The “Best Practices in CVB-Partner Relationships”webinar ...eoplugin.commpartners.com/HSMAI/Presentation_Slides_BW1.pdf · Marketing plan List of all bureau activities Special

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“Best Practices inCVB-Partner Relationships”

Tuesday, April 4, 2006

presented by

Hospitality Sales and MarketingAssociation International (HSMAI)

and

Destination MarketingAssociation International (DMAI)

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Overview of Format and Topic

� ModeratorBarb Taylor CarpenderManaging Director, HSMAI University


POLL QUESTION #1

How many people are participating in

this webinar in your office today?

A) 1

B) 2

C) 3

D) 4

E) 5

F) 6

G) 7

H) 8 or more

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Program Goals

� Identify the key elements of successful CVB/hotel/supplier partnerships

� Present examples of best practices in existing relationships

� Showcase opportunities for aligning sales and marketing strategies

� Provide examples of ways to improve interaction between CVBs, hotels, and industry partners


Introduction of Panelists: Irving, Texas

� John BranciforteRegional Director of Sales and MarketingOmni Hotels of Texas

� John CycholAssistant Executive Director/SalesIrving, Texas Convention & Visitors Bureau

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Introduction of Panelists: Columbus, Ohio

� Joseph MarinelliSenior Vice President/SalesExperience Columbus

� Kathyrn Cobern, CHAGeneral Manager of Crowne Plaza Hotel, Lofts Hotel, and Max & Erma’s Columbus, Ohio


Frame of ReferenceJohn Cychol, Irving CVBJoseph Marinelli, Experience Columbus

� Similarities and differences between the two destinations profiled today:

� Structure of the two CVBs

� Nature of each destination

� Types of business, “members”

� How this relates to relationships with

hotels and other partners

� Why selected to profile today

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Irving, Texas: Things That Have WorkedJohn Cychol, Irving CVB

� Needs Analysis Survey

� Sent to the GM and DOS of all 80

Irving hotels

� Assesses need times, feeder markets,

overall needs

� Allows to plan more effectively,

proactively, and inclusively

� Sample of survey included in this

webinar


POLL QUESTION #2

How often do you ask (or are asked) for feedback

relative to future CVB initiatives and plans?

A) Always

B) Sometimes

C) Rarely

D) Never

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� Directors of Sales Meetings

� Meet with a group of DOS contacts each month

� Grouped by hotel segment, to ensure relevant content and programs:

� Luxury/Full-service

� Limited Service

� All-Suite

� Budget



� Market Segment Advisory Groups

� Like the DOS meetings, but targeted to sales managers

� Meet according to sales market (corporate, association, SMERF, sports, etc.)

� Proactively address business needs, trends, product changes, and the like

� Customer Service Training

� Targeted training to front-line employees of hotels and other companies

� Financially underwritten by the bureau

� Mystery calls to assess needs and service levels

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� Information and Participation Packet

� Marketing plan

� List of all bureau activities

� Special promotions and programs

� Member participation forms

� Sales territories and contact information

� Exhibit and sales blitz schedule

� Services available

� Meet the Bureau Programs

� Quarterly programs that include networking and

educational opportunities



� Partnership is built between people, not just entities

� It is built by things like:

� Joint sales calls in identified markets

� Joint site inspections at the hotel/venue

� Teambuilding between hotel staff and bureau

staff

� Special events – participation in FAM trips

� Showing cohesiveness to clients

� Joint entertaining off property, to showcase

benefits of the destination

Irving, Texas: Things That Have WorkedJohn Branciforte, Omni Hotels, Irving, Texas

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� Sharing information with hotel partners is essential

� Marketing plan, sales strategy

� The Irving CVB’s participation packet helps this immensely

� Year-end re-cap, performance indicators (e.g. annual meeting)

� Participating in bureau activities and outreach

� Return on Investment = Return on Involvement

� Advisory groups, networking events, related programs

� Taking part in programs/packages

Irving, Texas: Things That Have WorkedJohn Branciforte, Omni Hotels, Irving, Texas


POLL QUESTION #3

How often do you participate in your area CVB’s

networking or educational events and activities?

A) Always

B) Sometimes

C) Rarely

D) Never

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� Programs without significant hotel participation

� Essential to a CVB program’s success

� Special rates, packages, etc.

� Destination awareness events

� While they do generate awareness and interest, have not

historically generated significant room nights for our

destination or hotels

� Influenced by business mix, nature of destination/event

Irving, Texas: Things That Haven’t WorkedJohn Cychol, Irving CVB


� But need to work:

� Gaining the “buy-in” from member hotels on the mission of selling the city

� Training the hotels to use the bureau services earlier in the sales process

� Working together to proactively target specific types of business with enough lead time to be effective (SMERF, weekend)

� Other Considerations:

� Events without substantial participation from enough partners a key challenge

Irving, Texas: Things That Haven’t WorkedJohn Branciforte, Omni Hotels, Irving, Texas

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� Recruitment of general managers to play a key role in the sales process

� Not just sales staff, as is often the case

� The CVB has refined its communication tool for all site inspections to include thorough data

� Gives hotels and the center as much

information as possible when clients are on

property

Columbus, Ohio: Things That Have WorkedJoseph Marinelli, Experience Columbus


� FBI Meeting (Future Business Initiatives)

� Held monthly

� Includes CVB, center, and hotel leadership

� Focused upon closing AND servicing

� Other Ideas

� Consider a joint advertising program

� Jointly exhibit at industry trade shows

� Travel together for sales calls

� Link to one another’s websites

Columbus, Ohio: Things That Have WorkedJoseph Marinelli, Experience Columbus

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POLL QUESTION #4

How often do your sales calls to outer market clients

involve traveling with your CVB or hotel partners?

A) Always

B) Sometimes

C) Rarely

D) Never


� The presentation of a “united front” with clients

� Inclusion of bureau and hoteliers in site visits

� Bureau takes the initiative to point out key selling

points that meet and exceed the clients’ needs

� “The Columbus Experience”

� Cooperative, citywide climate of “wowing” guests

� All staff need to be educated to understand how

important their role is in creating a positive guest

experience…and return visits

Columbus, Ohio: Things That Have WorkedKathyrn Cobern, Crowne Plaza Columbus

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� Re-training hotels sales staff on citywide site inspections

� Training to sell the destination first, property

second

� Can cause tense relationships with hoteliers, but is

an important aspect of winning key pieces of

business

Columbus, Ohio: Things That Haven’t WorkedJoseph Marinelli, Experience Columbus


Measuring the Relationship: The Hotel PerspectiveKathyrn Cobern, Crowne Plaza Columbus

How do I know if my relationship with my bureau is strong?

� Are you called upon by your bureau to be an industry expert on how travel/tourism or local community issues are impacting your industry?

� Are you called upon to help sell your city to prospective groups?

� Are you booking business as a result of your investment and/or your time investment with the bureau?

� Are you treating your CVB as one of your #1 clients? Does your sales team share in your philosophy?

� Is the CVB acutely aware of what your facility has to offer to prospective clients? Are you inviting the convention sales team to your hotel regularly to build their familiarity?

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� Measure by Involvement and Communication

� Interaction with:

� Sales

� PR/Marketing team

� Other bureau leadership

� If you don’t have it, your relationship is compromised.

Measuring the Relationship: The Hotel PerspectiveJohn Branciforte, Omni Hotels of Texas


� Signs of weakness include:

� Hotels dropping their memberships because “we don’t get

anything from the CVB”

� Poor response/slow response for CVB leads

� Poor hotel participation in CVB-related functions

� Conversely, if you are:

� Communicating regularly and honestly

� Providing as much information as possible

…you’ll know a bond is in place between the two entities

Measuring the Relationship: The CVB PerspectiveJoseph Marinelli, Experience Columbus

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� Listen to the tone of questions raised and

the frequency

� Reaction time to leads sent

� Lost business numbers

� Ask them! “How are we doing?”

Measuring the Relationship: The CVB PerspectiveJohn Cychol, Irving CVB


POLL QUESTION #5

Do you feel like you have a strong relationship

with your CVB or hotel partners?

A) Yes

B) No

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Maximizing Relationships with Select-Service HotelsJohn Cychol, Irving CVB

� Differences/Similarities/Importance

� Destination Advertising

� Liaison to the City

� Special Promotions/Packages/Brochures

� Special types of targeted group sales

� Religious, student/youth, sports, contract,

etc.

� It’s all about identifying what’s a match

through communication


Additional Ways to Maximize CVB-Partner Relationships

� Have the bureau sales team meet with the key hotels in a think tank environment annually (John Branciforte)

� Avoid “flat” websites. CVB sites should draw meeting planners to them and create excitement about the destination…making it easier to get hotel participation. (John Branciforte)

� Get those GM’s involved. (Joe Marinelli)They may not like it at first. It may not be all that popular with the DOS. And nothing sends a stronger message to the customer.

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� Treat them like your best customer. Spend time with them. (Kathyrn Cobern)

� Every quarter, our hotel team either takes lunch to the bureau or invites the bureau over for lunch or cocktails. It’s about top of mind awareness.

� Get out and meet with hoteliers. Use the opportunity to ask their opinions on bureau programs and activities. (John Cychol)

� Follow the “Golden Rule” and treat your destination partners with respect. (John Cychol)

Additional Ways to Maximize CVB-Partner Relationships


Questions and Answers

ModeratorBarb Taylor Carpender Managing Director, HSMAI University

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Upcoming Webinars in this Series

“Partnering for Success”A three-part webinar series designed to facilitate successful relationships between CVBs, hotels, and other industry partners. Future webinars include:

� Tuesday, April 18, 2006, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

“RFPs A to Z”

� Tuesday, May 2, 2006, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

“Managing Attrition”

For more information or to register, visit the HSMAIUniversity section of www.hsmai.org

Documents

The “Best Practices in CVB-Partner Relationships”webinar ...eoplugin.commpartners.com/HSMAI/Presentation_Slides_BW1.pdf · Marketing plan List of all bureau activities Special