by Dr. John Hogan,
January 14, 2011

January is the time many people set (usually lofty) resolutions, based on what we hope to improve on in the coming year. While marketing plans and budgets were likely completed in the 3rd quarter of last year, January is that time of year many people stretch for renewed enthusiasm and commitment.
 
I wrote a column on this general topic in January of 2009 and found it interesting to note the feedback I received then and the changes that have occurred in the global marketplace since then.  The hotel segment of the hospitality industry in many segments and locations set revenue and profitability records in 2007, but the global financial meltdowns changed any hope of extending those expectations on the short run.   2009 and 2010 performances varied by location, but the industry is still reeling from a variety of negativity in the marketplace.

With that said, there remains the need for planning, thinking and executing the 2011 strategies if we expect to reverse the pessimistic nay-sayers.

A look back at the history of New Year's Resolutions
There is not universal agreement on exactly when resolutions first became used, but online research from a number of sources attribute that the Babylonians were likely the first to make New Year's resolutions.  The early Christians believed the first day of the new year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to improve oneself in the new year.  Other sources credit the tradition of the New Year's Resolutions to 153 B.C., when Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was placed at the head of the calendar.  With two faces, Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year.

Regardless of the source of the tradition, we all realize that people all over the world have been breaking them ever since. The title of this short piece is Making This New Year's Hospitality Resolutions Real and Practical, and my goal is to offer a slight alternative to the resolutions making approaches that seem to get broken so often, for whatever reasons.
 
Most hotels created a sales and marketing plan last year, but what happened to the execution?  While one can blame the economy or the government or some other 3rd party, we must each assess how much of our success is tied to our efforts.
 
The calendar now says January, and looking back at lost opportunities for last year is a wasted effort.  It is now time to think how you will be conducting your sales efforts this year, in measurable components.

• If you have a flexible, effective sales and marketing plan developed for THIS year - congratulations!   Now it is clearly time to hunker down and focus on execution.
• If you don’t have one prepared, you are behind much of the competition but it is not too late to plan the work and begin to work the plan.
• Part of this means looking at last year’s action plans and results - did your team follow the sales action steps you felt were appropriate when you made the plan?  

The answer for most of us is that we do not always follow either personal or business resolutions unless we build in a reminder system. Those systems might include using Key Result Areas (KRAs) or Personal Business Objectives (PBOs) that are tracked and formally reviewed with others monthly or quarterly.  Those systems may include submitting monthly reports on actual compared to plan in leads, conversions, revenue, bookings, calls, trips, etc.

Regardless of where you are in planning TODAY, recognize it is now time to realistically commit yourself to a fresh start.  In this 2011 series of “Fresh Air- New Ideas” Perspective columns, I will share a large number of sales & marketing, operational and general hospitality strategic recommendations and best practices.