Hotel & Motel Management - June 16, 2008 - (Page 10) 10 Sales Clinic IN THE details Know your facility’s features Create a detailed list Learn about off-site services Understand the guest/group H&MM June 16, 2008 | HotelMotel.com www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition Product knowledge is a competitive advantage o be effective in sales, all staff need to be knowledgeable about everything available in their facility. This means knowledgeable about not only the physical property, but also services available both on- and off-site. Sales staff need a property fact sheet. Each member should refine their fact sheet by conducting a phys- T ical inspection of the facility and asking questions of key staff members. Pertinent information would include the following: General property description: Restaurants and lounges: By Howard Feiertag H&MM Columnist Number, sizes, capacities, hours, menu types, sample prices, taxes, room service availability, house specialties. Meeting/Banquet facilities: Location, age, unique features. Guestrooms: Number, type, size, rates, taxes, in-room amenities, security, ADA accommodations, parking available, number of connecting rooms. Number, sizes, banquet menu, audio-visual service and prices, ADA services, floor plans. Transportation: Distance to airport, transfers available with cost, any local transportation provided by facility. Recreational facilities: Types, locations, rates, transfers. Outside services: Secretarial services, baby-sitting, special vendors, shopping nearby, hair salons, entertainment activities, local attractions. Guest mix: Types of travelers, groups, market segments the property attracts. Different things appeal to different people and groups. Matching facilities to needs of a prospect is what helps make a sale. Translate features into benefits Property features Large guestrooms In-room Wi-Fi available Electronic door locks Prospect benefits Plenty of room to do work Easy access without cost Feeling of safety and security Defend against mold growth on kitchen and bath sealant for five years. Polyseamseal® EVER BRIGHT™ active silicone sealant with Triple Action Protection prevents mold adhesion, resists the spread of mold and actively inhibits mold growth on sealant for five years. The worry-free formulation insures a clean, watertight seal that saves you from costly renovations and time-consuming repairs. So why worry about unsightly mildew and mold? Use Polyseamseal® EVER BRIGHT™ sealant and don’t. www.polyseamseal.com EVER BRIGHT ACTIVE SILICONE SEALANT © 2008 Henkel Corporation TM Successful salespeople realize that they do not sell products or services; they sell the benefits that prospects receive when they purchase products or services. Most potential guests become interested in the features of a property only when they perceive how those features will benefit them directly. Translating property features into prospect benefits takes practice. One good exercise is to prepare a features/benefits worksheet for each type of visitor or market segment group (see above). Note that the benefits of a property or service are often intangible. What prospects really expect to buy is the satisfaction of their needs. The example above shows how you can smoothly translate property features into prospect benefits. The benefit list is the most valuable tool a hotel salesperson can carry. When selling, your benefit list is your product. hmm@questex.com Howard Feiertag is on the faculty of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Va. He can be reached at howardf@vt.edu. Polyseamseal® EVER BRIGHT™ silicone sealant with EST™ – enhanced silicone technology – inhibits mold adhesion and growth longer than any other silicone sealant. By identifying the molecular switch that prevents mold formation and developing a formula that prevents its spread, it provides at least five-years of mold-free protection. So why worry about mold? Use Polyseamseal® EVER BRIGHT™ sealant and don’t. CIRCLE NO. 114 http://HotelMotel.com http://www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition http://www.polyseamseal.com http://www.polyseamseal.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.