doug kennedy
Ground Zero and Your Brand’s Image
Travel Outlook | March 25, 2021
John Smallwood President Travel Outlook Your Hotel’s Call Center is Your Brand’s First Impression In today’s consumer world, a brand’s image carries as much weight as the brand's service. Without branding, there would be no sure-fire way to differentiate yourself from your immediate competition. Imagine shopping for groceries in a store without branding. There would be no way to identify your favorite snacks among dozens of identical items. A brand’s image gives the company personality, relatability, and encourages brand loyalty. For hoteliers, your brand’s image can be made or broken by your reservation d...
The Battle for Direct Bookings Is Hand-to-Hand Combat, Not Aerial Strafing
Doug Kennedy | March 11, 2021
By Doug Kennedy For years now, hotels have been fighting desperately to win back market share from third parties such as Online Travel Agencies and thus reduce the cost of customer acquisition. Huge sums are spent on strategic initiatives such as ad campaigns, updating guest loyalty programs, improving organic and paid SEO, making sure the website tells the hotel’s story and ensuring a smooth journey from looking-to-booking. All of this increases the likelihood that a prospective, web-surfing guest may engage with the hotel directly. In military terms, I would say it is sort of like aerial strafing because the “ammo” has a mostl...
Hotel Sales for Today’s Remote Buyers Requires More Than “Steps,” “Funnels,” “Wow,” and FAB Phrases
Doug Kennedy | February 8, 2021
By Doug Kennedy Although the pace of change has accelerated during the pandemic era, the hotel sales habitat has been evolving rapidly for years. Yet when our KTN team conducts group sales shops and our sales “lead flow” audits, we find that most - but not all - hotel salespeople are stuck in the early 2010s. This is not surprising, given that too many hotel sales training programs are still focused on outdated models such as sales funnels, feature-advantage-benefit (FAB) phrases, and “wowing your prospects.” In the pre-pandemic years, too many hotel companies put ongoing training on the back burner altogether. Those who did s...
How Hotel Salespeople Are Using Tech to Put People Back in the Sales Process
Doug Kennedy | January 11, 2021
By Doug Kennedy In recent years, sales conversations between buyers and suppliers have moved to digital formats such as email and in-app platform messaging in CVENT, The Knot, and CVB apps. Too many salespeople mistakenly believe two urban legends: that planners exclusively prefer digital communications, and that the most important factor is simply being the first to respond. On top of it all, the 10+ years of surging demand in the pre-pandemic era caused the sales culture at many hotels to devolve into an “order-taking paradigm” and set the stage for what I call the era of “silent selling.” On the other side of this equation, p...
The Spirit of Hospitality Is Nurtured by Gratitude
Doug Kennedy | December 21, 2020
By Doug Kennedy As we count down the final days and prepare to turn the calendar to a new year, so many of us are tempted to think “good riddance to 2020.” When I read posts and view memes on social media, it seems that most of us cannot wait to put this year behind us. Indeed, it has been a tough one for all, especially those of us who work in the hospitality and tourism industry. Yet when I sit at my desk writing my last training article of this crazy year, thinking of all the ups and downs I have gone through, I find myself being grateful for 2020, because 2020 taught me how to be even more grateful. This year has made me realize ...
Hotel Sales Training Insights From a Professional Third-Party Meeting Planner
Doug Kennedy | December 9, 2020
By Doug Kennedy As a hotel sales trainer, I often rely on conversations with top-producing sales leaders when designing the latest “best habits” for hotel sales success for our newest KTN workshops and webinars. Recently, while in Park City, UT to conduct sales training, I caught up with Deanne Vigil, Regional Vice President with HelmsBriscoe over coffee. I first met Deanne over a decade ago as a training client, when she was VP of Sales & Marketing for Hardage Hotel Group. Soon thereafter she switched to the buyer side of the business and I have since watched her career soar as a travel intermediary broker of meetings and event...
Four Quick Training Tips for Hotel Sales Prospecting Success
Doug Kennedy | November 16, 2020
By Doug Kennedy Now that 2020 is winding down and the preliminary vaccine results are favorable, it is time for hotel salespeople to recommit to put on their orange vests and embrace their role as sales hunters. In previous articles for this publication I have spoken about the transition from Sales Fishing to Sales Hunting, the Habitudes of Sales Success, and how salespeople can master their Remote Sales Skills. Here are four additional specific sales tips. Is Your Hotel Sales Team Ready For The Transition From "Fishing For Inbound Leads" To "Sales Hunting”? Hotel Sales Habitudes For The Long Ride To A Slow Recovery - By Doug Kennedy ...
Five Ways Focused Service Hotels Can Increase Direct Voice Bookings
Doug Kennedy | November 11, 2020
By Doug Kennedy Although they are generally outperforming other lodging segments, most if not all focused and selective service hotels are looking to build occupancy and rate. Indeed, hoteliers can and should continue to focus on digital marketing opportunities to the full extent. However, let us not forget some old-school “analog” ways to generate revenue. Here are a few ideas for training and development. • Offer a small cash incentive for every voice booking secured by the front desk. I know some leaders will say that taking voice bookings is already part of the job description, but I can tell you from experience that mon...
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