Questions from HospitalityEducators.com| Do you know and practice the 4 Steps Needed to LEAD THE FIELD?

Focus on fundamentals  

Earle Nightingale, in his award winning Lead the Field, identified four fundamentals that are universal for success in any business.  These included

1.      research and development

2.      sales

3.      operations and

4.      finance

Our industry needs to include successful understanding and focus of these fundamentals as markets and products continue to evolve.

A direct question - Do you know and practice the 4 Steps Needed to LEAD THE FIELD? ?

• How many hotels, spas, clubs, restaurants and other hospitality businesses really pay attention to all of these four fundamentals?
•  Do you pay attention to more than one of them?
• More than two regularly?
• When was the last time you actually conducted research on your customers’ preferences?
• When did you last evaluate the financial practices of your hospitality business?

How many academic programs or universities address these?  I fear that not enough do, although I am aware of a handful that work hard to blend them into their curriculum.

Focusing on the fundamentals  may not be as flashy as the latest online or social media promotion, but the fundamentals are hard to argue with.

_____________________________________________________________

Success in hotels and hospitality does not come by accident or chance.

We can help

John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com or 602-799-5375

  ™

HospitalityEducators.com was created to help hospitality businesses address problems via a training and information resource site to help you increase your Hotel’s revenue, market share and profitability.  With more than 1,000 pages of tips, guides, best practices, strategies, plans, budgets, videos and resources, HospitalityEducators.com is the #1 independent website for hotel owners and managers.  This site can help you solve your problems now!      Read More  

KEYS TO SUCCESS  is the umbrella title for my 2012 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings focus on a variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my “HOW TO” articles, HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS™, Lessons from the Field™, Hotel Common Sense™ , THE P-A-R PRINCIPLE™  and Principles for Success.

Feel free to share an idea for a column at john.hogan@hospitalityeducators.com   anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense,

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John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events. He is CEO and Co-Founder of www.HospitalityEducators.com , which delivers focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today.
www.HospitalityEducators.com  is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.

www.HoganHospitality.com
Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations.

PREVIEW of RENEGADE MARKETING FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

PREVIEW

RENEGADE MARKETING

FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

A COLLECTION

OF PRACTICAL IDEAS

AND SOLUTIONS

 by

John J. Hogan

This is in the final review stages and will be offered in

1. an interactive workshop
2. hopefully an online webinar @ www.HospitalityEducators.com
   
3. and in eBook form

Please feel free to ask any questions now or send me a note if there are other topics you would like to have addressed.

RENEGADE MARKETING FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY:

Part One : Understanding the Basics!

 A COLLECTION OF PRACTICAL IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY : RENEGADE MARKETING IN ACTION !

 Definitions of the word RENEGADE include:

Nonconformist , independent, self-reliant, individualist and more

Renegade Marketing in the ever-changing world of hospitality means understanding the values and past successes of existing programs, while at the same time reaching out and dealing with the current trends of customer preferences and needs.

In today’s expensive advertising market, most of us cannot afford to waste our marketing dollars or time. This program focuses on ways that properties and hospitality businesses of all sizes can extend their effectiveness in ways that are unique, innovative and fun to implement.

The World of Hospitality

• A. Lodging
• B. Food and Beverage Services
• C. Transportation Services
• D. Retail
• E. Entertainment venues
• F. Activities, events

Understanding Sales and Marketing in the Hospitality Industry

A. Sales is primarily a series of efforts to sell the property or business services by direct personal contact, telephone and mailings.

It emphasizes direct contact and deskwork to sell primarily to the end user (the consumer) directly, but also can include intermediate agencies such as travel agents, tour companies, wholesalers, etc.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

B. Marketing is the selection of desired (and attainable) target markets and enticing the market to use the property’s services. It includes research, direct sales, and strategies to meet the needs of the market, advertising, publicity,

Please feel free to ask any questions now or send me a note if there are other topics you would like to have addressed.

 All rights reserved – John Hogan, CHA CHE CMHS PhD

Questions I Wish You Would Ask Me™- Ed Iannarella, President Stonehenge Consulting Group

“Questions I Wish You Would Ask Me™” includes interviews such as those found in our HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS,  and and it also allows industry professional the opportunity to share their perspectives, values and opinions on additional areas and subjects that may not have been part of the planned discussion.  This segment includes a wide range of hospitality professionals from all portions of the industry. We ask participants to answer at least five of the listed nine questions.  Their responses will interest, sometimes amuse and definitely inspire you to consider how YOU might answer.

In this article, we reached out to Ed Iannarella, President of the Stonehenge Consulting Group,  an international firm specializing in hotel sales training and consulting. Ed has developed and delivered sales training programs for all types and segments of hotels and resorts in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Aruba, England, and Central and South America. 2011 marks his 31st year in the hospitality sales world.

1. Name your favorite hotel and why it is special to you:
Princess Hotel Zona Rosa in San Salvador, El Salvador during trips in 2000 and 2001.  In what some might consider an impoverished country, there sat a gem of a full service hotel in the exclusive Red Zone (Zona Rosa) section of the capital city. It was magnificent from an FF&E standpoint , but what allowed it to stand apart from the hundreds of hotels I’ve consulted for or stayed at as a paying guest, was simply this: a staff that truly epitomized hospitality. Whether in the fine dining restaurant (and I do mean fine dining in the European tradition) or in a conference room, the service was “non pareil.” Staff members not only assertively, yet politely, recognized and satisfied my needs immediately, but they did so with genuine thankfulness. Their attitude conveyed their gratitude. There was no sense of entitlement or any feeling that their jobs were burdensome. Instead, there was joy in their eyes and on their faces for having the “privilege” to serve all guests. My guess is that pioneers like Kemmons Wilson, J.W. Marriott , or Conrad Hilton would have thought that this hotel really showed what hospitality was meant to be.

2. Name your favorite restaurant and why it is special to you:
Le Bec Fin, Philadelphia, PA. It has, for years, defined culinary excellence and attention to detail. Some might find it a bit too formal, but I was always so impressed by the taste/presentation excellence of all parts of their nine course dinner. Dessert-monger that I am, I once tasted portions of 17 different desserts from their legendary cart.

3. Where do you vacation the most often?:
Ft Myers, FL now since moving here 2 years ago, but in my hay day of  true getaways, Italy was my preference. The country has numerous sub-cultures so you can get lost in the unique and rich traditions of each. The country’s history is staggering, its people are fun loving and can teach us lessons on “la dolce vita,” and the food and wine are beyond description.

5. Name your pet service peeve, why and any ideas you may have to address it:
2 are tied for first place

• 1) inability to access a human quickly enough by phone (1 solution is that companies should listen to their customers’ input/suggestions via phone surveys, online surveys, etc.), and
• 2) locating a service agent who actively listens and can verify a customer’s problem/concern before attempting to solve problems (1 solution: better training/re-training/performance tie-in to job security).

6. Who was the most important mentor in your life and why?:
In retrospect, my mother. With a 9th grade education, her actions spoke volumes as she taught me to be kind to people in a world where kindness seems to be dwindling.

7. In the last five years, what has been your most memorable meeting or convention experience and why?:
In 2006, I spoke at a Blackstone convention on the Big Island of Hawaii and it was special for 2 reasons.

1. I was able to bring my wife, and what’s not to like about Hawaii?
2. Second, it was the first large convention I was able to work after a 2 year bout with cancer.

8. What is the one piece of advice you would offer to a graduating student with a hospitality degree?:

Ask yourself if you are able to be humble with all types of people, and if the answer is “no” or “not sure,”  then do the hospitality industry AND yourself a favor by considering other careers.

9. What is the one question do you wish someone would ask you in an interview today?: What makes you unique?

Ed Iannarella, President Stonehenge Consulting Group 17149 Wrigley Circle Ft. Myers, FL 33908

(w) 239-481-5586
(c) 717-475-4255
(f)  239-482-0420

ed_i@comcast.net

 

Dr. John Hogan Crowne Plaza Chicago, MeetingsQuest Oct 2010

Feel free to share an idea for a column at info@hoganhospitality.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them Kathleen@HospitalityEducators.com. Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS          United States – Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375
www.hoganhospitality.com/ Email: info@hoganhospitality.com.

Make Your Hotel More Profitable – HospitalityEducators.com Strategy #10

A Baker’s Dozen of Strategies to Make Your Hotel More Profitable

#10.  If you think new customers are important, remember that repeat and “Regulars” are the ultimate key to success

Your best probable potential for improving operations and profitability in your hospitality business, hotel and/or restaurant are your regular or repeat guests and customers. You have likely spent a good deal of effort building loyalty with this group and they have become an important part of your ongoing business.

These people also have many competitive businesses trying to woo them to spend their money patronizing your competitors’ business, so it is critical that these guests do not feel they are taken for granted.

Creating, building and maintaining a fluid customer loyalty program is the best way to achieve effective repeat business. Airlines, the car rental groups, the major hotel brands and certain food companies have been using loyalty programs for years, but there have been challenges with black out dates, certain “points” not being recognized and other administrative problems.

Local programs may enhance national promotions and keep your guests with you.
Ideas include:

• • A reward card that gives rewards for frequent visits (stay 5 nights and earn one free, eat 7 meals and  earn one, etc)
• • A repeat or regular guest only e-newsletter that offers special programs, promotions, incentive prizes, giveaways or other desired items that can be redeemed in exchange for surveys and feedback
• • Promotions that offer a free meal or a complimentary overnight or an upgrade to a suite to a regular on a birthday, anniversary or other event
• • Special promotions with other businesses in your area as a means to build synergy and cross marketing

Loyalty and reward programs need to focus on the promotion of your hotel, restaurant or hospitality business. If you are part of a brand, the emphasis will also have to include some focus on the brand of the whole which may seem at times to lessen the impact on your own business, but there should be greater overall exposure to more people.

Costs for loyalty and reward programs can use a sizable portion of your marketing budget, but the reward in brand recognition, customer loyalty, direct feedback and guest information are essential to identify and maintaining a solid base for your business. The cost of gaining a new customer can be up to FIVE times that of maintaining an existing and satisfied guest.

The full set of A Baker’s Dozen of Strategies to Make Your Hotel More Profitable can be found @ http://www.hospitalityeducators.com/articles/20100707

 

Getting the Most out of Your Franchise Investment – Making Hospitality More Profitable Part of the 2011 Keys To Success Workshop Series

KEYS TO SUCCESS is the umbrella title for our 2011 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings focus on a variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including “HOW TO” articles, HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS®, Lessons from the Field®, Hotel Common Sense® and Principles for Success

Feel free to share an idea for a column at anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events. He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today.

www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them Kathleen@HospitalityEducators.com. Special pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

Consulting Expertise and Research Interest

1. Sales Management and training
2. Turn-around and revenue management
3. Professional Development for the Organization and the Individual
4. Customer Service
5. Making Cultural Diversity Real
6. Developing Academic Hospitality programs
7. Medical Lodging Consulting

If you need assistance in any of these areas or simply an independent review or opinion on a hospitality challenge, contact me directly for a prompt response and very personalized attention.

www.HoganHospitality.com

Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations

http://www.linkedin.com/in/drjohnhoganchache

CONTACT

Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS

United States – Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375

www.hoganhospitality.com/ Email: info@hoganhospitality.com

HospitalityEducators.com: Real and Practical Action Sales Action Steps #13-28

HospitalityEducators.com: Real and Practical Action Sales Action Steps #13-28  It is now past the end of the first month of the New Year. Resolutions were made 30 or more days ago and we already realize that people been breaking them because of any given number of reasons. Those reasons may be strong or without merit, but reality checks remind us all of the need for planning, action, measurement, analysis, correction if need be and then repeating the cycle. “The Professional is a Builder. S/he does not tear down either other salespeople or competitors because they understand that when you are throwing dirt, you are losing ground.” Zig Ziglar, These short pieces relating to Making This New Year’s Hospitality Resolutions Real and Practical offer a slight alternative to the resolutions making approaches that seem to get broken so often by offering reminders and action steps to keep forward motion in place. Here are #13-28 with a focus on sales and marketing. The next group will address certain operational areas. 13.  Keep In Touch Regularly: Do not lose contact with a prospect. Phone calls, notes, newsletters, even birthday cards, are good ways to remind people that you are still interested in them. 14.  Don’t Criticize: Sell your features against the competition’s, but do not stoop to criticism. Take the high road. 15. Be a Self-Starter: Do not wait for your manager or your home office to” wind you up” every day. 16. Be Honest: Do not sell what you do not have, and be honest about your hotel’s facilities. 17. Keep Your Word: Whatever you promise, you must deliver. In fact, over-deliver on personal attention and service. This is what sets apart the ordinary from the special. 18. Talk and Deliver Quality: Quality is what people need and want, and it is especially important in these trying days. Whether it is the quality of your hotel’s services, its food or its staff- quality sells! 19. Write it Down: Reconfirm, in writing, everything upon which you and your prospect have agreed 20. Be Enthusiastic! : Nothing is as contagious as enthusiasm, whether it is with your staff or a client. 21. Educate Yourself Continuously: Keep learning as much as you can about our business. There are too many salespeople out there who do not know enough about hotel operations. 22. Don’t Gripe About Work: If you are unhappy with your job or your boss, straighten it out. Or quit. 23. Do Not Use Canned Pitches: Yes, you need to practice your presentation but canned pitches appear to be rehearsed and frequently less than straightforward, so do not use them to sell your hotel. Know your product. Be convincing in a normal, conversational manner. 24.Forget the Word “can’t”. You “can’t” a person to death or your negativity may cause them to book elsewhere. Say, “Yes, we can” instead, assuming of course that you can deliver. You are part of a team, so keep “can’t” out of your conversation and all communication. 25. Use Action Calendars: They are needed to plan the work ahead, and they allow you to adjust your schedule as necessary. 26.Dress the Part: Do not go overboard on clothes styles. The classic look is still the best for sales. 27.Be a Joiner: Be active in your community; join professional groups like MPI, HSMAl or your local hospitality associations. 28.Talk to Your Manager or Owner Regularly: Keep him or her advised of what’s going on daily; it will improve communications and productivity Hospitality Tip of the Week: Four Points to Long Term Success How to Outsell, Outmanage, Outmotivate and Outnegotiate Your Competition Questions I Wish You Would Ask Me– Making Hospitality More Profitable Part of the 2011 Keys To Success Workshop Series KEYS TO SUCCESS is the umbrella title for my 2011 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings focus on a variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my “HOW TO” articles, HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS, Lessons from the Field, Hotel Common Sense and Principles for Success Feel free to share an idea for a column at john.hogan@HospitalityEducators.com or info@hoganhospitality.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense. John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events. He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today. www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas that are designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them Kathleen@HospitalityEducators.com. Special introductory pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES. Consulting Expertise and Research Interest 1. Sales Management and training 2. Turn-around and revenue management 3. Professional Development for the Organization and the Individual 4. Customer Service 5. Making Cultural Diversity Real 6. Developing Academic Hospitality programs 7. Medical Lodging Consultants If you need assistance in any of these areas or simply an independent review or opinion on a hospitality challenge, contact me directly for a prompt response and very personalized attention. www.HoganHospitality.com Your Hospitality Resource for Hotel Owners, Innkeepers, Managers and Associations ORGANIZATION John Hogan, CHA MHS CHE www.hoganhospitality.com/ USA – Phoenix, AZ Phone: 602-799-5375 Email: info@hoganhospitality.com

2011 Hospitality Keys to Success

The Keys to Success are results-driven messages in organized programs aimed at building competitive advantage. Most of these programs can be offered as either a keynote address or an interactive workshop.

1. From the Chalkboard to the Front Line – Turning Knowledge into Profits
2. Step by Step Operational Solutions – Making the Correct Decisions
3. 45 Proven Ways to Succeed in Any Economy
4. Embracing THE Service Code
5. We Can Do That! – The Customer Service Attitude
6. 10 Hotel Sales Action Steps to Succeed – Any time, Anywhere
7. Hospitality Conversations on …. (a range of topics)
8. 10 Hotel Mistakes to Avoid in Selling
9. What’s the Problem? Questions that Beg Asking
10. How to Stop Your Profit Drain
11. Seven Options for 2011 Hotel Marketing
12. Getting the Most out of Your Franchise Investment
13. Three Attributes of Top Hotel Managers
14. Where’s Your Desk?
15. Fifteen Timeless Philosophies in Hospitality
16. Thirteen Strategies to Make Your Hotel More Profitable Now

Reasons to include John Hogan in your next program:
1. Real world experiences with examples of real world
solutions
2. Highly rated, interactive sessions that leave the
audience looking for more
3. Affordable, up to date and focused programs that
address current issues

HOSPITALITY KEYNOTE & WORKSHOP OFFERINGS
John J. Hogan CHE CHA CMHS PhD
Keynote Speaker, Educator, Hotelier, Columnist, Entrepreneur
Choose Your Strategy

• Co-founder of hospitalityeducators.com
• Principal of hoganhospitality.com
• Co-author -Lessons from the Field: A Common Sense Approach to Effective Hotel Sales

Info@HoganHospitality.com            Mobile 602- 799-5375
Phoenix, Arizona USA