We feel your pain.

Phone rings, you answer…maybe.

You have 1,000 things going on; maybe you are multitasking. In your mind you are thinking—

“I have so much to do, I need to get off this call.”

“Why are they asking so many questions, can’t they just look at the website?”

“They have most likely been on every website in my competitive set and more.”

“They probably won’t book.”

“It has been 6 minutes and they still have questions….”

“How will I ever make my quota, let alone my commission?”

This is what the Planner / Caller is hearing —

“I am too busy to help you.”

“Can’t you just look online?”

“No, I do not want to take the time to start a relationship.”

“Everyone has special needs.”

“My numbers do not match your revenue manager’s.”

We get it.  Here is what is really going on —

Hospitality Sales Executive (HSE ) is a fish out of water.

• HSE may be the last person standing, maybe the sales team has been reengineered.
• HSE may have been deployed to a different market segment, so the HSE is hearing Government Planner speak or worse, SMERF speak, instead of corporate planner speak.
• Maybe the HSE works for a management company and is used to selling one brand and is suddenly tasked with learning the infrastructure of 2 other brands.

Putting on the rose-colored glasses, the planner is on a brand-new learning curve. How odd to get voicemail in a Sales Department instead of a coordinator.  The planner has developed their grove with resources, suppliers and friends. With huge restructuring many of the planners trusted resources are gone.  The foundation for building their meeting and events is raised.   The planner is looking to build new relationships with meeting partners and wondering if they are reliable, trustworthy and understand what they are really looking for.

Take a deep breath and remember, we are in the hospitality industry.  No one gave us a playbook on what to do next, we are all still punting.  Time to make lots of new friends and learn about new technology, contract clauses, and engaging our participants in a hybrid world.

With a focus on the guest experience together we can meet the needs, budget and goals and objectives of our stakeholders.

Lead generation, the marketing process of stimulating and capturing interest in a product or service for the purpose of developing a sales pipeline.

Are you in need of Sales & Marketing support?

Take a deep breath and schedule a free 20 minutes sales strategy consultation. Imagine if you could talk to the right person at the right time about your current challenges. Put my hospitality industry experience to work for you. Leave with two actionable items you can use today!