Top 10 Things You can Do To Build Sales in a Recession - By Don Farrell

1. Focus on low lying fruit first and foremost. That is the business that is trying to come into your hotels and you are not making it as easy or as enjoyable for consumers as you should. Phone calls into your inns should be answered in 3 rings or less using a unique greeting that is upbeat.like "thank you for calling our award winning ABC Hotel, this is Mark, how may I help you?" If the caller wants information on making a reservation ask them what dates they had in mind and number of persons. While checking on availability, ask them what brings them to the area, so that you can customize their benefits in a value proposition. Quote 4 BIG benefits (based on their needs and why they are coming), 2 rate/room options and then ask to confirm. If they do not make a reservation ask a resistance question like: "I'm sorry, is there something I failed to mention..something else you may be looking for?" When they tell you use fallback options and ask to confirm again. A small hotel will generate $100K more in highly profitable incremental revenue; medium sized hotel $200K and larger resorts 500K-$1M more a year.

The same holds true of the e-mail requests that you get and even your website needs to follow this formula when promoting your inns.

2. Website SEO (search engine optimization): Speaking of websites and low lying fruit, make certain that not only is the part readers see is engaging and compelling, but also make sure that meta tags (the keywords that drive lookers to your site) are done correctly. Blogs and fresh content added on a regular basis will help keep you current and your organic placement higher when people are searching for hotels that can accommodate their needs. 50% of the people who hit your website will also call your inn direct so make certain that #1 here (low lying fruit) is cranking out conversions in the 70-80% range.

3. Branded hotels should work all of the programs within those brands to their maximum advantage. RFP's (request for proposals) is just one example..make certain your brand national and regional sales teams are promoting your hotels. Loyalty and frequency programs; special promotions and many other revenue generating initiatives are being pushed out by the brands but not enough franchisees and member inns are taking full advantage of them.

4. Sales Blitzes. A sales blitz is a concentrated amount of sales calls made in a short period and can uncover business you did not even know was in your own backyard. Use line staff, sales staff and department heads and make 20 calls for each team of two persons X 7 teams X 2 days and you will have made 280 personal calls which will generate hot and medium leads. Everyone sells in your hotels.....everyone starting from the CEO and all throughout the ranks. If sales blitzes fail they usually fail in the follow up, so make certain you organize hot, medium and low priority follow sales based on revenue potential. Trace them and follow through.

5. Feeder Market Sales Calls: Contact non-competing hotels in markets that feed business into your market. Share leads from your files and ask them to do the same. So if you are located in Columbus Ohio, you will contact hotels in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton and Toledo for organizations that they feel would travel to other cities within Ohio.

6. Expand the number of market segments you are pursuing. SMERFES (Social, Military, Ethnic, Religious, Education, Sports) have the potential to use your hotels during lull periods. Funeral homes; churches; AAU sports groups; rental car counters at the airport and overflow from your competition..this list can be incredibly powerful. Expand your reach. Federal government; state government; Travel Agents; Convention and Visitors Bureaus; Chambers of Commerce; Business Development offices; Courts System (juries); National and State Associations; hospitals and medical; colleges (parents weekends, visiting speakers, sports teams, continuing education programs) and the list goes on. Get creative and you can and should be more things to more people.

7. Your Competition. Your competition may be filling up a few times and you are not..get the night auditors and B shift employees promoting your hotels before any others. Bring them a sub sandwich, pizzas etc to keep you top of mind. Take their sales people to lunch and get them to refer business they cannot or do not want to book.

8. Owners and General Managers Make Sales Calls. Clients and potential clients are impressed when the top dog comes to visit them. You need to make certain that existing clients remain loyal so go see these clients regularly. Ask them if there was one thing you can do, no matter how small, what could you do to improve service and loyalty.

9. Make sales calls on the Market Managers from the various OTA's. Priceline, Expedia and so forth have field based managers who can tell you what it takes to get their business on specific days of the week. The rate may be lower than you would like it to be, but it will be when you need business the most.

10. Marketing initiatives promoting lull periods should be implemented. Weekend packages; wedding and honeymoon packages; family attraction packages are the sort of thing that need to be explored using all of the social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Posterous, www.MeetUp.com and all of the conventional channels as well (radio, newspaper and other print media).


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