Washington, DC, 07/13/11 – The Knowland Group, a leading provider of business development solutions for the hospitality industry, recently launched Professional Business Development (PBD) services at nine Sofitel properties. By employing Knowland’s world class hospitality cold callers and proactive sales professionals who are all focused on booking group business, Sofitel Luxury Hotels will experience great results.
 
Offering first-class facilities for meetings, events, and weddings, Sofitel Hotels provides a luxury experience with a French flair. With hotels on five continents, in almost 40 countries, Sofitel offers contemporary hotels and resorts that are adapted to today's versatile customers who appreciate quality and excellence.
 
“We selected Knowland’s Professional Business Development service because of their record of delivering results” said VP of Sales Valerie Gavin. “We are excited to increase our market share and look forward to the new opportunities that this will bring Sofitel Luxury Hotels.”
 
With over 70 hotels signing in the last three months, Knowland’s PBD offerings have been met with great excitement in the industry. The advantages of Professional Business Development are clear. Many hotel sales teams are so busy keeping current clients happy, that they don’t have time to devote to bringing in new group business. In order to thrive, a hotel must constantly bring in new group business. Knowland’s PBD team knows the ins and outs of a property as much as any employee but focuses entirely on proactive sales and booking business, allowing hotels of any size and type to utilize this service.
 
Knowland’s PBD professionals find groups that are completely off your radar but perfect for your property’s location, size, price, and other characteristics. They verify meeting planner contact information and previous event details for any group and contact the planner to set up sales appointments, site visits, and bookings at your property.
 
Every member of the PBD team goes through rigorous training on Knowland’s process of business development and how to implement it successfully for any hotel. Best of all, they are armed with all of Knowland’s innovative business development products, including Readers,  Insight, and Target Net, a revolutionary sales force automation and meetings management tool.
 
“Sofitel has a reputation for providing an unparalleled experience to all their guests and Knowland brings the same experience in providing superior business development tools to our clients. Joining forces with Sofitel is a natural partnership.” Knowland CEO Michael K. McKean said. “This venture will allow Sofitel’s sales teams to seal the deal with potential clients without wasting precious time and resources.”
 
Boost your group sales with Professional Business Development and put one of Knowland’s experienced cold callers to work for you and your property!
 
About The Knowland Group
The Knowland Group is a proven innovator, developing intuitive marketing products and services that streamline and support event and group sales in the hospitality industry. The company, headquartered in the Mid-Atlantic region, serves over 3,000 hotel clients and 25,000 users globally. Knowland was ranked as the fifth fastest growing software company (public or private) in North America by Deloitte and the second fastest growing private company in the travel industry for both 2009 and 2010 by Inc. Magazine. For more information, visit www.KnowlandGroup.com, call 410-860-2270, or follow us on Twitter @knowlandgroup.
 
Sofitel, World Class Hotels & French Elegance
Sofitel is the only french luxury hotel brand with a presence on five continents with 120 addresses, in almost 40 countries (more than 30 000 rooms). Sofitel offers contemporary hotels and resorts adapted to today’s more demanding and more versatile consumers who expect and appreciate beauty, quality and excellence. Whether situated in the heart of a major city like Paris, London, New York, Shanghai or Beijing, or nestled away in a country landscape in Morocco, Egypt, French Polynesia or Thailand, each Sofitel property offers a genuine experience of the French “art de vivre”.