This document provides 10 key strategies and tactics for improving booking pace, even in difficult market environments. It recommends focusing on sales expertise, clearly defining your offering, implementing integrated marketing, improving outreach methods like cold calls, prioritizing quality lead generation activities, listening to customers, building relationships, preparing for objections, coaching sales teams, and celebrating successes. The overall message is that a combination of leadership, people skills, strategic planning, tools, and training can help deliver results.

1. Selling Smarter! Ways to Improve Your Booking Pace presented by Linda H. DiMario

2. 68% of 500 salespeople surveyed said that closing is tougher now than in the past because of customer budgets.30% described their sales pipelines as “not healthy”.50% of salespeople in the market today have not been required to sell in an economic downturn. Richardson Survey 2008Selling and closing is tougher today…

3. Public perceptions about “resort” or destination meetings and conventions.Government and private company mandates about travel and site selection.Consumer confidence and buying down.Sluggish hotel occupancy > diminished tax collections for CVB funding.So how do we respond???Add specific tourism-related challenges…

4. Consider the downturn an opportunity to win and keep new customers.Customers turning to more affordable, value-added options – are you ready?Train, re-train, coach and develop personnel to new levels of performance and customer service.Changing customer-base, demands and expectations – are you ready?Set competitive price points that reflect consumer demand and marketplace reality.Customers want real and perceived “value” – are you ready?

5. Move away from and never return to ‘order-taking’ as a business strategy.Your competition is working harder and smarter for the same business – are you ready?Polish the brand and build a powerful message.Your competition is building brand equity – are you ready?Value and promote smart selling.Your sales people need new direction and coaching– are you ready?

6. Keep marketing!Staying top-of-mind is even more important today – are you ready? Put all your employees to work for you.The talent to help you get the job done shows up for work everyday – are you ready?Cut costs wisely.Consumers don’t care what your profit margin is supposed to be – are you ready?

7. Keep the ‘edge’ when the economy recovers.It takes courage and determination to ‘stay hungry’ when things are going well – are you ready?

8. Sell smarter, not harder!

9. Replacing with PATIENCE.Replacing with ADVANTAGE. Selling smarter means…

10. Ten Ways to Improve Your Booking PaceKey Strategies and Tactical Advantages to Deliver Results in Any Market Environment

11. Sales Experts in the HouseKnow Who and What You AreMarket to Deliver ResultsDust Off Your Elevator Speech Heat Up Cold CallsValue the Right ActivityBe In the MomentBuild RelationshipsBe ReadyCoach and CelebrateSummary of Strategies

12. LeadershipDirection, accessibility, problem-solvingPeopleEnthusiasm, skill set, adaptabilityStrategyImplementation, consistency, accountability ToolsCRM, negotiating leverage, resources TrainingWorking knowledge of sales process, sales skillsGet better now!#1. Sales Experts in the House

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14. Using a Scale of 1-5, 5 being the optimal readiness:Leadership

15. People

16. Strategy

17. Tools

18. TrainingGrade Your Readiness Now!

19. What is the DNA of your destination, product or service?FacilitiesAttractionsAssetsAmenitiesExperiencesLocationWho or what is your primary competition?What are your target markets?GeographicMarket segmentsMake Market Matches Now!#2. Know Who and What You Are

20. Destination, Product or ServiceDNA AnalysisMarket Match:Like destinations, products or servicesIdentify similar or like scope of workIdentify similar or like attributesIdentify similar or like benefitsIdentify similar or like experiencesIdentify competitive setConduct competitive set analysisDetermine best target market matches! Market Match Exercise

21. Competitive City Analysis – The Arlington Sell Arlington: Arlington – All the independent research and internal research supports the emphasis on our central location, attractions, the “right size” of the Convention Center. We can and do offer the best of the Metroplex because of our amenities and our proximity to Dallas and Ft. Worth. Provided we are pursuing “right size and right type” business for Arlington, we can compete effectively with all other cities in Texas when it comes to the top decision-making criteria –accessibility, meeting facilities, hotels, price, convenience and availability of entertainment and off-sitevenues. San Antonio They own their strengths and we will not challenge on these elements. After 9/11, they received another $2 million from the City to market themselves.Their vulnerabilities provide Arlington several openings for competitive positioning including affordability, availability, accessibility, attitude, service delivery and proximity to DFW. Ft. WorthThey own a recently cultivated urban experience and a slightly better proximity of hotels to the Convention Center. The Sundance Square area and general walk-around atmosphere is attractive.Their Convention Center expansion does not appear to make a significant difference in the functionality of the Center or its ability to court different markets. Their vulnerabilities provide Arlington with opportunities to capitalize on sharing the Metroplex cultural experiences, our preferred proximity to DFW, the reputation of our CVB, our better quality and variety of hotels, central location, Convention Center service and flexibility.

22. Marketing PlanTarget marketsIntegrated sales and marketing functionsMulti-channel StrategiesSaturate target marketsExecute tactics that support a robust sales funnelCombine the cost-effectiveness of public relations, the high profile of advertising and the frequency of social media dialogue Share success stories, testimonials Make smart marketing choices now!#3. Market to Deliver Results

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24. Well-defined mission

25. Target market driven execution

26. Integrated sales and marketing functions

27. Multi-channel strategies

28. Public Relations

29. Traditional Media

30. Social MediaRate Your Marketing Plan

31. Know your value proposition!Create and polish a 15 second introduction that tells your customer:I know who you are. (Target marketing)I understand what you care about. (Environmental cognition)I can deliver value, benefits or results. (Problem-solving, solutions and possibilities) Make every contact count!#4. Dust Off Your Elevator Speech

32. You’ve got seven seconds…

33. Samples:“ I deliver a product that powers up sales prospecting and lead development to deliver better results to the bottom line.”“ I provide an affordable and flexible transportation solution.”“ I lead and influence the hospitality partners in Long Beach to help you plan and deliver a successful convention.”Draft Elevator Speech

34. Optimize your existing database.Seek referrals and pyramid current accounts.Prospect with cost-effective, laser-focused research from zoomInfo, Hoovers, One Source, JigsawEmploy cost-effective social media tools:Research with Google, Plaxo, LinkedInEngage with facebook, twitter, digg, youTube, blogs Get smarter with available resources now!#5. Heat Up Cold Calls

37. Require and manage activity that produces results.Know your customers:B2B, sophisticated customers, long selling cyclesConsumer direct, buying mode, short cycleProspect for knowledge and information.Understand the role of quantity in the sales pipeline. Create and sustain balance between generating new business and nurturing current clients.Respect quality versus quantity!#6. Value the Right Activity

38. Work “Right” Pool of SuspectsQualify “Right” Prospects Develop “Right” LeadsDelivers Higher ConversionFill the Funnel!

40. Currently, the value of activity is measured by quantity.

41. Currently, the value of activity is measured by quality.

42. Currently, we have a healthy balance between quantity-driven activity and quality-driven activity.Quality vs Quantity Test

43. Be patient.Listen actively and well.Take notes.Frame relevant and meaningful questions. Explore opportunities, be alert to possibilities.Engage in a dialogue.Prepare to be a problem-solver, a solution finder!#7. Be In the Moment