 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
July 2009 | Vol 2 Issue 6 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
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 Increasing Banquet Wine Sales
and Wedding Upsells
Join us Online on August 19, 2009 at
11am PDT/1:00pm CDT/1:00pm EDT
(approximately a one-hour duration)
Topics will include:
*Building a Proper Banquet Wine Menu
*Pairings with Menus
*Conducting Proper Tastings
*Upselling to the Next Tier (or two)!
*Wedding Upsell Opportunities
More information >>
Learning Center
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tools |
|
|
 |
|
Qualifying Leads
In every business, we go through a certain amount of "qualifying" and prioritizing of the leads that come our way. The "danger zone" however, is sometimes "qualifying away" the majority of your lead base until your prospect pool has shrunk to a level that will not support your business. There absolutely is a right way and a wrong way to qualify, and to put the majority of the responsibility on your ability as a salesperson to sometimes turn a lead that does not appear to be ideal into an actual client. Let's take a look at how to accomplish that.
Prospecting to the Correct Market
The first step in attracting qualified leads is actually prospecting in your correct market. Make sure that whoever you are advertising to and calling on have the correct profile and demographic of the client you want to attract. If your product or service appeals to the young, hip crowd, use advertising venues that appeal to that market. If the profile of your best clients is a more sophisticated, higher end client, advertise and prospect in those marketing pools. All too many times, we are spending our advertising dollars and attracting leads that are just not properly suited for our business type. You will find that if you have fallen into this trap, you may be generating a large lead list, but not converting them into actual bookings.
Don't "Over-Qualify" in your Online "RFP" Forms
Keep those online inquiry forms simple! First of all, it is a proven fact that people do not like to fill out forms, especially long lengthy ones. Get the basic information you need in order to contact them and the type of event. By asking too many questions, you sometimes take away the personal touch of what you can uncover by asking real time questions.
Goal – Get the Prospect in the Door!
The goal is always to get as many leads as possible into your funnel and then on the phone, and then in your door. At any of those "touch points" along the way, you will be qualifying and determining if this is a viable lead. Use your ability as a salesperson to open the eyes of your prospect and show them how your product or service can satisfy and exceed their expectations. Very timely response is also a factor in establishing a good relationship quickly in the process. An immediate response to a phone call or online inquiry speaks volumes about your professionalism and responsiveness.
Listen...Ask...Create...Close
Once your prospect is in front of you, listening is the best thing you can do to start your sales process. If you immediately launch into the same sales pitch you use on every client, you may completely miss the mark of what this client is looking for. Listen to their vision, ask open ended questions, and then carefully craft your sales approach around their style and needs. Help to create the vision and paint the picture of exactly what they are looking for. Ask more questions to make sure that this vision is exactly what they are looking for, then do not be afraid to close! Once all questions have been answered and needs met, ask for the sale.
Print this article >>>
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
"Thank you so much for this program! It was great information put into a very concise package. I felt that each lesson was so well done that I went through each one with our food and beverage team. We, as a team, learned so much from each lesson! This is also a wonderful resource that will not just be completed and put away; I will keep it near as a constant reminder/refresher.
Thank you again, Lynne, it was a pleasure taking this course and learning valuable information for current clients and future sales."
Amy Milne
Director of Catering Sales
Forest Park Golf Course
|
|
|
|
"Getting outside of the box can not only be fun, it is sometimes necessary for our survival. That is what survival training is all about. It disrupts our inner programming, the mentality of going through life on 'auto-pilot' so that we can readily see bright new possibilities heading our way."
- Gail Pursell Elliott
|
|
|
| Tactics |
|
 |
Your Questions...Answered!
Questions continue rolling in from our webinar series and on the website, so here are some more answers to your GREAT questions.
Q: How can I persuade the bride & groom to have more than just the wedding reception at my resort?
A: Love this question! When you have a prospect in front of you that you KNOW is having multiple events, what a great opportunity to sell more than one event to the same prospect! There are a few different tactics to accomplish this, depending on the amenities offered at your property. In today's environment, probably the best enticement is value-added benefits and multi-event discounts. Examples of wedding-related events are: bridal showers, engagement parties, groomsmen golf outings, bridal party spa days, bridal party cocktail parties (after the golf & spa events), rehearsal dinners and farewell brunches. A financial incentive to book that second or third event is an effective way to create value, as a bride looking at different venues for each event will not have as much bargaining power.
Also, it is very important to the bride to maintain the integrity and uniqueness of the wedding itself, so offer alternative locations, different rooms, and inside/outside locations that will offer a completely different "look" from the wedding itself. Use this tactic for your menu as well. If the wedding is an elegant, sit down meal, try a fun buffet or "stations" for the other events. Themed events are a perfect way to make wedding related events fun, personalized and very different from the wedding.
Timing is key as well. Securing the booking for the wedding-related events at the same time as the wedding itself ensures a much higher booking rate. So, offer the incentives right up front, so it is not an "after thought". Being prepared also presents you and your property as more of an expert in all aspects of wedding planning and builds trust that all events will be handled with ease of planning and the utmost in professionalism.
Q: What is the 80/20 rule?
A: In the special events industry, the 80/20 rule refers to the fact that 80% of the success of an event is based on proper planning. 20% is execution and follow-through. What does this mean? Iron-clad contracts; VERY detailed Banquet Event Orders (BEOs); signatures from the client on the BEOs; high levels of communication with the client and your staff; all expectations are made clear; everything is in writing - nothing is left to chance! When this level of planning is in place, the 20% of execution and follow-through becomes that much easier. Staff can execute a beautifully written BEO with ease. BEOs missing information or that leave details up for interpretation are a disaster waiting to happen. Looking to improve your operations and satisfaction of your clients? Tighten up your communication and writing skills!
>>> Submit questions here for future newsletters
Print this article >>>
"Remember that the six most expensive words in business are:
'We've always done it that way.'"
- Catherine DeVrye
|
|
| People in the News! |
|
 |
Congratulations to our new Beverly Clark Certified Wedding Professionals:
Michelle Danielak, Private Event Director, Eagle Brook Country Club
Amy Milne, Private Event Director, Forest Park Golf Course
Christine Roach, Private Event Director, Lakewood Oaks Golf Club
Leisa Pennebaker, Private Event Director, The Links at Lands End
Nicole Yahn, Private Event Director, Mill Creek Golf Club
Carrie Bayless, Private Event Director, Stonecreek Golf Club
Danielle Russell, Private Event Director, Superstition Springs Golf Club
Lauren Kaufman, Catering and Banquet Manager, Indian Wells Golf Resort
Julie Williamson, Event Sales Director, The Golf Club at Fossil Creek
Gretel Aguilera, Professional Wedding Planner, The Villa Group Mexico
Karla Casillas, Owner /Wedding Consultant, A Baja Romance Wedding
As well as gaining their certification, they now have the right to use a logo with their new designation on all marketing materials.
|
|
|
|
| Resources |
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| About Us | Advertise With Us | Training | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Contact |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
