Welcome to the group sales season! If you're a hotel sales team looking to book more group business during the shoulder season, you're probably familiar with this period between the summer rush and the winter holiday frenzy. As a heavy budget season, it often involves explaining to management that the numbers will pick up soon. However, instead of waiting for calls to come in, why not be proactive and start hunting for group sales business today? To get you started immediately, here are a couple of quick and free tips that require no budget approval. Don't miss out on potential group business - act now with these group sales strategies!
Step 1: Organize your contacts!
Are you ready to take action and improve your business, specifically your group sales? First, let's address the elephant in the room. Building a contact list from scratch can be daunting, but moving forward is a necessary step. If you already have a list, congratulations! You can skip the next part. If not, don't worry - let's get started. Use a program you're comfortable with, like Google Sheets, to create a spreadsheet and add key contacts from your fall season group bookings in the past three years. Include their company name, contact name, job title, email, phone number, and whether they still work there. If creating spreadsheets isn't your strong suit, download our free contact sheet template.
Once you have your list, focus on contacts who had group bookings during shoulder seasons in the past three years. Find them on LinkedIn and verify if they're still with the same company or have moved to a new one. If they've moved, add their new company and title to your list as a potential new prospect for group sales. Look for the person who also took their previous role - you now have two potential contacts for more business! If you're missing their email, try using a free tool like Hunter.io to search for it on their website. Aim to update your list with 20 to 25 contacts to contact. This valuable information prepares you for the next step toward group sales success.
Step 2: Outreach, outreach, outreach
Increase your group sales this shoulder season by following these two important steps. The first step is to prioritize routine follow-up with your contacts. Don't make the mistake of assuming your clients will rebook on their own. Regular follow-up can make a significant difference, especially in competitive markets. The more visible you are to your potential clients, the better your chances are of booking their business.
The second step is to reach out to potential clients through email, phone calls, or LinkedIn messages. Crafting personalized emails for each client can be time-consuming, so try creating a template that can be easily customized for each contact. If you're struggling to come up with effective subject lines, search online for inspiration. Keep in mind that it may take a few emails or touchpoints to get in touch with your clients, so be persistent and patient. With these steps, you'll be on your way to increasing your group sales this shoulder season.
Step 3: Make meeting with your customers easier
You've connected with your past or potential customers, but finding the perfect time to meet can be a challenge, especially regarding group sales. However, there's a solution to simplify scheduling for everyone - Calendly. This tool simplifies the process by presenting your availability to the customer, enabling them to choose the best time that suits them while considering your calendar. The best part is that it can automatically read your schedule, set rules for meeting frequency, and include meeting information and links beforehand. Calendly also allows you to set up group events and invite multiple people, making it easier to schedule group sales meetings with clients or prospects.
Next Steps
Congratulations! You have successfully completed the steps to prospecting for group sales. By utilizing the tools available, you can make your efforts scalable and establish a repeatable system for more efficient work and more wins. Best of luck, and happy hunting!
If you're looking for ways to optimize and streamline your group sales outreach, talk to our team about Event Temple. Our platform can make the process even easier for you, allowing you to connect with customers more efficiently and effectively.
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