Selling Smarter! Ways to Improve Your

Booking Pace presented by Linda H. DiMario

68% of 500 salespeople surveyed said that closing is tougher now than in the past because of customer budgets.

30% described their sales pipelines as “not healthy”.

50% of salespeople in the market today have not been required to sell in an economic downturn.

Richardson Survey 2008

Selling and closing is tougher today…

Public perceptions about “resort” or destination meetings and conventions.

Government and private company mandates about travel and site selection.

Consumer confidence and buying down. Sluggish hotel occupancy > diminished tax

collections for CVB funding.

So how do we respond???

Add specific tourism-related challenges…

Consider the downturn an opportunity to win and keep new customers.◦ Customers turning to more affordable, value-added

options – are you ready? Train, re-train, coach and develop personnel to

new levels of performance and customer service.◦ Changing customer-base, demands and expectations –

are you ready? Set competitive price points that reflect

consumer demand and marketplace reality.◦ Customers want real and perceived “value” – are you

ready?

Move away from and never return to ‘order-taking’ as a business strategy.◦ Your competition is working harder and smarter

for the same business – are you ready? Polish the brand and build a powerful

message.◦ Your competition is building brand equity – are

you ready? Value and promote smart selling.

◦ Your sales people need new direction and coaching– are you ready?

Keep marketing!◦ Staying top-of-mind is even more important

today – are you ready? Put all your employees to work for you.

◦ The talent to help you get the job done shows up for work everyday – are you ready?

Cut costs wisely.◦ Consumers don’t care what your profit margin is

supposed to be – are you ready?

Keep the ‘edge’ when the economy recovers.◦ It takes courage and determination to ‘stay

hungry’ when things are going well – are you ready?

 

Sell smarter, not harder!

Replacing

with PATIENCE.

Replacing

with ADVANTAGE.

Selling smarter means…

Ten Ways to Improve Your Booking Pace

Key Strategies and Tactical Advantages to Deliver Results in Any Market Environment

Sales Experts in the House Know Who and What You Are Market to Deliver Results Dust Off Your Elevator Speech Heat Up Cold Calls Value the Right Activity Be In the Moment Build Relationships Be Ready Coach and Celebrate

Summary of Strategies

Leadership◦ Direction, accessibility, problem-solving

People◦ Enthusiasm, skill set, adaptability

Strategy◦ Implementation, consistency, accountability

Tools◦ CRM, negotiating leverage, resources

Training◦ Working knowledge of sales process, sales skills

Get better now!

#1. Sales Experts in the House

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Using a Scale of 1-5, 5 being the optimal readiness:LeadershipPeopleStrategyToolsTraining

Grade Your Readiness Now!

What is the DNA of your destination, product or service?◦ Facilities◦ Attractions◦ Assets◦ Amenities◦ Experiences◦ Location

Who or what is your primary competition? What are your target markets?

◦ Geographic◦ Market segments

Make Market Matches Now!

#2. Know Who and What You Are

Destination, Product or Service◦ DNA Analysis◦ Market Match:

Like destinations, products or services Identify similar or like scope of work Identify similar or like attributes Identify similar or like benefits Identify similar or like experiences

◦ Identify competitive set◦ Conduct competitive set analysis◦ Determine best target market matches!

Market Match Exercise

Competitive City Analysis – The Arlington Sell   Arlington:   Arlington – All the independent research and internal research supports the emphasis on our central location,

attractions, the “right size” of the Convention Center. We can and do offer the best of the Metroplex because of our amenities and our proximity to Dallas and Ft. Worth. Provided we are pursuing “right size and right type” business for Arlington, we can compete effectively with all other cities in Texas when it comes to the top decision-making criteria –accessibility, meeting facilities, hotels, price, convenience and availability of entertainment and off-site venues.

  San Antonio  

◦ They own their strengths and we will not challenge on these elements. ◦ After 9/11, they received another $2 million from the City to market themselves.◦ Their vulnerabilities provide Arlington several openings for competitive positioning including affordability, availability,

accessibility, attitude, service delivery and proximity to DFW.   Ft. Worth

◦ They own a recently cultivated urban experience and a slightly better proximity of hotels to the Convention Center. ◦ The Sundance Square area and general walk-around atmosphere is attractive.◦ Their Convention Center expansion does not appear to make a significant difference in the functionality of the Center

or its ability to court different markets. ◦ Their vulnerabilities provide Arlington with opportunities to capitalize on sharing the Metroplex cultural experiences,

our preferred proximity to DFW, the reputation of our CVB, our better quality and variety of hotels, central location, Convention Center service and flexibility.

Marketing Plan◦ Target markets◦ Integrated sales and marketing functions

Multi-channel Strategies◦ Saturate target markets◦ Execute tactics that support a robust sales funnel

Combine the cost-effectiveness of public relations, the high profile of advertising and the frequency of social media dialogue

Share success stories, testimonials Make smart marketing

choices now!

#3. Market to Deliver Results

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Well-defined mission Target market driven execution Integrated sales and marketing functionsMulti-channel strategies

Public RelationsTraditional MediaSocial Media

Rate Your Marketing Plan

Know your value proposition! Create and polish a 15 second introduction

that tells your customer:◦ I know who you are. (Target marketing)◦ I understand what you care about. (Environmental

cognition)◦ I can deliver value, benefits or results. (Problem-

solving, solutions and possibilities)

Make every contact count!

#4. Dust Off Your Elevator Speech

You’ve got seven seconds…

Samples:“ I deliver a product that powers up sales

prospecting and lead development to deliver better results to the bottom line.”

“ I provide an affordable and flexible transportation solution.”

“ I lead and influence the hospitality partners in Long Beach to help you plan and deliver a successful convention.”

Draft Elevator Speech

Optimize your existing database. Seek referrals and pyramid current

accounts. Prospect with cost-effective, laser-focused

research from zoomInfo, Hoovers, One Source, Jigsaw

Employ cost-effective social media tools:◦ Research with Google, Plaxo, LinkedIn◦ Engage with facebook, twitter, digg, youTube,

blogs

Get smarter with available resources now!

#5. Heat Up Cold Calls

Require and manage activity that produces results.

Know your customers:◦ B2B, sophisticated customers, long selling cycles◦ Consumer direct, buying mode, short cycle

Prospect for knowledge and information. Understand the role of quantity in the sales

pipeline. Create and sustain balance between generating

new business and nurturing current clients. Respect quality versus quantity!

#6. Value the Right Activity

Work “Right” Pool of Suspects

Qualify “Right” Prospects

Develop “Right” Leads

Delivers Higher Conversion

Fill the Funnel!

Currently, the value of activity is measured by quantity.

Currently, the value of activity is measured by quality.

Currently, we have a healthy balance between quantity-driven activity and quality-driven activity.

Quality vs Quantity Test

Be patient. Listen actively and well. Take notes. Frame relevant and meaningful questions. Explore opportunities, be alert to

possibilities. Engage in a dialogue.

Prepare to be a problem-solver, a solution finder!

#7. Be In the Moment

Where are you???

PatienceActive listeningTake notesQuestioningExploring modeEngage in dialogue

Rate Your “Moment” Skills

Create and sustain a customer-centric organization.◦ Be driven by customer attainment not by a sales quota.◦ Make the customer the motivation, not the sale.

Cultivate relationships that will deliver business today and tomorrow.

Earn respect by working with the customer, not just selling to the customer.

Cultivate trust by delivering what you promise, when you promise it and how you promise it.

Make customers your #1 focus!

#8. Build Relationships

Check If You Make the Grade

Customer-centric model in practiceFocus on customer-relationship buildingWorking with customerBuilding trust

Prepare for questions and objections.◦ Practice handling and managing the most

common (and unexpected) questions and objections about your product, service or destination. Mitigate Overcome Challenge

Prepare for concessions.◦ Develop a concession strategy.◦ Provide sales with negotiating parameters.

Be Prepared!

#9. Be Ready

Prepare for “Battle”!

Using a Scale of 1-5, 5 being the optimal readiness:Ability to handle objectionsConcession strategies in place

Grade Your Readiness

Coach sales people through tough times.◦ Don’t allow desperation to take root!◦ Look for signs of growing frustration or fatigue and

address it.◦ Balance traditional sales skills with new media.◦ Value prospecting.◦ Encourage quality lead development.◦ Build relationships.◦ Solve problems, create solutions and opportunities.◦ Conduct role plays to keep people sharp.

Be there for your salespeople!

#10. Coach

Celebrate every little success!◦ Rock and roll with every sale.◦ Look for good news and share it.◦ Inspire and motivate. ◦ Share personal stories.◦ Take a break…

Put on your leadership hat and lead the band!

#10. Celebrate!

Coaching occurs consistentlyCelebrating occurs consistentlyCoaching occurs sporadicallyCelebrating occurs sporadicallyCoaching is not a common practiceCelebrating is not a common practice

Coaching and Celebrating

Experience Huthwaite, Inc. Richardson Sales Leadership Inc. The TAS Group Go-To-Market Strategies Media Skills Training zoomInfo, salesgenie Guerilla Marketing

Resources

Questions & Answers