Sales Manager but they will generate leads from reading company names on vehicles that are parked.  In the past I have asked a night auditor on their way home to drive through a couple of selected lots.  Make sure you hit weekdays and weekends since most hotel’s business source changes from weekday to weekend.

5.) Check out the Hotelligence Report.  This is a great report to assist in knowing who is at your competition.  There is a monthly membership fee so check with your Franchiser for any discount opportunities.

6.) Check out the competitions web-site.  Check for “Local Companies” listings.  The hotel will usually post their most precious corporate accounts and venues.  They do this for the client and to attract these companies travelers to their hotel.

7.) If you check out google or yellowpages, you can pull up listings of major companies in your area.  Check out their web-site for a hotel listing.  See how your hotel can get on there.

8.) Cold Call.  Select a targeted area and cold call it.  Bring materials, your business card and a smile.  Comb the area and I guarantee you will learn something and find someone who is using your competitor.  Don’t let the “No Soliciting” stop you from your mission.  Go in anyway.  Bring a treat, be sincere or comment on how great her nails look.  Don’ let the “gatekeeper” keep you from getting the information that you need.

There are many sales technique for cold calling. I have found that getting a contact name from the receptionist and a business card, is good enough for this first contact.  It could be wasted time with no needs, or a potential lead that the Sales Person will need to qualify. 

I take my days information and go back to the office and email or call to follow up on the lead.  My requests are simple; what needs do they have, how much and who is my competition?  With this basic information I can surf the net and shop call the competition to get their rates before my appointment.

My next step that I plan is to get an appointment at their location first.  I always bring treats and a small token for the receptionist who gave me the contact name.  Remember, they are the gatekeeper and you may need to work through some of them to get to the decision maker.

From there I qualify the account, find out their hot points and begin my preparation on stealing the account.  I invite them for a hotel tour.  We have established a relationship and they are going to make the appointment.  If they don’t then they may not be interested or maybe they simply don’t have the time.  Ask them for their business if it makes sense for your property.  If they do not commit ask them why.

I have given out a couple of complimentary rooms to get them to the property if I had to.

This face-to-face connection is extremely important and it in most cases the Sales Person will succeed in stealing the account.

9.) Talk to the employee’s especially the ones that have been there a long time.  You can identity accounts that you used to have “years ago” or even last week.  Create a connection with the Front Desk Staff and your Night Auditor.  Night Auditors talk to other Night Auditors and they know a lot.  Pick their brain and teach them how to get information. Give employee’s that help you close on new business an incentive.

10.) Keep an eye on your reservations.  I check an arrival list every day to see if I notice anything particular about a reservation or a new company name that I haven’t seen before.  Maybe their preferred hotel was full and they wound up at your hotel.  Now is the crucial time to find out why they are there. 

Is there a problem with their preferred hotel?  Do some of their travelers prefer your hotel over their preferred?  Now is the time to act. 

A good idea that works sometimes is that I will leave a welcome message in their voicemail and I thank them for staying with us.  Quick, sweet, then I mention if they could let me know what brings them to the area.  I get about a 60% return on this 30 second gesture.  Most guests were impressed by my interest.

I recommend that the Sales People take action, take the economy seriously and get out on the road or come up with a realistic plan to increase the revenues.

Good luck and go get them!

Pure Energy

How I started in Hotel Sales

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Starting from a teenager, I worked primarily in the Restaurant Business as a Waitress. I’ve worked at Bingo Halls, Ice Cream Shops, Fast Food, Catering Halls and Fine Dining. For two years I worked as a Bartender.

I have always been around people and have been very successful making connections. Up selling, refilling their drinks and getting extra napkins before they ask I found was very satisfying to me and job satisfaction is important.

I was in my late 20′s and I was at a point where I didn’t want to count on “tips” to make my rent payments. While at a flea market, I found a typewriter for $5.00 and I bought it. Taking typing in High School, I thought I would remember what I learned but all I could do is chicken pluck and I had to look at every letter.

Not knowing where this would lead me, I spent many hours learning and teaching myself how to type. I took a couple of courses on Saturday’s for additional education that I thought might make me worthy…but I didn’t know worthy for what?

Soon I upgraded and invested in a word processor. Remember them? To teach myself I put on my favorite music and tried to keep up with the words that I heard by typing them. Of course Metallica wasn’t a good choice, I found that I got better and better and soon I had whole songs typed out. Spelling has always been a challenge for me and when “Spell Check” came out, I was extremely pleased and relieved.

For two years I was working at a Red Lobster in Maryland and making pretty good money as a Waitress. Sometimes I was given good tips, sometimes I was left nothing. I won the “top revenue producer” almost every week and I enjoyed expediting and training new staff.

A friend of mine told me that a Holiday Inn was desperate for a Sales Administrator. I interviewed in fear as I wondered if I could really do what she wants. I couldn’t imagine answering the phone. I had no idea about proper letter writing or anything about the hotel business. My starting pay would be $7.50 an hour. I made much more being a Waitress at Red Lobster.

I came to a point in my life where I wanted more. I knew that I would have to sacrifice. All of these years I had never had insurance, sick pay or other benefits that I heard existed. I passed her “typing and other qualifications” and I decided to take the job.

My fall back would be to simply go back to Red Lobster or find another waitress position. During my last two weeks at Red Lobster, I worked like a dog to get all of the extra income before I started at Holiday Inn.

Now I needed proper attire. Thank goodness I had some help. I was used to slip free sneakers, socks, pants, shirt and apron. To save on my expenditure, I shopped at the local thrift shops and bought business clothes. The high heals terrified me and I could barely walk in them. So I practiced at home on the hard wood floors. And the nylons, I hated them.

On my first day, I hobbled in looking professional and feeling pretty good. I had a desk, phone and a typewriter. Wow, I felt like a Queen. When the phone rang, I answered it. I had no idea what I was saying or what to say. I thought just be friendly and write everything down. It was important that I learn as fast as possible.

My Director of Catering was awesome. There was no Room Sales Person and I didn’t even know about the position or what it consisted of. My Director taught me everything. She gave me examples of how to write a letter and took the time to teach me. What was a fax machine? I am still to this day very grateful to her. Soon she introduced me to her clients, still I did not understand what was going on or any hotel lingo.

Although my pay was terrible, I somehow made it through as I wanted to be something more. To assist in my wage, I worked in banquets, worked in the Restaurant as a Hostess and I was trained in Accounting and the Front Desk. I did not understand the importance of what was happening and even why it was happening. I knew I got lucky and I believed that someone above was paying me back for being a good person.

As the inquires came in, I started dropping off menus at people’s houses after work. Then my Director trained me to cover for her the Catering Events if she was busy. I loved every minute of it.

I felt important, professional and worthy. This is just what I had wanted. And after a couple of months I finally could walk better in those high heals!

One day my General Manager brought me into his office. I was scared and did not know what to expect. Was I being fired?

The Management Company was interviewing for a Sales Manager position to sell the sleeping rooms. He felt that I was a “diamond in the rough” and offered his assistance to help prepare me for the interview with the Vice President of Sales.

For a week he taught me everything he could “ADR, REVPAR, Occupancy, Budgets, Cold Calling, Qualifying” everything. I was overwhelmed. He practiced with me and even made me cry a couple of times when I couldn’t give him the right answer.

Finally my interview. I had met with my General Manager for one last class then off I went to knock them dead. Feeling fresh out of school, somehow I “wowed” her enough that she actually hired me! My starting salary was $25,000 annually with bonus potential, vacation, insurance and paid sick days!

Although my Director was upset that I would no longer be her assistant, she was proud of me. When I received my business cards, I actually hid in the bathroom for 10 minutes and cried I was so happy.

My first week consisted of my General Manager driving around Corporate Parks with me. At every stop, he gave me advise and told me what to day. I went in and asked if they use any local hotels. What ever they said, I wrote down. He made a few sample calls in front of me to show me how to follow up. I paid close attention.

My second week consisted of my General Manager driving around with me again. This time if they had hotel needs I was to ask to speak to the person who could help me. This was pretty fun and people were receptive.

In my free time, I checked out the other hotels in the area. Not being told to do that, I believe that the natural Sales Person came out subconsciously. My first client I closed was Pitney Bowes. They qualified at 2,500 room nights a year. I found an addiction to this feeling of closing a big one. I was sent flowers and a congratulations letter from the VP of the Management Company.

After working this area for 6 months, I was asked to interview with another hotel that they needed a Sales Person for that was in the area. It was larger and had much more meeting space and it was a $5,000 raise if I got it. Yes, I did.

At this new hotel I succeed very well and made bonus every quarter. After one year, my name was #1 compared to over 40 hotels in our Region. The Management Company sent me to many training classes through out the year and I even was invited out for a trip to their Corporate Headquarters. I had never traveled by plane before this.

I did not have college education but I did graduate on Honor Roll in High School. I was lucky that people were willing to invest their time in me to succeed. All of this starting from that $5.00 typewriter. It all paid off.

Have a great day!

Pure Energy