Sales Strategies | Learn from the Past; Work in the Present, Plan for the Future: Make it Happen!

As we are approaching the end of 2012 and looking forward to 2013, we are probably doing a lot of thinking about how this year went and what we'd like to see next year in our sales strategies.

In planning for your future, it is always wise to take some time to think about past history and what we can learn from it in order to more fully enjoy and maximize our present position - personally and professionally - and not repeat past mistakes. Also, taking time to think about what we want our future to look like allows us to put plans in action NOW in order to achieve those goals. Here are some good questions/lessons to think about. . .


What We Can Learn From The Past:

1. Where were our most rewarding prospecting efforts focused?

2. Always fine tune our communication skills - both verbal and written!

3. Finish one task before you start another.

4. Have our hand in all market segments in case one or the other falls off.



What We Want Our Future to Look Like (create your own goals here - here's an example!):

1. Own the Hospitality Industry - Be the Benchmark - Create the Trends

2. Make our personal financial goals.

3. Make exceeding our customer's satisfaction a primary goal so they become our biggest fans and sources for referral business.

4. Work smarter, not harder!



What We Will Do in the Present to Make it All Happen:

1. Market to who is spending money now

2. Connect with all aspects of your business - Target all markets

3. Build on current business to accommodate their expanding needs

4. Increase prices if appropriate and timely

5. Work your marketing plan!

6. Have a balanced life. . .

Article by Lynne LaFond DeLuca, Sr. Vice President

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