Managing Expectations for Hospitality Lead Generation Campaigns

My job entails working with our clients to set up their project.  In doing so I often find myself clarifying expectations and discussing the anticipated results of the lead generation effort.

Yes, the main part of our role is to conduct solid days of prospecting.  We find new business opportunities for our clients, and our team commits to conducting 8-hour days of prospecting on their behalf.


However, to manage expectations, we have to set them up at the outset.  Our clients need to know what to expect from us in connect rates, lead averages, and overall interest levels.  So, here are a few things I provide clients so they understand what to expect.

Unless you plan on calling each person on your list until you do have a conversation (good or bad), no list is ever 100% reachable.  In hospitality lead generation campaigns, we typically see an average of 65-70% connect rate, resulting in either a positive outcome (potential business) or a negative result (no interest).  This percentage is based on 3 to 5 call attempts, though it will vary widely depending on the management level targeted (the higher up the corporate ladder, the harder executives are to reach), and the quality or age of the data. 

It would be great to get a lead out of every contact; but from a goals perspective, it is not feasible.  When I say lead, I am referring to a prospect who can consider your hotel or resort, and has provided specifics on an event.  AND they are interested and would like to continue to hear from you.  With this type of project, we see  average lead rates between 2-5%, which varies depending on the type of hotel and destination, as well as the types of clients we are calling upon.  It can be higher; but this is the typical range we have experienced.

Some contacts may not be able to provide meeting or event specifications at the time of the call, but are interested in your facilities or destination.  We deem these "interested prospects" and always recommend that these be placed on a regular nurturing list to receive an e-newsletter, promotional mailings, etc.

This follows our Funnel Activator philosophy which says that most new business relationships must be built over time, increasing trust with each interaction.  Typically, if the list we are working with is relatively good, we expect to produce an additional 5-10% of contacts who are interested in continuing building a relationship with the supplier.

So, if you were working with a list of 1,000 records, you could expect to finish with 650-700 definitive outcomes, 20-50 leads, and 50-100 additional contacts interested in receiving information about your company.

How does this line up with what you are doing?

Generating Leads: Is it Really Luck, or is it Skill?

The month of March contains one of my favourite celebrations – St. Patrick’s Day!  And what are the Irish famous for?  Luck of course!  When it comes to what we are doing for a living here at GREENfield, we believe it’s not so much luck as it is skill and preparation.

Sure - - it is highly probable that some of your prospecting calls generate leads because “you were at the right place at the right time”.  However, there are many other factors involved.  I thought I would share what I consider some necessary steps in generating a G.R.E.A.T. Lead.

Get ready – do your research.  In the meetings industry, it can go a long way to solidifying the relationship going forward when you have put in the time in advance (i.e. I was on your website and saw that your last annual meeting was in Vancouver – how did that event go?)

React.  Be in the moment – listen to what the contact is saying and be ready to respond.  Tune in to their personalities so that the conversation is as productive as possible (i.e. If they are the type of person who provides – although informative – short and sweet answers, don’t drone on for 20 minutes before you actually include them in the conversation).

Earn respect (and give it).  You may not be talking to the decision-maker on the first call.  The influencer or “gatekeeper” to the decision-maker is just as important to have conversations with in the beginning, as well as throughout the process.  Asking for their input and assistance may be the difference to getting the introduction to the decision-maker in the first place.

Address Objections.  One of our Sales Trainers, Colleen Francis, has taught us the following model: Stop – Acknowledge – Ask.  You may uncover that the reason for the objection is not as big as they think, and you may get the business anyway.  Stop and hear the objection – Acknowledge that you heard what they are saying – Ask questions to clarify.  It gets them talking.  It doesn’t work every time, but it shows you respect their position.

Take the time – secure commitment, send the information, thank them for their valuable time and trace the follow-up.  Make sure that you trace it for when they want to hear from you.
Other than that – remember that confidence is probably the most important thing of all.  Believe that you have the right to ask for the information, because if you waver, it gives them an 'out'.
Ádh mór ort! (That's how they say "good luck" in Ireland!)

Hotel Marketing : Why I Feel Sorry for Chain Hotels

Why would anyone feel sorry for chain hotels?  Aren’t branded hotels the ones with all of the fancy programs and the big advertising budgets?  Wouldn’t chain-affiliated hotels have clout that independent's can’t compete with?

Yes, to a certain extent, they do.  But the chain advantage is eroding.  The internet has leveled the playing field with independents.

According to a June 2010 DemandGen Report, 78% of B2B buyers check out potential suppliers online before they pick up the phone.  This might be on the supplier’s website, through third-party sites or even social media.  And increasingly buyers are looking for brands with personality and unique appeal.  This is where chain hotels are increasingly at a disadvantage.

(Note: the names of specific brands have been omitted to protect the innocent and perhaps the not-so-innocent…).

Chain hotels rarely can have custom content on their website.  It doesn’t matter which brand you look at.  Hotels must fit the corporate mold, filling in the blanks so that information is presented on the corporate website in a uniform manner.

If individual properties offer unique programs, anything that would differentiate hotel A from hotel B, it is rarely available on the branded hotel’s page.  A meeting planner has to call a hotel to get that information emailed to them.

Case in point: I was visiting a wonderful Chicago hotel last November, and the sales manager who walked me through the site inspection had great knowledge of their hotel’s unique banquet production and cooking system.  She gave me excellent examples of how this gives them a competitive edge in their local catering market.  Is there any mention of this on their website?  No!  Unfortunately, the hotel has no flexibility to include this anywhere on their corporate-sanctioned website.

• If any chain hotel has a blog (a rarity), they are not allowed to connect it to their hotel page. 
• Many chain hotels, regardless of brand, are told social media is the purview of corporate headquarters.  If a hotel has a Twitter account it is often used strictly for leisure purposes (e.g. “come check out our weekend rates”).  Heck, I’ve even heard of corporate HQ types trying to “control the messaging” of some of their “field” Tweeters by issuing “guidelines”.  Did these corporate types not hear what happened in Egypt and Libya?  Contrast that with independents who have real personalities and even know how to have fun (check out the Drake Hotel on Twitter and The Lord Elgin’s bed-jumping video on YouTube).  
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is often entirely leisure-driven because it is controlled by corporate HQ marketing types whose job is only leisure and image focused.  Intelligent B2B marketing, with rich content generation that can generate leads, is rarely on their radar screen.
• Because they operate with clunky legacy systems like Delphi and Opera SFA, most hotel companies cannot run efficient lead nurturing campaigns with marketing automation tools that connect with their website interface and their CRM or PMS. 

We often hear hotels complain about the pressure on their rates and how the market is so competitive.  And unless they can differentiate their local flair and offer proof that they can be more than cookie-cutter buildings, chain hotels are doomed to suffer the highs – and lows – of the commodities they are becoming in the eyes of meeting planners everywhere.

Would love to hear from the hospitality sales & marketing pros out there!

Hearing No Objections while Prospecting?

My job here at Greenfield involves getting our team ready for lead generation projects for hotel, CVB and other meetings industry clients. Recently while speaking with a Sales Manager for a destination, I asked her what some of the standard/typical objections were that she faced when she made her prospecting calls.

To my surprise she answered, “I don’t get objections – there are none”.  I was so stunned I didn't know how to respond (and for those who know me, this should surprise you).

I was surprised because objections are such a natural evolution of the prospecting process.  To not encounter any is unimaginable to me. Maybe in this case, the Sales Manager did not want to look weak or unprepared for the question I posed in front of our team.  I do believe though that this is an old-fashioned way of thinking – and it will make prospects hang up the phone.

When I asked the same question of another destination rep he said, “The biggest object we hear is the driving time from the closest airport to our destination.”  And when asked how they handle this, the response was, “By informing the contact that the highway has been extended, and comparing it to a drive in their local region – i.e. it may be a 90-minute drive to our destination from the airport, but that time is similar to rush-hour traffic in Toronto from many outlying areas.”  For our team, this was a GREAT start to come up with talking points in order to effectively address the objection!

While no one will ever be able to get around every objection, being prepared for them is a critical element for success when prospecting.

Remember:  Listen to what they are saying (and not saying).  And, as Colleen Francis, one of our Sales Trainers, always says: STOP.  ACKNOWLEDGE.  ASK.  Hear them out, acknowledge what you heard, and ask another question to further clarify – it will help you get around the objection, and may ultimately give you what you want – new business.

The Future of Meetings

Recently Meeting Professionals International sent me a request to participate in a survey regarding the future of the meetings industry. Funded by the MPI Foundation this initiative is featured as part of a series of Thought Leadership Initiatives to help planners succeed today and tomorrow.

We all get lots of requests to complete surveys but for some reason this one drew my attention.  It came with a warning that this wouldn’t be a boring, multiple-choice questionnaire; it required essay-type answers and original thought!  It took me almost two hours for me to complete (good grief!).

But half-way through I realized that instead of just sending my answers to the Maritz researchers, I should copy them for our own blog.  If you haven’t had a chance to take the survey, read on.

What do you think is the future of the meetings and events industry? How do you see the meeting industry evolving? In other words, what significant changes are you seeing?

Because of rising prices, I see the meetings industry becoming more elitist. Airlines have applied strict yielding strategies, making some travel increasingly unaffordable. Hotel management companies are also under pressure from their ownership to increase returns. I think this will cause organizations to "regionalize" some meetings, especially for lower to middle managers.  It'll be too expensive to send them away, so they'll keep them closer to home.

This is already happening.  As opposed to one national meeting, companies are having 2-3 smaller regional meetings, where a number of attendees can drive.  By doing this companies also are reducing the length of meetings.

The more distant destinations will attract only senior executives who have the budgets for more expensive travel. I believe this has serious implications for destinations such as Hawaii -- demand overall will be significantly lower.  Incidentally all of these developments will be exacerbated by rising oil prices.

On the more positive side, the above will give rise to more virtual and hybrid events, creating a whole new set of jobs and businesses. Just look at the number of consultants who now specialize in social media strategies for meetings!

Because of the cost of meeting face-to-face is increasing, I believe the value of such meetings will increase in the eyes of participants. Whereas in the past participants would see their association's annual convention as "just another convention", in the future this may be viewed with more respect -- their ONLY opportunity to connect with colleagues.

As a side note I see companies increasing their individual travel budget for sales purposes. Bringing reps together with buyers in one-on-one meetings more often is becoming a “new old tool” in the arsenal of customer loyalty management.

How are you preparing for those changes in your business?

For one thing we are stepping up individual travel so we can meet with clients one-on-one more often. Because we have flexibility in scheduling, this allows us to book during shoulder periods, etc.

We are also developing new expertise to help our clients develop new business in creative ways. We've launching into marketing automation, content creation and social media so we can help facilitate their activities.

Lastly we're advising clients to develop stronger relationships with their local/regional markets as a more effective way of spending their marketing and sales dollars.

What do you see staying the same?

Does anything EVER stay the same? :-)  Let's see: the role of hotel brand Global/National Sales Offices and Convention & Visitor Bureaus in the meeting sales process I believe will remain relatively stable.

I think we will continue to have to fight to get the meetings industry recognized as such, and the value meeting professionals bring to the table. Our "right" to the seat at the table will continue to be difficult to articulate and quantify.  I'm saying this because I don't think we moved the needle in this last recession... The world still doesn't understand what we do (everybody was happy to bash the meetings industry, including the U.S. President!). We were caught unprepared. Shame on us.

The above is an excerpt of the questions and my answers.  So what are your thoughts on the Future of Meetings? Share your thoughts and comments below!

Prospecting: How a Die Hard Fan Finds Her Man!

When making group lead generation calls, what should you do when your contact is no longer there?

This happened to me the other day: I was trying to reach one of my meeting planner contacts but her name was no longer in the auto directory. There was no way to reach a live person without a proper name. What was I going to do? How do I get to the receptionist? Is there a receptionist?

I went to the website to see if I could find a name for anyone within the company. I thought if I could get a name, any name I may at least be able to reach a voicemail hit "0" and hopefully speak to a real live person.

Luck was on my side; on the website was a listing of Executives. Not that I had high expectations that any of these names were of people who were involved with planning offsite meetings and events. I decided on the name of the Vice President of something or other.

So I called the number again, dialed # for the directory and punched in the numbers that corresponded with the letters of his name. To my surprise a voice came on the line saying “John speaking” I began by introducing myself and the hotel I was representing and then explained my dilemma. I told him about going to the website and finding his name and thinking, “Hey if John McLane can’t help me, who can?” after we both chuckled, I said, “I bet you get that a lot.” To which he admitted he did but it broke the ice. I went from talking to the VP of can’t remember what, to speaking with John. (For those of you who don’t know, John McLean is the name of Bruce Willis’ character in Die Hard!)

And just as I had hoped, he came to my rescue. Giving me some details of the meetings that he oversees and let me know when they would be ready to look at planning for 2011. He recommended I call back him back at a later date and offered to introduce me to the person who handles the logistics at that time.

It’s such a great feeling to make a real connection. This is the kind of call I like to keep in my pocket so that when I’m having a slow or frustrating day, I can pull it out and smile.
Yippee-ki-yay…

10 Tips to Increase your Sales and Marketing Productivity

Over the holidays I was in Germany, enjoying time with my husband’s family.  One thing that never ceases to amaze me about Europeans is the number of days they have off compared to North Americans.

A number of HR studies have supported this observation. According to a 2007 study by Mercer Consulting, the average European gets 30+ of paid vacation and statutory holidays per year, whereas Americans and Canadians get barely 20.

Another study reported that Americans work an average 1,804 hours versus 1,436 hours in Germany – the equivalent of nine extra 40-hour workweeks per year. I’m sure these numbers didn’t improve with the recession, when many workers felt pressured not to take time off for fear of repercussions.

But experts maintain taking time off has important benefits including improved health, productivity and creativity. And when are many of us often most productive? Just before leaving on vacation! So maybe this is a new win-win formula for 2011? Get productive, take time off, come back rested and be even more productive?

As a business owner I’ve had great difficulty to make myself take time off (almost as difficult as keeping my weight down, but that’s another story…). After spending thousands on seminars, books, and coaches, here are my top 10 recommendations:

1. Time block: Colleen, my sales coach, advised me to do this. While it is one of the most difficult things to do, it is also the most effective. Use time blocking to make client follow-up calls. Shut your door, put your phone on do-not-disturb, and start calling. I never get to the 20 people I need to reach in a day, but I usually talk to 4-5. Hopefully my voice mail message will also help me stay top-of-mind with the other 15-16 clients. (See also tips on leaving voice mails).

2. Take a break: I’m sure you’ve experienced this. You’ve been in meetings, on the phone, sending emails between calls, and being interrupted by staff asking for input on something. After 2-3 hours of non-stop activity you reach a saturation point and can’t seem to be able to make one more move. You need a break! What works best for me is to step out for a walk. Getting fresh air is apparently a way to boost your brainpower!

3. Limit your social media time: OK, you may not be guilty of this, but I certainly fell into this trap a few times… Social media is a great way to connect with people, but it can also be a huge time waster. Now I limit my time on Twitter and LinkedIn to ½ hour each, twice per week.

4. Turn off emails: Many salespeople have ADHD. We find it hard to resist checking emails when doing paperwork. But that pesky little window won’t tempt you if you turn it off. You can finish that proposal quicker, and then get back online!

5. Automate your client contact: Salespeople will always have more people to talk to than they can ever manage to do in one day. But for those times when you really fall behind in your client contact, automating your client contact is a great way to increase productivity. E-newsletters are a great way to keep yourself in front of a client, without having to be involved personally. Make sure your message offers value, and that you make time for personal interaction with your most important clients. If you need help with this, see information about our Funnel Activator.

6. Hire a coach: Nothing will make you more productive than having to account to someone else for progress; that’s why professional athletes hire coaches and programs like Weight Watchers work! See our list of training & coaching resources).

7. Reward yourself: Remember when mom would say if you finish dinner then you can have ice cream? We’re all still kids at heart. Your reward doesn’t have to be full of calories either; the reward I’ve promised myself this month is another Pandora bead for a bracelet I got at Christmas… Be good to yourself!

8. Don’t keep it in your head: Do you find yourself remembering things to do, people to call and other ideas any day of the week, at all hours of the day (or night). Productivity expert David Allen advises to keep a book and write all those things down. Then go back to doing whatever you were doing. Try it; it works!

9. Make the most of no-service time: When I’m flying and can’t use my BlackBerry, I find it’s a great time to write personal notes or catching up on my business reading. I pack personal note cards and a few magazines for the trip. What do you do to take advantage of your time offline?

10. Outsource: Preaching for my parish here … If you’re too busy to get a list qualified, or a portion of your database updated, hire someone to do it. Whether you choose to call Greenfield, or hire a student, just do it! Having an updated contact list will make you a more productive (and hopefully successful) salesperson.

Want more ideas? Check out:

• Productive to the Max
• Sales Coaching Habits
• The Personal Excellence Blog
• Engage Selling

Do you have a productivity tip to share?  Please leave us a comment!