© 2006, educational institute chapter 3 organizing for convention sales convention management and...

© 2006, Educational Institute

Chapter 3 Organizing for Convention Sales

Convention Management and ServiceSeventh Edition

(478CSB)

2© 2006, Educational Institute

Competencies forOrganizing for Convention Sales

1. Identify factors to consider when organizing for convention sales.

2. Describe typical sales and marketing staff positions, and outline the roles of regional and national sales offices and independent hotel representatives.

(continued)


Competencies forOrganizing for Convention Sales

3. Explain how to manage the efforts of the sales team in terms of establishing standard operating procedures, conducting sales meetings, assigning account responsibility, and evaluating the sales effort.

4. Explain the various records and filing systems maintained by a sales office.

5. Describe technological applications for a sales office.

(continued)


Factors to Considerin Organizing a Sales Department

• Unity of command

• Authority commensurate with responsibility

• Span of control


Sales and Marketing Staff

Positions within Sales• Director of Marketing• Director of Sales• Sales Managers• Sales Staff• Clerical Support

Supplemental Sales Staff• Regional Sales Offices• Independent Representatives


Regional Sales Offices

• Solicit business for any hotel in the chain

• One-stop shopping (similar meetings)

• Computer banks on clients and chain properties

• Intermediary between client and property


Independent Hotel Representatives

• Used when in-house staff cannot cover all areas

• Services offered vary widely

• Represent more than one property (but rarely similar clients)

• Hired on a contract basis

• Must work within the scope of the property's marketing plan and familiarize themselves with the property


Standard Operating Procedures

• Describe how recurring business actions should be handled

• Act as a reference that helps banquet and sales staff handle functions consistently

• Cover such things as function book control, booking policies, organizational chart, and reservation cut-off dates


Assigning Account Responsibility

Methods and Fairness• Accounts could be assigned by markets or

by organizations.• The director of sales must ensure a fair

distribution.

Key Account Management• Prioritizes accounts based on profits• Helps identify the accounts with the

highest profit potential


Sales Filing Systems and Forms Elements of Sales Filing Systems

• Master card• Account file• Tickler file

Sales Forms• Function book• Guestroom control book• Tentative booking sheet• Definite booking form• Working file• Change form• Cancellation form• Lost business form


Master Card

• Summarizes sales efforts

• Serves as prospect database

• Often color-coded

• Trailer cards hold information ondivisions of large companies


Account File

• Serves as the basic group business record

• Folder that includes all correspondence and related materials

• Started at initial contact

• Also color-coded with cross-reference to master card

• Information in the file includes tear sheets, past convention programs, and contracts


Tickler File

• Also known as tracer file, bring-up file, follow-up file

• Helps ensure effective follow-up• Filed by month/day in accordion-style files• Entry in the pocket for the day or month you

want to contact prospect• Example: In the pocket for August 15, 2002,

a note to call a local PTA leader about annual holiday banquet


Function Book

• A page for every day of the year• All function rooms represented on each page• Entries under function rooms include name of

organization, type of function, attendees, rates, etc.• Bookings should be made in pencil• One person should control and maintain the

function book• Prevents double-booking


Guestroom Control Book

• Helps monitor guestroom allotments to groups

• Lists rooms available to groups

• Format consists of a monthly report sheet with space for group's name and guestroom commitment by day


Technical Componentsof the Virtual Office

• Laptop computer

• Email

• Cellular phone

• Voice mail services

• Pagers

© 2006, educational institute chapter 3 organizing for convention sales convention management and...

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