0. Chapter 3 Organizing for Convention Sales
Convention Management and Service Eighth Edition
(478TXT or 478CIN)

1. Competencies for Organizing for Convention Sales
Identify factors to consider when organizing for convention sales.
Describe typical sales and marketing staff positions, and outline the roles of regional and national sales offices and independent hotel representatives.
(continued)

2. Competencies for Organizing for Convention Sales
(continued)
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.
Explain the various records and filing systems maintained by a sales office.
Describe technological applications for a sales office.

3. Organizing for Convention Sales
Sales Structures
Hotel chains with multiple brands are consolidating and relying more on regional and national sales offices
Chains are assigning a single salesperson to represent all brands in their company to meeting planners
Revenue managers and revenue departments are becoming common as hotels look to maximize revenue—property wide—from convention groups
(continued)

4. Organizing for Convention Sales
(continued)
Small Properties
Salesperson and general manager will solicit all market segments
Large Properties
Hotels tend to specialize and assign sales staff to specific meeting market segments

6. In convention-oriented hotels, the sales office works closely with three key departments:
Convention services
Banquets/Catering
Revenue Management

8. Sales and Marketing Staff
Positions within Sales
Director of sales and marketing—leads the sales effort by setting objectives and monitoring action plans
Director of sales—executes the marketing plan, coordinates and directs the efforts of the sales staff
Convention sales manager—solicits convention trade for the hotel
Convention service manager—coordinates and services the conventions booked by the property
Tour and travel sales manager—develops group and charter business for the hotel
(continued)

9. Sales and Marketing Staff
(continued)
Advertising and public relations director—coordinates all promotional materials and public relations
Sales staff—prospect, set appointments, and call on prospective clients
Clerical support—maintain records, provide support, assist in follow-up
Supplemental Sales Staff
Regional sales offices—provides a central information point that directs meeting planners to the property that will best meet their needs
Independent representatives—represent the property as a “long arm” of the sales department

10. 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

11. 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 

12. 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

13. Areas Covered by SOPs Function book control and procedures
Guestroom control book procedures
Booking policies
Rate guidelines for high and low demand periods
Credit/deposit/cancellation policies
Policies regarding VIP and complimentary rooms
Meeting room rental fees and procedures
Banquet and room reservation cut-off dates
Convention service standards and procedures
Organization chart and job description for sales department

14. Types of Marketing and Sales Meetings
Weekly staff meetings
Weekly function meetings
Weekly revenue management committee meetings
Annual or semiannual sales meetings for all employees

15. Assigning Account Responsibility
Methods and Fairness
Accounts could be assigned by market segment or by specific accounts.
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

16. Evaluating the Sales Effort
The director of sales should:
Evaluate each salesperson’s weekly activity report and his or her reader file
Periodically review the organizational structure of the sales office

17. The Importance of Relationships
Meeting planners value personal relationships with hotel salespeople
Choice of hotel is frequently based on relationships with convention sales personnel and with the convention service manager
Technology ( , voice mail, Internet, text messaging) has tended to depersonalize the sales process
Salespeople should strive to develop lifelong relationships with clients
Seek to “own the planner’s business”

18. Sales Filing Systems and Forms
Elements of Sales Filing Systems
Master card
Account file
Tickler file
Control Books
Function book
Guestroom control book
Sales Forms
Tentative booking sheet
Definite booking form
Working file
Change form
Cancellation form
Lost business form

19. Master Card Summarizes sales efforts Serves as prospect database
Often color-coded
Trailer cards hold information on divisions of large companies
Details contact names, months in which group meets, size of group, where the group has met in the past, and key decision-makers

20. 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

21. Tickler File
Also known as a trace file, bring-up file, or 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, 2012, a note to call a local PTA leader about annual holiday banquet 

22. Control Books—Function Book
A master control of all banquet space; each page or computer screen lists the property’s meeting space and allows for recording of meeting activity by day
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.
Most hotels have computerized their function book
One person should control and maintain the function book (manual version)
Prevents double-booking

23. Control Books—Guestrooms Control Book
A master control of guestrooms available for sale to groups; each page or computer screen lists the booking activity and status of group guestroom blocks
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
Both tentative and definite bookings are noted
Computerized guestrooms control books allow salesperson access either in-house or from a remote location

24. Sales Forms
Tentative booking sheet—documents that the meeting planner has been given an option on the space and a hold has been placed on the room(s); used if a date has not been confirmed or if details have not been worked out
Definite booking form—used after business has been confirmed
Working file—established once a group “goes definite”; includes only information relevant to the event
Change form—documents changes in dates and/or room requirements
Cancellation form—confirms cancellation
Lost business form—details reasons for cancellation

25. Advantages of an Automated Marketing and Sales Office
Tedious tasks accomplished quickly and efficiently
Instantaneous access to sales information
Personalized mailings
Risk of human error reduced
Easier to reorganize client or guest data on the basis of zip code, desired time periods, areas of interest, etc.
Faster preparation of mass mailings
(continued)

26. Advantages of an Automated Marketing and Sales Office
(continued)
Enhanced communication among properties in large chains
Frees salespeople from the office; laptops, , text messaging, and cellular phones allow salespeople to work on the road
Facilitates yield and revenue management

27. Technical Components of the Virtual Office
Laptop computer
Blackberry/cellular phone

28. Yield and Revenue Management
Yield management—a technique used to maximize hotel revenue/profits by basing prices for guestrooms and banquet space on supply and demand.
Revenue management—the practice of assessing a group’s overall contribution to hotel revenue/profits by measuring its impact on guestroom, meeting space, restaurant, and retain revenues, as well as its potential for future business.