It might be what you came up through the ranks believing, but “sell more” isn’t a hotel Christmas sales strategy. It’s just gift-wrapped pressure with a bow on top.
Still, it keeps happening, year in and year out. The annual scrum down for hotel and venue Christmas bookings sneaks up before you know it. Enquiries start flooding in thick and fast. The diary’s busying up. And everybody’s eyes are on the scores on the doors.
It’s easy to get carried away with the idea of more saving the day.
But, how about a different approach to your hotel Christmas sales strategy this year? One that factors in smarter selling, earlier preparation, and mitigating hotel sales team burnout?
Where to Focus Your Hotel Christmas Sales Strategy First
Does your corporate Christmas party bookings diary still have gaps? Don’t panic and get focused on the low hanging fruit.
Your best leads often aren’t strangers, after all. They’re companies who’ve already booked with you before.
For this reason, proactive sales for hospitality teams who’re hoping to bring the merry should include:
Mining your data – Pull a list of last year’s Christmas bookers, big parties, and also year-round corporate meetings and events from your CRM or booking system.
Reaching out purposefully – Wondering what’s the best way to follow up on old Christmas bookings? A simple “We loved hosting you last year, so we’re offering you first refusal on your date before accepting other enquiries for it” goes a long way.
Shopping local – Businesses in your ‘golden mile’ are often the easiest wins. Office Managers, PAs, HR and marketing teams are usually the ones organising the party. So, make sure they know you exist.
But no self-respecting hotel Christmas sales strategy is complete without proactive event sales lead generation beyond past bookers.
How Proactivity Makes Event Sales Lead Generation Comfier
Proactive sales in hospitality teams gets the job done smarter rather than harder. And the earlier the better, to ensure December doesn’t ambush you.
So, agree your prices, plan and people, and turn them into an event sales lead generation machine:
Make every guest a lead – Anyone walking through your door between now and December could be booking their office party. For this reason, a savvy hotel Christmas sales strategy needs to extend further than your sales team alone. Additionally, brief your front of house and restaurant teams to mention corporate Christmas party bookings, and offer a worthwhile incentive for genuine leads captured.
Feel the need for speed – Slow response times cost bookings, revenue and sales targets, especially given bookers are making their enquiries across multiple venues simultaneously. A same day or ideally same hour response puts you alongside or ahead of the competition.
Take a deposit to seal the deal – Confirmed hotel and venue Christmas bookings are the only ones that count. Clear deposit policies and release times help filter out the maybes and protect your best dates for clients who are serious about putting their money where their mouth is.
Give, receive and be merry – A signature festive cocktail or cheeky seasonal icebreaker lifts perceived value and generates incremental revenue, without adding significant cost.
And last but absolutely not least, there’s your people, the ones you’re relying on to spread the cheer all season long. How do you intend to keep them merry and bright?
Beware Hotel Sales Team Burnout During Silly Season
A bumper haul of corporate Christmas party bookings is diminished if your team’s running on empty by January. It’s a very good reason why peak season should be well thought out rather than a badge of honour to survive.
Of course you’ve got your eyes on the prize. But a truly powerful hotel Christmas sales strategy also sets the pace besides the pounds. This means:
Spreading the load early – Start outreach in summer so you aren’t foraging for scraps in panic mode in November.
Setting realistic expectations – Build in breathing space for your team between back-to-back show rounds and calls.
Celebrate the wins – Shout outs for wins helps keep morale up when the pace gets relentless.
Ultimately, a winning hotel Christmas sales strategy is grounded in preparation. And the more you can get your team in the spirit of the season instead of dreading it, the more they’ll deck your halls with bonus worthy sales.
Prepare Now, Sparkle Later
Imagine your sales team feeling prepared, confident, and dare we say enjoying the process?
Get in touch with Selling Savvy to find out how our venue and hotel sales training, mentoring, and consultancy can help your team keep calm, merry on and sell smarter this festive season.
