Hotel Sales Blog

Think back to the sales processes that you were using in mid 2007.

Perhaps you were mining the database for new business — if you are doing that now you are getting a much lower return that you were then. Perhaps you were waiting for the phone to ring as it often did with inquiries and if you closed a percentage of them– you could make your goals. Perhaps you were making cold phone calls and now and again a live human would answer the phone — not anymore.

Maybe you were using ‘reader board’ reports for prospects having meetings at competing hotels — still not a bad idea. Maybe you were using Google searches to locate the web sites of security facilities that you couldn’t personally cold call — still not a bad idea but search has/is changing big time!

Than if you got a group booking, it had to be cleared with the Revenue Manager to make sure that it fit with the rate strategy — the higher the rate the better! You paid for information on an account on a platform like Hoovers — now you can find sites that give you that info for free. The client was often grateful to get the space and was ready, willing and able to plan coctail receptions, VIP dinners, restuarant dine arounds — remember those?

In the very short time period of the recession, the sales game changed. The verticals in the database became less prominant and strapped for cash — for example, if Financial was was your vertical market there was a long dry spell but it is is starting to show signs of life. Government per diem is beginning to look pretty good and now the entire comp set is competing for goverment transient and meetings.

Advanced search is the new Google tool as are Google maps and earth — Tweets are beginning to appear on search on results. Eighteen months ago Twitter wasn’t part of the game. Facebook pages are becoming the new web site and connecting with LinkedIn is the new way to contact a potential client. Social networks now have a section in the Marketing and Sales Plan!

The recession’s impact on the sales process has made some sales people uncomfortable but for those that embrace the changes — it makes sales fun!

PS. Where did those inquiries go and did you notice, no one is planning dine arounds or VIP dinners — YIKES!