2009 PYM Town Hall Atlanta: Table Two Notes

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TABLE TWO

1: Special facility – attraction
2: Restaurant
3: Hotel
4: Restaurant
5: Destination resort
6: Hotel

Question 1: How do you differentiate yourself from the competition? How can you rise above the “noise” to showcase what makes you special?

Customer service

4: make ‘friends’ with competing/same properties so you can refer business
Cross-market with similar properties

6: If you can’t take care of your customer (you are already booked) go that extra mile and book their event for them elsewhere and handhold them with other properties

4: market what sets you aside from other properties (ie: 5’s property has a unique room that is decorated, where as the new seafood place down town has to use the banquet rooms at the hotel they are in)

It’s not always about getting the immediate sale; you have to remember the long-term sale too. Work hard to build your relationship with clients so they will follow you if you go elsewhere
2: give your cell phone number so client can get a hold of you whenever they need to
At the end of the day, its never the price of the meal or room, it’s the quality and experience of the event that they will remember!

Question 2: How can you help planners get creative with small budgets without selling your services short? Where do you draw the line, when they’re asking for free room rentals, etc.?

2/7 Offer items that look good to client but isn’t much of a cost to venue

  • chair/linen upgrades
  • add appetizers
  • change # of courses offered
  • instead of free rooms, offer room upgrades

6: Offer a free cocktail welcome reception night before conference will start…that way you get extra room nights!!

Don’t let clients get used to the word DISCOUNT and don’t discount just to look good…or else they always will be looking for it

6. If client wants prices from 2-3 years ago be creative and say yes you can do it, but only if we lock your conference in for 2-3 years at that rate….

2. Never say NO, say YES, but (even if the request is extravagant)

Realize you can’t always meet their expectations and sometimes you might have to turn business away

Sometimes you need to have incentives for planners for bring the most business.