Sales Manager (Homewood) The Colony

Reports To: Director of Sales

Purpose of the Position: To increase profits by increasing Group Room Sales and generating business through aggressive sales efforts.

Hampton and Homewood Suites in The Colony is seeking a dynamic Group Sales Manager to add to our fabulous team! The hotel is located within the Grandscape complex in The Colony.

An ideal Group Sales Manager candidate must possess knowledge of hotel sales & marketing, a positive attitude, strong prospecting skills, strong networking skills, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to work without supervision. The Group Sales Manager must be able to work well with others, communicate effectively, respond in a timely manner, follow through on details, be able to multitask and epitomize professionalism.

While the Group Sales Manager reports directly to the Director of Sales and General Manager. The Regional Sales and Marketing Manager will interface and assist in the direction of the Sales and Marketing function at the property.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
Knowledge of Hilton Sales Tools and Systems to include, OnQ, R&I, Meeting Broker & CVENT is preferred.

Develop and maintain relationships with key clients to produce group room nights, as well as meeting room sales

Achieve budgeted revenues and personal/team sales goals and maximize profitability within all areas of responsibility.

Participate in the preparation of the annual departmental operating budget, the hotel marketing plan, business plan, and financial plans which support the overall objectives of the hotel. Produce reports and group sales forecasts.

Create and implement hotel-level tactical sales plans that drive measurable incremental occupancy, increase average rates, increase group room volume during off-peak periods, increase meeting room sales, and enhance the image of the hotel in the local community. Monitor group sales activities/performance to ensure actual sales meet or exceed established revenue plan.

Promote teamwork and quality service through daily communication and coordination with other departments.

Essential Job Functions:
Be knowledgeable of all product lines of the hotel including catering, rooms, and packages.

Conduct a successful, aggressive solicitation process involving outside sales calls, inside appointments, telephone calls, individual letter and direct mail. As a pro-active Group Sales Manager, 80% (eighty) of time is to be spent in active sales solicitation. Responsible for maintaining a sales quota as assigned by DOS.

Assist the Director of Sales in the preparation of the annual marketing plan, including the action plans covering assigned market segments.

Understand the wants and needs of the market segments assigned.

Maintain a documented record of all solicitation action steps in sales tracking system.

Maintain accurate and current mailing lists for all accounts in individual areas of responsibility.

Trace each file for the most effective date for follow-up.

Send proposals on all Group Sales leads which fit the profile of property and actively follow through to convert from proposal to definite status.

Send proposals and confirmations to clients immediately upon holding space.

Clearly outline clients room block requirements, suite requirements, meeting and banquet space requirements so that the accurate facilities may be reserved.

Essential Job Functions Continued:
Obtain, document and route all necessary information on definite groups, including billing information, credit application, rooming list and VIP arrangements. Details on meeting arrangements, menus, audio-visual arrangements, etc., should be documented in Sales Tracking System and passed on to operations team.

Assist the Director of Sales on special projects as assigned.

Prepare all weekly and monthly reports as required by the Director of Sales.

Follow-up on meetings being held at competitive hotels and try to secure the account for own property. (Share-Shifting)

Responsible for preparing and providing the DOS with weekly sales call reports and weekly itineraries of planned sales calls to potential customers.

Maintain a weekly sales quota of outside calls, all telemarketing calls and site inspections as assigned by Director of Sales.

To direct the activities of the catering department to obtain maximum profits from available business booked.

To prepare at the end of the week a sales recap outlining the number of Group Sales efforts for the future.

To negotiate with the guest and other patrons for banquets, meetings and other functions, all arrangements, suggesting menus, bar set up, room arrangements as per policy and procedure. On completion of negotiations, inform other departments of arrangements in writing which are necessary to assure success of the function.

To discuss with the Director of Sales immediately all potential business which might be lost in regard to pricing and/or any other reason.

To write âœThank Youâ letters and or send Experience Reports to all organizations within 24-hours after completion of each function.

Whenever possible give a personal greeting to the person in charge prior to the beginning of each function. This will denote to the group our personal interest in making sure that their function is a success.

Solicit group and banquet business, correctly enter bookings in Sales Tracking System and finalize these functions.

Offer personalized service to all groups in hotel. Perform all guest contact activities in a cordial, efficient and professional manner, always maintaining a commitment to guest satisfaction.

Solicit future business from past customers.

Complete six-month projection every month.

Complete all assignments by assigned due dates.

Meet or exceed booking goals each month by talking and personally meeting with customers to sell hotel function space and group rooms.

Take immediate actions on problems that are encountered in the Sales Department and areas that affect the sales process or delivery of services.

Participate in the following:
monthly department meetings

weekly staff meetings

Daily ABR meetings

Maintain records on cancellations and turndown report, analyzes these reports quarterly.

Provide walking tours to potential customers of the hotels banquet facilities.