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June 2009 | Vol 2 Issue 5 |
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The Beverly Clark Hospitality Training Newsletter provides catering professionals with the ongoing tools and resources they need to meet the challenges they face and assist them in finding solutions with not only the wedding market, but all aspects of their business, including corporate markets, social catering, sporting events such as golf and tennis tournaments and charitable events.
Webinar Series - #3 Wine Sales and Upselling
Join us Online on August 19, 2009 at
11am PDT/1:00pm /1:00pm EDT
(approximately a one-hour duration)
Topics will include: Pairings with Menus, Conducting Proper Tastings, Upselling to the Next Tier (or two)!
More information >>
Learning Center
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Tools |
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Maximizing the 2009 Holiday Season
Two weeks ago we hosted another of our webinars for special event professionals. The topic was extremely well received and the webinar was hugely attended! Thanks to all who joined us! Judging by the response, it was a topic that hit a lot of nerves throughout the industry, as we all try to really blow out the end of the year with big revenues. So, I thought a quick summary as well as answering a few of your burning questions would make for a good article this month...
Creative marketing, being "first to market", having a competitive selling edge, expanding your market base, doubling your prospecting efforts, being flexible, competitive and adaptable. . . these are all things that will help you in achieving your holiday season financial goals this year and beyond. Here's a list of questions to help you with a quick "analysis" of your direction for this season:
- Where do you currently stand in the marketplace in terms of pricing? Is there an opportunity to open up into another market level as well while maintaining your current market? If so, this will create brand new revenue streams…
- Is your community awareness and networking level as high as it can be right now? How can you increase visibility?
- Are your offerings and marketing position sensitive to current conditions? Do you offer fun, budget-conscious ideas for events on a budget and do-it-yourself party ideas?
- Where are the value propositions in your offering? Can your product or service satisfy multiple needs of your clients? Great examples – 11H Entertainment's (11Hentertainment.com) unique concept of live music/entertainment/DJ/Emcee can satisfy all those needs in one booking. A "photo booth without the booth" can market themselves as entertainment, photography and a party favor all rolled into one. Can your product or service satisfy multiple needs?
A few other basics. . .
Plan early this year and market yourself NOW for holiday events. Get iron clad contracts in place with cancellation policies clearly outlined, and take deposits in a smaller increment, shorter time period fashion (more of a "payment plan" to make it easier on your clients). Also, timely and efficient response is critical. On the back end, make sure you are saving money wherever possible through operating efficiencies – where can you save on expenses in comparison to last year?
Questions! Here's a couple of good ones we received after our last webinar...
Q: I am a location for events and have food & beverage minimums that seem to be scaring a lot of people off. What is the best way to handle food & beverage minimums?
A: Well, the last thing we all need in this environment is to have prospects in our office and have them scared off by something we have total control over. So first thing – change them! A minimum is there to protect you, but if you do some simple analysis, I'm sure you will find that every almost every event you have hosted has exceeded their F&B minimum. People will spend what they spend regardless of the minimum. Another way to state it without calling it a "minimum", is to simply state that every event in your "prime time" time slots must have a meal service. This will take care of those that are just looking for simple hors d'oeuvres and drinks, and possibly push them to some non-peak times. It also communicates that whatever the least expensive entrée on your menu is, then that becomes the minimum. This is then where your skill as a salesperson kicks in – it's all about the upsell! We would rather have
revenue-producing events on property than having our rooms sitting empty because our minimums scared them away.
Q: I need help with some new prospecting strategies - I feel like I'm getting burned out!
A: You are not alone, my friend! I'm positive that this is a common feeling among your peers right about now. So, I have a 2-step approach to this. . . first, before you even attempt some new prospecting right now, we need to address the "burned out" feeling. I want you to remember why you love this business, and think about what motivates you. Whatever that is, indulge yourself! Read "thank you" letters from gushing brides, call a happy client and talk about their event all over again, do a wine tasting of boutique wines, have a new culinary experience. Keep the excitement and the passion alive! Then you will be better prepared and renewed for new prospecting. And, your prospects will hear it in your voice. As for prospecting, this year's holiday events are going to require "double duty". Consider what would happen if you doubled your prospecting efforts over prior year. In today's market, we cannot expect that the same amount of
prospecting will yield an increase in revenue over prior year, so we must up the effort. Second, utilize free list services such as Google Maps. It will provide you with whatever you like in whatever zip code you provide. So, if you want to search for all the charitable organizations in a particular area. . . done. And it's free! Don't forget about calling past business – go back as many years as you have access to. Lastly, expand into a new market or market level. Find a new ethnic market in your area and tap into that. If you service the high-end market, is there a way to create an added "value product" to break into another market while maintaining your share of the current market? (Example – Martha Stewart products at K-Mart, Preston Bailey Weddings at Sandals Resorts).
Get excited and then get creative! Good luck...
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 All-new, 2009 Beverly Clark Wedding Professional Certification Course -
Know the secrets to not only increasing your wedding revenue, but to creating the experiences that will leave your brides in awe!
Pricing:
$599.00 per person
Please inquire about multiple person discounts
For more info & to register, please visit >> BeverlyClarkTraining.com
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"Success is deciding from the start what end result you want
and creating the circumstances to realize that result."
- Mark Victor Hansen
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Social Media in the World of Weddings
Social media, social networking, Twittering, Blogging. . . the world is all a buzz with the thousands of new ways to communicate. What does this mean for us in the wedding and special events industry? In a nutshell, if these avenues have the eyes and ears of our clients, then it is yet another way to market our own products and services. Where our clients are, we too must be!
Blogging is becoming increasingly easier with companies like Word Press offering free blog sites and Google providing free analytics so you can study your traffic patterns and effectiveness. Having a blog attached to your website is a good way to create awareness and generate traffic and followers, but it is also key to link to other people and sites, comment on other favorite sites, and create your blog titles with an awareness that the words in those titles are "search words" by which people can find you. So, make sure the titles have the word "wedding", "party", "event", whatever it is you are talking about. Talking about trends, tips, ideas, décor, food & beverage, favor ideas. . . it's all of interest to our blogging brides!
To check out some really super good blogs that cater to brides, look at ones like Style Me Pretty and the Wedding Bee. They are fantastic! As we all know, brides become very loyal and obsessed with certain things. Right now, blogs and Twitter are two of them, as they provide up to the minute, fresh ideas and creative innovations.
As we have known for a long time, brides want to hear from other brides, and whoever is the hot topic on the latest blogs are going to be getting some good free press. Also remember, brides and event hosts want to know who it is they are talking to (it's all about the relationships!), so make sure you put your photo and a little bio on the site. They need to know what makes you an expert in the advice you're giving!
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"We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future"
- George Bernard Shaw
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| People in the News! |
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Congratulations to our new Beverly Clark Certified Wedding Professionals:
Natasha Wallace, Wedding Planner, Negril Escape
Toby Niccum, Director of Catering, Ruffled Feathers Golf Club
Jody Galindo, Catering Manager, Wigwam Resort
Theresa Alfred-Blaize, Concierge, Jalousie Plantation
Marcus Joseph, Wedding Coordinator, Jalousie Plantation
Joan Gray, Banquet Sales Manager, Southampton Inn
As well as gaining their certification, they now have the right to use a logo with their new designation on all marketing materials.
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