What do you do if you budget thousands of dollars to invest in a trade show and the few visitors to your booth are not generating enough business to do the trade show justice? If you are Ray Bloom, founder and director for IMEX Group, you design a program that attracts serious buyers, invite them...read more

If content is king, then strategy is his queen. It’s tempting to just simply post to your hotel's or destination's Facebook page, or shoot out an email here and there, without having clear and focused goals in mind. But by doing so, you could easily be wasting your hard-pressed time and energy on...read more

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

The old adage is really true: Nothing really begins in a company until a sale occurs.  Whether it is booking hotel group business or targeting business travel marketing, all individuals in hospitality need to have a sales mentality. Below are what a few innovative hoteliers are doing to nurture the...read more

A blog is one of the most captivating, and one of my favorite, hospitality marketing strategies.  With a blog you can share information about your destination that your stagnant website can’t, while keeping your site fresh and frequently updated. However,  marketing a hotel with your blog can get...read more

Mother's Day on the horizon reminds me of those 'momisms' that sit on the shoulder of our conscience every day and influence our actions. From relationships to increasing group sales, some 'momisms' really hit the mark. Here is a tickler that will set you on a course to grow your business. 1. "Do...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

From "Part 1: In the Office or Remote, Effective Teams Increase Sales!", we know that more Americans are working remotely now than ever before. With more accessibility to the tools needed to conduct business available to the average consumer, the demand by employees to work at home gives a manager...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

Whether you’re planning a familiarization (FAM) tour or marketing an event, there can be a lot of gray area for a non-traditional public relations team at a CVB or hotel. For instance: How far in advance should you send an event press release? Should a release be sent after the event as well? Who...read more

For your hotel to be successful in Google’s world, you have to play by Google’s rules. This means an integral part of your hotel marketing strategy should include high-quality, FRESH and unique online content that authentically drives people to your Web site. But, what would you update on your...read more

Since the "GSA Scandal" and "AIG Effect" prompted a media frenzy a few years ago, it seems as if most of the meeting industry has continued to shy away from resort hotels and conference centers because they might appear as opulent or over-the-top. While these two meetings were egregious examples of...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

Technology solutions such as the Cvent Supplier Network have made it easier than ever before for planners to research destinations, find venues and send electronic RFPs (eRFPs). Prior to the existence of eRFPs, it was difficult for planners to identify ALL of the possibilities for their upcoming...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

In "Part 1: A Novice Bird's Eye View for Using Social Media to Engage Clients", we reviewed in Steps 1, 2 and 3, how you can begin a social media marketing program simply: Basic Resources, Start Where You Are, and Schedule Commitment. If you have followed those steps, you are ready to move on to the...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