I’m changing my company name. Take note. I’m not sure when, or how, or what it will be, but our business as you know it today will one day be called something else. It’s not easy to name and rebrand a business, as you can imagine, but it’s time. It’s been time for a while now. Some may wonder why after 10 years under this name I would do something like this, and others may be thinking hallelujah it’s about time we shed it. But here’s my explanation of why I know it’s time.
Why? Because effective lead generation & sales solutions should not be the back-up plan! It shouldn’t come in the “B” category. To be effective, it must be in the “Priority A” column, and far too many hotels wait until it’s simply much too late. If you look back on my posts from the past year, you’ll see a theme. I bet for every article I’ve written on the topic, 9 out of 10 hotels that contacted me thereafter had the same challenge. They were in panic and needed a short-term fix. They needed a “Plan B.” I was OK with being a Plan B for the last few years, but as my business matures and evolves we’ve developed systems & processes that should be used long before panic sets in. We can be a hero to hotels that need a back-up plan, but what I want even more than that, is to positively affect hotels so that they never have to experience that panic. It is possible! Now, I know some in our industry would say I’m a dreamer, and that is “just the way it is.” But it’s only the way it is because it is tolerated. We tolerate the feast & famine, and mediocre sales approaches that end up needing a back-up plan. We tolerate allowing our hotels to be commoditized by buyers. Toleration doesn’t mean we enjoy or allow it on purpose. But, there is a certain level of giving in that I see happening, and in some cases taking the path of least resistance for awhile until the panic point.
Our partners who planned with us in 2015 for a lead generation program that started in January 2016 are now reaping the benefits. We’ve grown one customer’s business by $1.3M in the year, another added $400K in just one month! One customer has seen over $270K in new business revenue consumed year-to-date and another customer has received 20x more new business opportunities for 2016 and 2017 than they did on their own over the past several years. These are just a small portion of our examples that I could share. But beyond that, most of these partners are all in markets that have been suffering, not booming. It’s because they planned ahead and they didn’t give up after just a couple months. They understand new business lead generation and that closing revenue takes a proactive strategy, and today it takes more than just a property level sales effort.
So, as most of the hospitality industry is entering into budget season for 2017, I urge you to think about incorporating a real strategy to win new business revenue.
If you’re in a market that is saturated by competition…
If you’re market is going through changes that will affect demand (like a convention center closing, an industry downturn, a large employer leaving, etc.)…
If you are relying too heavily on one industry…
If you’re hotel is in a seasonal market that makes or breaks your year…
If you’re hotel has not been seeing the traction in new business lead generation by the sales team…
And especially if your sales team has been in transition… We need to connect!
We have proven the results in new business lead generation in nearly every market, hotel size & dynamic. Let’s explore the possibilities together! To schedule a FREE “virtual brainstorm session” to see how we can create a plan together for your hotel’s biggest sales challenges Contact Me At: amy.infante@planbconsultants.com (312) 636-7384
Oh yes, and if you have any suggestions on a new business name… Send them my way. Maybe there will even be a naming contest in the near future. J
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