Special Events Sales Strategies | Going from "Amazing" to "P-h-e-n-o-m-e-n-a-l"!



Photo Courtesy of Glamour

While speaking at a conference, I had a moment to translate what was happening into a pertinent lesson in special event sales strategies.  When I looked out into the audience and it struck me just how amazing the individuals were that were sitting there listening intently. Many faces I recognized as industry "veterans" and others were brand new. That is one thing I just love about this industry – we constantly have a great mix of experienced professionals and fresh-faced newcomers. Everyone who sat there was looking in some way to better themselves and their business. Taking away just one incredible morsel of information can totally change your sales approach, your perspective, your life, your future! Although we all strive to get better every single day, I wondered how many people in the audience were on the brink of something even bigger. Some people were looking to go from "nervous" to "comfortable", some from "good" to "great" and some were on the brink of going from "amazing" to "p-h-e-n-o-m-e-n-a-l"! A tingle of excitement ran through my spine. What would it take for each person to get there? Well, as we know, for each person it is different, depending on where they currently are and what they are willing to do to get there.
I then thought about a story I had read recently about that "one extra degree" from 211 degrees to 212 degrees*. The point was that at 211 degrees, water is extremely hot, but at 212 degrees, water BOILS. Boiling water creates steam and steam can power a locomotive. What a difference that one degree can make! I realized that each of us can be just one small degree away from something incredible. Just a small "tweak" here and there can change our lives. So, what are some of those "tweaks" that could change our sales performance? Here's a few of them to think about. . .

With a fresh eye, take a look at your website, your photos, your verbiage, your marketing collateral, even your business cards. What do you think? If you just thought, "boring", well what must your client be thinking? Do things need some "freshening up"? Clients have access online to incredible images, inspiration boards and blogs. The vendors they select will reflect this up-to-date image that they have in their mind. If your "visual triggers" make you look dated, your client will not have confidence in your ability to produce a modern, fresh look.

Take a look at your client profile – your very best clients – the ones who LOVE you. What if you doubled the amount of clients you had like that and eliminated the ones who took up all of your time and then ended up not booking with you? How can you find more of those? Spend your time, your marketing dollars and your energy focusing on the RIGHT type of clients and increasing your qualified leads. Having lots of leads is amazing. Having lots of the RIGHT leads is phenomenal!

Once you have all the RIGHT leads, how can you convert more of them into sales? If you are not closing 80-90% of your leads, think about freshening up your "sales speak". How can you make it more personal, more engaging? Can you listen more and talk less? Can you find common ground to build the relationship? Can you increase your knowledge about your product and services and about your competition?

Lastly, always look for those small differentiating factors between you and your competition. Are you well-known and well-respected in the industry? Are you considered an expert? Does your attitude reflect just how amazing you are? Being a "stand-out" in the industry and putting your personal stamp on your events and sales approach can be incredibly memorable for your clients and rewarding for you. Be your best person every single day.

So. . . when and how will you go from being "amazing" to "p-h-e-n-o-m-e-n-a-l"? Sometimes, it's only one degree away. . .

Article by Lynne LaFond Deluca, Sr. Vice President

*From the book 212 – The Extra Degree

Sales & Marketing Inspiration | Team Marketing for Event Professionals

Creating an effective sales and marketing plan appropriate to your marketplace and your specific property is somewhat of an art and requires some inspiration. If you are a seasoned catering and event professional who has been in your marketplace for a substantial period of time, you probably have a very good "temperature read" of what programming you should be doing and when. Old ideas can always need a fresh twist, though, or maybe a slight adjustment in order to gain more prospects from the same program. Utilizing your other department heads for a brainstorming session is a great way to gain a new perspective on how you can increase the revenues in your department. Some of the benefits to implementing weekly (or monthly, whatever is appropriate for your property) brainstorming sessions with your other departments include:

• Creating specific action plans geared at revenue enhancements
• A proactive, energetic approach to achieving goals vs. crisis management

• A system to monitor performance versus goals which will allow for better accountability and increased revenues

• Enable each team member to increase their personal effectiveness

By using your team in the brainstorming process, you are increasing your "brain power" to include all the members of your team, and any other group you wish to include. Marketing ideas get easier and easier with a group approach.

Once appropriate ideas have been turned into marketing programs, stay on top of your activities that are necessary in order to carry out a successful marketing plan. FOLLOW THROUGH on all steps of your marketing program, including tracking your results. That way, when you go to implement the same idea again next year, you will have a mechanism for remembering what about the program was successful and what you need to change. Soon, you will find the marketing plan process a creative outlet that guarantees financial success rather than a necessary evil!

By Lynne LaFond DeLuca, Sr. Vice President, Beverly Clark Hospitality Training