Busy, busy, busy! Detailing groups, getting payments, collecting rooming lists, booking new business and getting the contracts out, oh my. Still have over 800 leads to begin working to qualify. I need 20 hours a day!

Next week starts the Opera Training from the 8th until the 16th. I’ve been pushing my appointments until after the training. Seems like such a long way to go to make hot appointments wait but there is nothing I can do. We need a sales program. Pulling trace cards, writing in files, coping my DOS, keeping manual track of contracts out and all is simply too much. I can be much more efficient if I had a sales program. In the past I got very good at Goldmine and I loved it. So I’m hoping that this program is similar.

The Blitz………here we go again…….the Blitz that was scheduled for Wed, Thurs and tomorrow that just isn’t happening. The Food & Beverage Team abandoned the Blitz to put ads in the local paper. Ok, maybe a good idea but costly and we all know that there is noting like face to face contact. I think I’m the only one that cared besides the Restaurant Staff.

Tomorrow is Friday. Normally I’m excited. But I know that I will be tied up starting next week. I like to plan my actions and I can’t seem to get the game plan down with my upcoming training. I’m not a clock watcher and I don’t mind working overtime. We have a lot of data that will need to be entered into our new system.

I know that I receive a lot of inquiries daily and I have mastered the art of grabbing them up. If someone is going to take the time to call or stop in, I want them. And I cringe when I think of what I might lose because I won’t be available. Guess I will have to work that out and get the plan together over the weekend.

Well, I’m wrapping up. It’s time to relax and take a break or I should say….a brain break! Good luck selling tomorrow!

Pure Energy

Today was the restaurant “Sales Blitz” to promote the new $14.95 lunch buffet that starts on Monday, September 8th. I was resistant, annoyed and frankly I was busy on my own stuff, that I didn’t feel the drive.

As I fiddled around in the kitchen to get more coffee, I said good morning to one of the waitresses in the Restaurant.  She had heard about the Blitz and was excited about it.  She asked me to get as many cards as I can so she can pull the fax numbers off to fax the menu to them each morning.  I was pretty impressed.

Then another Restaurant Employee came up to me to ask me about the Blitz.  I’m starting to think that I better change my attitude on this deal since I’m thinking that they are really counting on me.  How could I be so selfish?  I didn’t even think…….I didn’t even think of them.  If we do increase the Lunch Revenue, then they will make more money in their pockets.  They enjoy people, want to see people and wait on them.  That’s what they do.

They are tired of folding napkins all day, sitting around and smoking.  They want to be busy.  Lunch business is terrible and I don’t even know how these people make a living in our Restaurant.

Ok, a “Blitz” usually means that people need to support the efforts and come out of their comfort zone and hit the pavement.  A “Blitz” usually means several Manager’s and staff assist in the cold calling…..BLITZING THE MARKET AND GETTING THE WORD & MATERIALS OUT THERE.  Blitzing is fun, creative, bonding and rewarding if they are successful.  Personally, I hate doing them but they have always been worth it.

The excuses from the Food & Beverage Team was plain disgusting.  How can they get away with it?  How can they not want to have some fun and support the Team?  NO ONE WAS AVAILABLE FROM THE FOOD & BEVERAGE DEPARTMENT.  NO ONE…..and not anyone else either.  WHAT????

The first up was our Catering Manager.  She took the first run in the morning and was back before noon for her appointment. 

Second was me.  I was told were to go so I peeled myself away from my work and hit the road at 2pm.  I was already an hour behind the time that I wanted to head out.  I went out determined, focused and ready to go.  I can’t let these girls down in the Restaurant. 

I did pretty good out there and with each potential lead, I got more aggressive and more assertive.  The feedback I was getting was good and I was surprised that there was even an interest.  No one bulked about the price, several confirmed our location, and I even got a couple of leads for myself out of it.  Sweet!  What more can I ask for?

At 3:45pm I stopped at one more location, then headed back in.  Only 2 hours but I had a pile of cards and information for the team to review.

As I was walking up to the hotel, one of the kitchen’s prep persons was out front waiting for her ride.  She questioned the feedback from my efforts.  I shared with her my collection of cards and she looked AT EVERYONE OF THEM.  She was genuinely excited and interested.  She then asked if I was going out again tomorrow.  I guess I will have to make that happen and I know just were to go.

In my mind I couldn’t help to think….after I typed out the day’s recap….where’s the balloons…..soda’s and pizza’s upon the final return of the last one to blitz?  Where’s the flip charts and Management Team to review the findings and prepare for the next days assignment?  This is not the kind of blitz that I am used to.  It was disappointing but, I guess I shouldn’t expect it.

I have my game plan ready for tomorrow.  I’m over wanting the bells and whistles and I don’t care who goes out tomorrow or not.  I know my plan and I’m going to do it.  Maybe they will let me pull a waitress off the floor and I’ll take her out just for a hour or less…depending on what is going on….oh, that’s right, nothings going on…..yet.

As always, good luck tomorrow.  My only advise…..BELIEVE.

Pure Energy