Back To Basics

How to keep bad habits at bay

“Let’s get back to the basics.”

How many times have you heard that phrase in your career?  It seems as though many talk the talk when it comes to the basics, but very few companies invest in the practice.  We tend to ignore the obvious or assume our teams are using basic strategies…especially when we have seasoned vets on the team.

Plan B had the pleasure of working with a company this year that walked the walk, and took their sales force back to the basics by conducting local market sales blitzes and conducting training prior to those sales calls.  We were fortunate to be chosen as the company to assist them with this grand task of organizing the logistics of these “basic” blitzes in over 30 markets across the country in just a few short months.  It was a daunting task, but one I look back on with pride, as we did what some said couldn’t be done.

In any case, this true devotion to going “back to the basics” is paying off for the company.  By canvassing these markets in a short amount of time, and delivering key messages to potential clients in those markets, they were able to uncover opportunities, steal business from competitors and forge new and lasting relationships.

It wasn’t easy for this company to devote time, energy and resources to this task.  They certainly went after it on a grand scale, but it doesn’t have to be done that way.  Your individual hotels can certainly devote a short amount of time each week to focusing on the basics and it will pay off.

• Review “basic” sales practices in each weekly sales meeting
• Have a “back to the basics” email reminder with key tips sent to your sales team each morning
• Assign a “back to the basics ambassador” on your sales team to conduct a 5-10 minute presentation once a week for the sales team.  Keep it fun, light and upbeat
• Organize a ½ day or full day refresher course for your team
• In your daily or weekly business review, ask the sales team to explain how they used the basics in their approach to winning the business, or discuss basic sales approaches that can be used for business the team is trying to obtain
• Schedule quarterly sales blitzes in your local market.  Implement creative messages and commit to a schedule. Review key sales tactics with the team prior to their sales calls, and join them to provide on-the-spot training

These are just a few tips, but the more creative and fresh you keep it, the more it will sink in with the sales team and be used on a daily basis to win business.  Remember, even seasoned sales professionals need reminders.

Make sure to keep bad habits at bay by making “the basics” a daily ritual for your team.