Best Job You Never Heard Of - A Day in the Life of a Hotel Sales Manager

Best Job You Never Heard of Podcast - A Day in the Life of a Hotel Sales Manager_S1_Ep2

[00:00:00] Hi there and welcome back to the Best Job You never Heard of podcast. I'm Grace, and I'm so glad you're here. Today we are diving into a po. A topic that is. Close to my heart because it's one that I live for many years, which is a day in the life of a hotel sales manager. Now, if you're picturing someone who just sits in an office making calls all day, well, you're in for surprise.

'cause this job is dynamic challenging and no two days are ever the same. So let's jump right in. Let's start. With the morning routine. Now as a hotel sales manager, your day usually kicks off early, especially if you've got clients on the East Coast and [00:01:00] other time zones. First things first. It's all about getting caught up on the emails.

Yes, the never ending flood of emails, but it's crucial because those emails might include new inquiries, requests for proposals or updates from clients who. Already booked with you. Now, I know it might sound like just like a lot of inbox scrolling, but this is where you start prioritizing your day.

You're checking for anything urgent. Maybe a client has a question about an event next week, or maybe there's a new lead that needs your attention. ASAP. It's like triage kind of, and if you're like me, you're also. Keeping an eye on your CRM, your customer relationship management system because that's your lifeline.

It's where all the client info lives and [00:02:00] it helps you keep track of where everyone is in the sales process. Now, when I started in hotel sales, we sales managers didn't even have computers. I brought my own. Somebody once called me, half computer will travel. I was proud of that. Back then, only the assistants and reservationists and the front desk folks had computers and accounting of course, and there certainly was no CRM.

There were files, manila files, piles and piles of them. When I started. I called every contact in every file all day long for about six months and nothing I booked, nothing. My boss told me, keep doing what you're doing [00:03:00] and you're gonna be a superstar. And he also said, if you don't book a group, I will book one for you.

But he didn't have to 'cause he was right. Soon after that, the momentum began and I started closing groups left and right. I learned an important lesson from that, which is you build your momentum one day, one call at a time. Of course the systems are computerized now and much more sophisticated and streamlined.

Everything's pretty much digitized. Replacing those paper files, email and texting, more common than picking up the phone when prospecting. And maybe Thanks. Thank goodness. And maybe thank goodness.

Now when it comes to A-C-R-M-A-A-C-R-M, I just wanna, when it comes to A CRM, I [00:04:00] just wanna make sure you realize that you're not expected to bring your own. They will have these programs built into their system for you. Now back to your routine. Once you've got a handle on your emails, it's time to plan out the day.

This is where you look at your calendar and you see what's coming up. Maybe you've got a few meetings lined up a. Site visit or two, perhaps it's a day for pounding the pavement, getting out there to meet with potential clients or even attending a networking event. I've done all of those things, but before any of that, before anything, there's usually a sales meeting.

These are key. You're sitting down with your team, going over your goals, current bookings. And maybe sharing some client feedback. [00:05:00] This is where the strategy happens. You're talking about what's working, what's not working, what needs to be done to hit those sales targets. It's a bit like a huddle before a big game, getting everyone on the same page and ready to tackle the day.

Sometimes people just stand around the office and everyone checks in quickly, or usually for, in my career, it was an actual meeting around a conference table, reviewing everyone's appointments that day, as well as proposals and tentative groups and definite groups. Each sales manager is working on. In my favorite job at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort in Indian Wells, California.

The meeting was at 8:00 AM sharp. I had a bunch of kids to take to school in the other end of town where I lived [00:06:00] from the hotel. It was the other end. And I was always breaking my neck to get into that room on time, a very, very long hallway from the parking lot. And I would leave my things, my purse and my papers behind the concierge desk because I didn't even have time to take them to my desk to make it into the meeting by eight, uh, good times right now.

Let's talk. About the heart of the job, client interactions and relationship building. This is the magic. This is what really matters folks, as a hotel sales manager. You're the face of the hotel for your clients. Whether you're meeting them on site, taking them out for coffee or chatting over the phone, your job is to make them feel valued and [00:07:00] heard.

Lemme paint a picture for you. Imagine you've got a corporate client coming in for a site inspection. This isn't just a quick walk around the hotel. No. This is where you are actually selling the experience. You are showing off the rooms, the event spaces, the amenities entities, and how they will fit. Into the agenda of that particular client's program.

You gauge their reactions and tailor the tour to what they're interested in. Maybe they're focused on the tech capabilities of your meeting rooms, or maybe they're all about the luxury touches in the guest suites. Whatever it is, you're there to highlight what MO matters most to them. And then comes negotiating.[00:08:00]

This is where things get real. You've gotta strike a balance between securing the business and keeping it profitable for the hotel. It's a delicate dance offering just enough to close the deal without giving away too much. That's your job. And remember, you're not just selling rooms, you're selling an experience and you're selling.

Guidance handholding throughout the process, and that has to come through in every conversation you have with the client. Eh, but it's not just about the clients. Internal collaboration is a huge part of the job too. You're constantly working with other departments in the hotel to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Let's say you've just [00:09:00] booked a big event. Now you have to work closely with the front office, housekeeping, catering, and the events team particularly to make sure everything is perfect. Communication here is key. Maybe the client has a special request, like a specific type of flowers for the event or custom menu.

You are sometimes the go-between because you are the one. That the client has the relationship with, you need to sort of oversee and make sure that all the details are handled. And trust me, the devil is in the details. A small oversight can turn into a big problem, so you always sort of going to be double checking, triple checking, sometimes even quad, quadruple checking to make sure [00:10:00] everything.

It. It is just right. And those sales strategy meetings, they're not just a way to start the day. They're ongoing. You're constantly tweaking and adjusting your approach based on what's happening in the market, what your clients are saying, what's going on inside the hotel. You gotta stay ahead of the game and checking in with your colleagues is key.

Okay. We're in our day, and now we're gonna move into the afternoon. This is often when you're closing deals, doing follow ups. Now closing deals can be a rush. It's what you're working towards. After all. Maybe you've had a few meetings earlier in the month, and now it's time to finalize those contracts, secure deposits, get everything confirmed.

But [00:11:00] it's also about follow up after a site visit or a meeting. You don't just leave it lying there, you're sending emails, making calls, and yes. Even sending thank you notes or thank you gifts, like flowers. I've certainly sent my share of those. You want your clients to know they're valued. You want their business, you're thinking about them even when they're not in front of you.

You are building long term relationships. The goal isn't just to book a one time event, it's to create a partnership where that client comes back to you time and time again. I'm proud to say I did accomplish that with my clients and my career. Now it's not always smooth sailing. Challenges are part of the gig, and how you handle them [00:12:00] can make or break you.

Last minute. Changes are the norm. Maybe a client needs to cancel or reschedule, or maybe there's a sudden issue with a booking. This is where your problem solving skills come into play. You'll have to think on your feet sometimes. Stay calm under pressure. And always have a backup plan and experience will give you this.

Stress management is also crucial. You can't let the pressure get to you because that's when more mistakes happen. You've gotta keep your cool and maintain your professionalism. Know matter what.

So one time I had a group. That fell very short, very short of their room block. So in advance, they [00:13:00] tell you how many rooms they want, and you're, the hotel counts on that. So when they don't fulfill the room block, well it's, it's a bad thing. Now in this case. We were able to book another group and we had my group do share with, which means that a person who would have one room now they would have to share so that cut their room block down and we could, we could take this other group.

Needless to say, I wasn't extremely popular with these folks, and when it. When it was revealed, when I found out that they weren't going to meet their room block, I was actually getting my hair colored and I was sitting in the chair calling in check and see what happens. And my boss, Scott Leman, [00:14:00] the best boss I ever had, he said, well, get back here as soon as you can.

And he said, it's not your fault. But it's your responsibility and what a lesson. What a lesson. The things that happen in your career, the negative things. They may not be your fault, but they're still your responsibility, so you've gotta take care of. Now as the day winds down, it's time for a little reflection.

You're wrapping up the day reviewing what you've accomplished and setting yourself up for success tomorrow. Maybe you didn't get everything done because let's be honest, there's always a little more to do, right? But you can take a moment. To appreciate your wins, whether it was closing that big deal, nailing a presentation, or just getting through a [00:15:00] tough day with your sanity intact.

It's all worth acknowledging. And before you log off for the day, you might spend a few minutes thinking about how you can improve tomorrow. Maybe there was a challenge you could have handled differently, or maybe there's a new strategy you wanna try. The best hotel sales managers are always learning, always looking for ways to get better.

So there you have it a day in the life of a hotel sales manager. It's a career that is as rewarding as it is challenging full of variety. And always keeping you on your toes. You will not get bored if you're someone who loves working with people. If you thrive under pressure and enjoy a fast-paced environment and a gorgeous environment, much of the time with these hotels, this [00:16:00] might just be the perfect job for you.

Before we wrap up, I wanna give you a little teaser for our next episode. We'll be going behind the scenes to see how a hotel sales manager creates unforgettable experiences. Trust me, you won't wanna miss it, so be shortest. Subscribe. Leave a review and share this podcast with anyone you think might be interested.

I appreciate your spending this time with me. Again, this is Grace and I'll see you next time on The best job you never heard of.