What Makes a Sales Team High-Performing?

Exceptional hotel sales teams consistently exceed revenue targets, foster strong customer relationships, and drive business growth. The specific qualities that set these teams apart are among the many topics covered in The Hotel Sales Playbook: Winning Strategies for Success,the study guide for HSMAI Global’s new Certified Hotel Sales Leader (CHSL) certification.

Here we share excerpts from Chapter 4: Building and Retaining a High-Performing Sales Team, contributed by Heidi Gempel.

What Makes a Sales Team High-Performing? 

By focusing on these six critical factors, organizations can build and retain a high-performing sales team that drives business growth and achieves long-term success.

1. Empathy

Empathy is essential for understanding clients’ needs and building strong relationships. Sales teams that practice empathy can better address customer concerns and provide tailored solutions, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

2. Creativity

Creativity allows sales teams to develop innovative strategies and solutions. By thinking outside the box, they can identify unique opportunities and approaches that differentiate their offerings from competitors.

 3. Curiosity

Curiosity drives continuous learning and improvement. Salespeople who are curious are more likely to stay informed about industry trends, new products, and customer preferences, enabling them to provide valuable insights and recommendations.

 4. Efficiency & Productivity

Efficiency maximizes team productivity. Effective sales leaders optimize their team’s workflows, implement streamlined processes, and leverage technology to automate administrative tasks. By eliminating inefficiencies, they enable their sales team to focus on revenue-generating activities like building client relationships and closing deals.

 5. Short Feedback Loops

Short feedback loops enable quick adjustments and improvements. Regular feedback helps sales teams identify areas for improvement, refine their strategies, and respond promptly to market changes and customer feedback.

 6. Effective Processes, Procedures, Systems, and Technology

Having effective processes, procedures, systems, and technology in place ensures that sales teams operate smoothly and efficiently. Their sales process leverages technology tools such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems, automated reporting, and data analytics to manage leads, track performance, and facilitate communication and collaboration.

HSMAI Global’s Certified Hotel Sales Leader (CHSL) certification is designed to recognize the expertise of hotel sales leaders, emphasizing the most up-to-date sales and commercial principles, practices, and strategies.

The CHSL certification is tailored for hospitality sales leaders who are proficient in leading high-performing teams, demonstrating overall commercial acumen, applying best practices in hotel sales to drive revenue growth, and more.

Approved applicants will receive a digital copy of the study guide, The Hotel Sales Playbook: Winning Strategies for Success,and complete an online examination covering essential functions of hospitality sales.

Advisory Board Members’ Top Recommended Books and Podcasts

It may be September already, but you can still enjoy some great summer reading. When we asked our Advisory Board Members what they were reading and listening to over the past several months, they had a wealth of recommendations. From serious business books to fun beach reads – and everywhere in between – here’s your suggested reading (and listening) list from some of hospitality’s sharpest minds. 

Work & Skill Building 

Books  

  • Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear 
  • The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery by Brianna Wiest 
  • Saving Time Discovering a Life Beyond Productivity Culture by Jenny Odell 
  • Loyalty Programs: The Complete Guide by Philip Shelper, Stacey Lyons, Scott Harrison, Max Savransky, Lincoln Hunter, Michael Smith 
  • The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell 
  • Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most by Greg McKeown 
  • Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown 
  • Seven Strategy Questions: A Simple Approach for Better Execution by Robert Simons 
  • Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara 
  • The Illusion of Money: Why Chasing Money Is Stopping You from Receiving It by Kyle Cease 
  • The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek 
  • The Science That Shows Success Starts with Your Thinking by Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller 
  • The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever by Michael Bungay Stanier  
  • How Leaders Learn: Master the Habits of the World’s Most Successful People by David Novak and Lari Bishop 

Podcasts 

  • The All-In Podcast  
  • The Reinvention Project with Jim Rome podcast 
  • The Pivot Podcast 
  • Prof G Markets Podcast 

Pleasure & Some Fun 

  • The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah 
  • The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel 
  • Yes Please by Amy Poehler  
  • Lessons in Chemistry: A Novel by Bonnie Garmus 
  • Real Sugar is Hard to Find by Sim Kern 
  • Monocle  
  • Smartless Podcast with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes & Will Arnett 

4 Ways to Maximize the Agency – Hotel Relationship

Madison Allen, Senior Digital Marketing Manager, Cogwheel Marketing, HSMAI Rising Marketing Leader Council  

Strong partnerships between hotels and agencies are crucial for achieving mutual, sustained success. Effective collaboration ensures that both parties can leverage their strengths, streamline communication, and tailor strategies to meet specific needs, ultimately enhancing overall performance and guest satisfaction. Here are several strategies to help evolve partnerships between hotels and agencies for mutual, sustained success: 

 1. Streamlining Communication: 

  • Clarity and Consistency: Establish clear communication from the start, including support hours, coverage details, and preferred communication methods. 
  • Consolidation: Reduce complexity by consolidating agencies, ensuring fewer points of contact. 

 2. Customization of Offerings: 

  • Market Understanding: Agencies should have a deep understanding of the hotel’s market, including local events and market drivers. 
  • Holistic Approach: Marketing strategies should be authentic and reflect the hotel’s unique identity and location. 
  • Flexibility: Agencies need to adapt their services to the specific needs and phases of the hotel, such as openings or rebranding efforts. 

 3. Metrics for Success: 

  • Beyond ROAS: Focus on metrics like brand performance, social media growth, engagement, and impressions. 
  • Market Insights: Use market data to guide marketing goals and strategies. 
  • Owner Education: Educate hotel owners on the roles of different marketing channels and their impact on the sales funnel. 

 4. Support Needs: 

  • Strategic Partnership: Agencies should act as strategic partners, not just order takers, providing proactive advice and feedback. 
  • Information Sharing: Hotels need to provide agencies with timely and comprehensive information to enable effective marketing efforts. 

Questions for Your Team 

  1. What are the key opportunities for hotels and agencies to streamline communication and ensure that everyone is on the same page?  
  2. How can agencies better customize their offerings to fit the unique challenges of individual hotels? What are the best ways for hotels to clearly articulate their needs to get the most out of these partnerships? 
  3. What metrics should hotels and agencies focus on to measure success and keep everyone accountable? 
  4. If you are a hotel, how can agencies better support your needs at the hotel level? If you are an agency, how can hotels better support your needs at the vendor level?  

Motivating Our Peers and Inspiring Collaboration

Tayla Hull, National Sales Manager, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, HSMAI Rising Sales Leader Member  

As sales leaders it is easy to assume that our “why” or our only motivation to do good work is to close business and to reach our quotas. But there is so much more to our jobs. To be truly effective, we need to discover what else motivates our teammates and use that to contribute to our team’s success. Beyond our own sales team, collaborating with other departments can help us to make a sale, create a unique experience for a guest, or find new ways to elevate the brand. 

Motivating your peers involves leveraging individual strengths and fostering a supportive environment. For instance, if you recognize a colleague’s creativity, you can involve them in tasks that require innovative thinking, thereby energizing them and enhancing team performance. Additionally, organizing friendly competitions, such as prospecting week challenges, can boost motivation by tapping into the natural competitive spirit of salespeople.  

Inviting other departments to collaborate on unique tasks or sales initiatives helps increase overall performance and increase companywide engagement. It’s important to approach other departments with clear goals and a sense of how this benefits them to avoid risking the perception that you are simply generating a new task for them. 

One effective approach is to involve departments like the front desk or housekeeping in regular meetings, where you discuss both wins and challenges. This communication helps them feel like part of the team and see how their work ties more “big picture” issues. Sending out memos to inform all departments about upcoming client visits and acknowledging their efforts in person can foster a sense of teamwork. For remote teams, setting up office hours and quarterly health check sessions can help make sure everyone understands the impact of their contributions. Customizing incentives to match employee preferences, like offering lottery tickets to housekeepers, can also drive engagement and productivity. 

Further Reading 

Questions for Your Team 

  1. How do you help keep your immediate team motivated without being the leader of the team? 
  2. How do you invite/inspire other departments (catering, revenue, marketing, F&B, front desk, concierge) to collaborate with you on unique tasks or sales initiatives? 

Sales Leader Forum Keynote Preview: Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee will be kicking off our Sales Leader Forum conference on November 13 in Washington DC. Celeste is an award-winning journalist, professional speaker and the author of We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations That Matter and Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving. She is the host of “Women Amplified,” a podcast from the Conferences for Women, the largest network of women’s conferences in the nation, drawing more than 50,000 people to its annual events. Celeste is also the president and CEO of Headway DEI, a non-profit that works to bring racial justice and equity to journalism and media through targeted training and interventions, and she serves on the board of the National Center for Race Amity.

HSMAI staff had the opportunity to interview Celeste about her upcoming keynote address.

Q&A with Celeste Headlee

1. To start, could you give us a brief overview of your session at Sales Leader Forum?

My session will focus on communicating in a post pandemic world. I’ll address the challenges of communicating in a world in which people are often tired and stressed, as well as the fact that we are often blind often to the areas in which we need to improve our own communication skills. Research shows that most of us tend to blame other people when communication goes awry, which means that we are missing those signs. There are skills that we can improve in order to be better communicators.

One of the key takeaways will be how important it is to have authentic communication that happens either in person or over the phone. We will talk about the effect that digitally mediated communication has on all of us, including e-mail, slack and video conferencing – and why we should limit the use of those tools and embrace the phone more. And I’ll use evidence backed up by science and research to show the benefits of making changes to the way that we communicate.

2. Can you share the unique perspectives or insights you bring to this topic and explain their significance for today’s hospitality sales and commercial professionals?

Hospitality and commercial professionals will either succeed or fail according to how well they communicate, and it’s not just this group which is so forward facing it’s pretty much every group. The number one cause of project failure, for example, is poor communication. And the number one cause of poor communication in business is overuse of e-mail. That’s just an example of the ways in which we can sabotage our own success by not investing our time and our energy into improving our communication skills. This has been my topic of

research for more than a decade, but it’s also my profession. I have been a professional interviewer with national public radio and PBS and other organizations for over 25 years.

3. What practical takeaways will attendees be able to implement after attending your session?

My speeches are also always focused on practical takeaways, so I always explain the benefits of changing behavior and then explain how to change behavior. So attendees will be leaving with skills that they can improve, but also new tactics and new tools that they can start using immediately, as soon as they walk out of the event space. They can start using these tools in their conversation with other attendees. The skills that I teach are also useful in every part of somebody’s life, not just your professional life, but in your personal life as well.

4. What future trends or predictions will you be addressing in your session?

Things have changed a lot over the past five years, and although there is a real urge among some to return to normal, there is no normal now to return to. So what we need to do is adjust. That’s really what I’m going to be talking about, how to adjust to a new reality and why that’s actually a pretty great thing. The future trend that I’m hoping for is that people will hit a reset button and see the disruption of the past few years as an opportunity to rethink not just the way that we communicate, but the way that we work with each other and the way that we interact with our clients. Let’s explore what is useful to us that we’ve done in the past and what is not useful to us now.

5. For those looking to deepen their understanding or application of your session’s insights, what resources or reading would you recommend? The first reading would be my book We Need to Talk and the second one is Speaking of Race. Although Speaking of Race is focused on difficult conversations related to race and identity, every single skill that I teach in that book is applicable in all other areas. It’s not just about difficult conversations on race, it’s about difficult conversations. Whether that be with your boss, with an employee, with a client.

6. Anything else you’d like to share?

One thing that I will emphasize in my message is that communication is not a soft skill. If we think in terms of practical skills, communication is the most crucial skill, and improving your communication has the benefit of giving you the largest impact. We have to start thinking of communication as core to everything that we do. When you think of what services you deliver, communication is the foundation of all of it. Anytime that you’re having issues, anytime that you want to improve your productivity, improve your morale, reduce

turnover improve services to clients, the first place to look is communication. It is a hard skill, not a soft skill.

HSMAI Perspective:  Signing Off, In Gratitude

In honor of the passing of HSMAI President and CEO Bob Gilbert we are sharing his last Perspective column written following his retirement announcement.

Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, President and CEO, Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) 

As many of you have heard, I recently announced my retirement as President and CEO of HSMAI Global, Americas, and Foundation. While I had planned to continue leading HSMAI through its 100th anniversary (in September 2027), I decided to accelerate my retirement timeline due to an unexpected and serious health issue. 

In this, my final perspective column, I will share some reflections on my time with HSMAI. I am filled with gratitude for the incredible journey and the profound relationships I have built with so many of you. I am immensely proud of the work we have accomplished together in expanding the association’s reach and impact across the globe, and the fun we have had along the way. It has truly been a privilege to serve our resilient industry.  

As I step aside, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all the industry leaders who have served as volunteer leaders for the organization and to the HSMAI staff who have been my A-Team. Many of the staff members have been HSMAI for the long haul, and their loyalty, expertise, and hard work have been instrumental in our success. I’m grateful to the team and the culture we’ve created. 

Bob Gilbert: 30 Years of Leadership

Since sharing news of my retirement, I have been overwhelmed and deeply touched by the messages and tributes from colleagues, friends, and collaborators.  The outpouring of support has been incredibly moving, and I am profoundly grateful for the recognition and appreciation of my contributions to the association and the hospitality industry. 

Many of those kind tributes have included generous offers of assistance to make this transition easier for me, the staff team, and the association overall. If you feel called to action, I encourage you to celebrate HSMAI and my 30+ year legacy with a gift to the HSMAI Foundation’s Century Campaign. Your support will help nurture the next generation of hospitality professionals and advance our industry’s growth and innovation, long after all of us have retired.  

Thank you for the honor of serving our extraordinary community. The future of HSMAI is bright, and I am confident that with our dedicated staff, Board of Directors, and new leadership, the association will continue to flourish and make a lasting impact on the global hospitality industry. 

Hot Topics: The Issues Advisory Board Members Are Tracking

When we asked our Advisory Board Members what new and emerging issues they were thinking about and tracking in the summer of 2024, they focused in on the following key issues:

Market Performance and Concerns: There are significant concerns about Q4 performance, with diminishing leisure pace and eroding ADR (Average Daily Rate). Upper midscale and below segments are struggling, while luxury and upper upscale segments are performing relatively better but still face challenges. Growth projections have been revised down from 4-4.5% to 2-3%, with missing transient business identified as a key factor in underperformance.

Economic Factors: Inflation is recognized as a significant issue affecting the industry. Interest rate cuts are anticipated, but their impact remains uncertain. There is a shift towards international travel for U.S. residents, reduced consumer confidence, and spending power. The economic impact of the election year is also a concern.

2025 Outlook and Budgeting: Despite challenges, some markets show positive intentions for 2025. However, there is uncertainty about how current trends will affect 2025 performance, making accurate forecasting difficult.

Booking Trends: Booking windows have shortened significantly, with current booking windows around 30 days, down from 60-90 days. There is a trend towards last-minute bookings for better deals, which the industry has inadvertently cultivated.

Group Business: Declining group volume and short-term, in-the-year-for-the-year opportunities are decreasing. There are concerns about how short-term trends will affect 2025 bookings, although there are some positive signs for Q1 group bookings in Florida. Contract negotiations face significant pushback on cancellation and attrition clauses, with clients reluctant to commit to penalties.

Industry Challenges: There is downward pressure on pricing and a return of post-recession “bad habits” in yield management. An increase in last-minute promotions and discounts to fill inventory is noted. Political factors and economic uncertainty are contributing to consumer unease, affecting both transient and group bookings. Additionally, entry and early sales career salaries and titles are inflating, leading to rampant job hopping and short tenures.

Technology, AI, and the Internet: The industry is grappling with several emerging issues including the transition to GA4 and cookies. Cybersecurity and data privacy remain critical, highlighted by incidents like the Crowdstrike and Omni data breaches. Additionally, understanding AI and leveraging it to summarize data and extract insights is becoming increasingly important, as is integrating and utilizing AI effectively in operations. There is a growing interest in understanding how SEO is influencing AI.

HSMAI Top 25 Profile: Katlyn Svendsen

HSMAI honored the2023 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization and Distribution— recognizing leaders from hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations for their accomplishments.  Katlyn Svendsen, Global Public Relations & Content Services Director, Travel South Dakota is one of these honorees.   

Katlyn has worked for Travel South Dakota since 2011. She takes a proactive approach working with the local, regional, national and international media to share news about South Dakota to inspire travel to the state through providing unique and interesting story angles for new visitors to discover.  

From inspiring visits with viral celebrities like Tariq, “The Corn Kid,” to building on relationships with media friends over the course of her career, she keeps South Dakota’s tourism industry and partners at the core of her work. Her personal mission is to story tell in a way that evokes a feeling of wanderlust. Her team has touchpoints not only with media, but serving the overall marketing plan, and strategizing in the international marketing and media space. She resides in Pierre with her husband and stays busy raising two very active and talented girls. She enjoys taking the road less traveled, boating on Lake Oahe, ATV trail riding in the Black Hills, motorcycle riding, and DIY projects on their acreage. Generally, put her in the outdoors and she’s all in.  

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENT 

Elevated South Dakota’s profile, leading to increased tourism and economic growth.  

WHAT INSPIRED THIS NOMINATION?  

Katlyn’s visionary strategies have transformed South Dakota into a sought-after destination.”  

Q&A WITH KATLYN SVENDSEN  

What advice would you give to your younger self?  

I have always leaned into the power of strong mentors in my life. I would encourage myself to dig even further into this resource. Finding someone who is younger than you (keep yourself young and learning!), in the same phase, an experienced leader, and finally, and most importantly, someone who is much older, retired, and sees the world in a completely different way. Having all of these perspectives from all phases of life gives a well-rounded resource that I can turn to for any challenge.  

What keeps you inspired? 

Truly the travel and tourism industry is one of the most energizing and inspiring industries. The constant innovation and keeping up with consumer trends keep all of us communicating regularly to strategize best practices. It in a positive and upbeat energy where we are not saving lives, but we are certainly changing them. 

 

Nominations are now open for the 2024 HSMAI Top 25! Deadline is today, September 20! 

Empathetic Leadership: The Key to Success and Satisfaction

Tre Wilke IV, Sales Manager, Bahia Resort Hotel, Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, HSMAI Rising Sales Leader Council Member 

Empathy is a crucial element in retaining and developing outstanding professionals in the hospitality industry. The new generation of workers expect their leadership to display empathy toward their teams, building trust, creating a positive work environment, and fostering strong team dynamics. Empathetic leaders understand the needs and concerns of their employees, providing support and resources to help them succeed.  

High emotional intelligence, effective communication, and focused effort are cornerstones of empathetic leadership. One-on-one meetings, casual coffee outings, and really listening to employees enable leaders to know what’s important to their team members. These focused interactions also help leaders learn what intrinsically motivates their employees.  

Employee engagement and job satisfaction can be increased by empathetic leaders who put in the time and effort to recognize and value employees’ contributions. By fostering a supportive and inclusive culture, empathetic leaders enhance team cohesion and collaboration. Organizations with empathetic leaders are more likely to retain their employees and attract top talent, as a positive work environment is a key factor in employee retention and recruitment. 

In hospitality’s fast-paced, demanding environment, leaders may find that practicing empathy can come with challenges. Can the empathic leaders come across as “too nice?” Balancing empathy with authority is crucial for maintaining respect and discipline, so leaders must set clear boundaries and expectations to achieve this balance. While managing stress is another challenge, implementing stress management techniques and promoting work-life balance are effective strategies. 

Further Reading:  

Questions for Your Team 

  1. How can leaders in the hospitality industry implement empathy in their daily interactions with team members to foster a positive and productive work environment? 
  2. What are some specific challenges that hospitality leaders face in maintaining emotional connections with their teams, especially in a digital-first or post-pandemic work setting and what is a true solution to overcoming them? 
  3. How does effective and empathetic leadership impact employee retention and job satisfaction in the hospitality industry? 
  4. In what ways can hospitality leaders balance the need for empathy with the demands of achieving growing business goals and maintaining high standards of service? 
  5. What role does creativity play in empathetic leadership, and how can leaders encourage innovative thinking while still providing emotional support to their teams? 

HSMAI Top 25 Profile: Vanessa Williams

HSMAI honored the 2023 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization and Distribution — recognizing leaders from hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations for their accomplishments. Vanessa Williams, General Manager, The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, Marriott Autograph Collection, is one of these honorees.   

From South Korea to Beverly Hills, Vanessa Williams has traveled the globe, restoring and renovating luxury hotels. She has held the position of General Manager of The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club since early 2022. Given her immense experience in luxury hotel leadership and specialty in leading marketing campaigns, she was chosen to oversee the overall operations of the refined resort as it emerged from an extensive renovation.  

Vanessa’s hospitality career has spanned nearly three decades, including a role in the renovation, relaunch and repositioning of the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong along with time at Raffles L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, Sandy Lane Barbados and Sukhothai Bangkok before joining Hilton to spearhead luxury expansion initiatives, including opening Waldorf Astoria Beijing and Conrad Seoul.  

Directly before her time at The Vinoy, Vanessa was general manager of the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, where she led her team to outperform luxury benchmarks, such as upholding the Forbes 5-Star rating for both the hotel and the spa 

Key Accomplishment: 

Led the renovation of The Vinoy Resort, enhancing its luxury offerings. 

What Inspired This Nomination? 

“Vanessa’s leadership has redefined luxury hospitality at The Vinoy Resort.” 

Q&A with Vanessa Williams 

What advice would you give to your younger self? 

Be prepared for career challenges, especially in environments that might not readily accept a strong, determined woman with high expectations. Build resilience, know the landscape you’re entering, and set realistic expectations. Keep learning and growing, staying true to your ambitions despite any obstacles you encounter. 

What keeps you inspired? 

Throughout my career, I’ve been deeply inspired by witnessing the growth and development of individuals that I have had the honor to lead, across diverse cultures spanning ten countries. Witnessing them grow and thrive, evolving into accomplished leaders and remarkable individuals within the realm of hospitality, has been my driving force. My passion lies in both nurturing these individuals and contributing to the luxury hospitality industry that resonates with me. 

Nominations are now open for the 2024 HSMAI Top 25! Deadline is September 20.