The Art of Prospecting

Transform Your Sales Funnel.

If your sales team is “busy” but not converting business, the issue may not be effort, it may be the sales targeting.

The art of prospecting is more than just sending emails or dropping business cards. It’s about intentional outreach, based on strategy, segmentation, and you property needs. It’s about talking to the right client at the right time and asking the right questions.

What's misunderstood about Prospecting

Lack of Strategy

• Many sales teams start the day with good intentions but no direction. Without a target list or goal, prospecting turns into guesswork...and guesswork rarely produces revenue.
  

No Alignment with Property Need Periods

• Prospecting should directly support your forecast. Are Tuesdays soft? Is mid-week rates unaligned with the demand? Your outbound efforts should reflect specific occupancy gaps, your rate strategy, and the demand in the market.
  

Timing:

• Are you prospecting business this week to capture business for next week? That's not how the process works. Prospecting has to be consistent week after week, month after month with purpose and intent

  
  

Outreach Without Insight

• “We’d love to earn your business” isn’t a strategy. Tailor your messaging based on industry, booking history, and known demand drivers? Build relationships with the goal of identifying and understanding the clients booking pattern and travel pattern to fill your need dates This prospecting with purpose.
  

What Strategic Prospecting Looks Like

• Account Segmentation: Identifying high-potential industries in your feeder markets

• Local Market Mining: Visiting nearby offices, job sites, vendors, and the comp set

• Stay Pattern Analysis: Using guest history and STR trends to guide your prospecting

• Need-Based Outreach: Aligning every email and call with an actual forecast

• Follow-Up: Not just the first contact. Prospecting take time to build trust. Create a 3-5 touch system that builds trust and convert prospects into clients

• Face-to-Face: Don't underestimate the value of face to face prospecting. Technology is a great tool; however our clients also want face to face interaction, especially the decision maker

Whether your hotel is full-service, select brand or extended stay, strategic prospecting is the muscle that can assist you to build a solid sales funnel of repeat business.

Happy Readying