In the April 2013 edition of PCMA Convene magazine, Michael Gehrisch, President & CEO at DMAI summed up the future of DMOs the following way: "We're really committed, from a DMO standpoint, to help shape services that we provide to meeting planners so that they are planner-focused and relevant for...read more

Do you ever feel like you are just going through the motions with online RFP channels?  Do you even know if you are taking advantage of the technology in front of you? Now you can be sure by taking advantage of the helpful guidance in the Venues Overview section. This five-paned window will help you...read more

In the 1992 movie Glengarry Glen Ross -- a display of the goings on in a real estate office -- Alec Baldwin played an over-the-top aggressive sales representative named Blake. He has a famous line in the movie which was:  "A-B-C. A-Always, B-Be, C-Closing. Always be closing, always be closing." For...read more

A hotel’s email marketing shouldn’t bore it’s subscribers. In fact, there are some amazing statistics about the success of email marketing. With a catchy subject line, intriguing content and a call to action, emails to subscribers has the potential to generate increased business.    Stunning...read more

Your former hotel guests are talking about you. And, future guests are listening in. Travelers love writing reviews for two reasons. One, it allows them to feel influential, as they  know their words have impact on future guests’ decisions. Two, because they genuinely want to offer feedback to...read more

In this three-part series I am discussing the most important spaces of real estate on a LinkedIn profile. Part I – LinkedIn Profile Photo and What It Says About You. LinkedIn Headline: Entice Prospective Clients to “Read All About It” Other than the photo, the LinkedIn headline is the most widely...read more

“This business is all about being seen, and the more people see you the better.” - actress Debra Wilson   Exhibiting at trade shows is one of the many ways hotel sales teams can meet new prospective clients and increase group business. But you shouldn’t exhibit at just any trade show. You’ll want to...read more

When faced with a Request for Proposal (RFP), the temptation is to pull out all the stops with bells and whistles so that you land a top spot in the review process.  Present a proposal with the lowest pricing, several choices and extensive line items, and within days you increase room block bookings...read more

One of the best ways to market a meeting venue is to share your story through digital and print magazines. For a larger brand, a media team exists at the corporate level/home office, but for hoteliers without these resources, what can be done? In an interview with Randy Hennen, Publisher for Midwest...read more

Short and sweet. That’s how Twitter, with its famous 140-character limit, won over social media users ever since its inception. By forcing brevity, Twitter has made both brands and customers throw out the fluff and ‘get to the point.’ Tweets have become storytelling in its simplest form. In January,...read more

RedRocketMedia recently produced an infographic detailing how travelers make hotel buying decisions. Even though this research is tied to the travel industry as a whole, I believe the information can be applied to business travelers, as well as, group business decision makers. Below, are four of the...read more

When The Platters debuted their 1955 hit, "Only You," little did they know those same two words would become one of the most critical privacy settings within LinkedIn. By not adjusting your privacy settings to where “Only You” have the ability to view your connections, your hard earned professional...read more

If we knew what makes a meeting planner “tick”, then overall our sales teams, hotel marketing and delivery of services are improved.    For instance, last month USA Today’s Hotel Columnist, Barbara De Lollis revealed what women want from hotels; the list included items that women would rather leave...read more

Building a Powerful LinkedIn Network The most important first step in maximizing LinkedIn as a business resource is to join 50 Groups tailored to the meeting and hotel industries. You might think joining thinking 50 Groups sounds excessive and time consuming. Joining Groups is the fastest way to...read more

Is saying you are sorry or issuing an apology a dead skill? Due to our litigious society, are we all in lockdown-and-protect mode, instead of doing what is right?  Here's the truth though -- and we have all been there: Something goes terribly wrong at the hotel, conference center, or meeting. It has...read more

On a recent business trip, I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront Hotel in Florida with a spectacular view of the skyline. While looking out of the window on the 11th floor in awe, I noticed a sticker on the window that said “Take a picture of your favorite view from here, post your...read more

Telephone skills are, many times, the first exposure a prospect will get of your property, whether it's the front desk/receptionist person, sales managers or the general manager. So, let me take a few moments to review some basic skills that can really help make a great first impression. Here are...read more

You can spend a lot of time questioning your people about their sales tactics to win group business and solve the missing piece of the puzzle... or you can just remember all the beginning basics you were taught, really.    Over years, the best sales techniques instituted by the big hotel brands are...read more

The arrival of Daylight Saving Time and the sight of Mr. Robin puffing his bright red chest as he enjoys a budding limb signals the season for a good Spring Cleaning! Spring is the perfect time to sweep out the "we've always done it that way" and the "don't fix it if it's not broken" cobwebs.Today's...read more

Weaving Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into group meetings goes back a number of years and became almost a given when tragedies hit popular convention locations like New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Planners worked with convention hotels to source community organizations that allowed meeting...read more