The Art of Prospecting
- constance@saleskeyconsulting.com
- Sep 23
- 1 min read
Updated: Oct 14
How Strategic Outreach Can Transform Your Hotel’s Sales Funnel.
If your sales team is “busy” but not converting business, the issue may not be effort, it may be 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 property needs. It’s about talking to the right client at the right time.
What Some Hotels Get Wrong 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 January wide open? Your outbound efforts should reflect specific occupancy gaps.
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? 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 city directories
Stay Pattern Analysis: Using guest history and STR trends to guide who you call and when
Need-Based Outreach: Aligning every email and call with an actual forecast gap
Follow-Up with a Funnel: Not just first contact, but a 3-touch system that converts interest into bookings
Whether your hotel is full-service or extended stay, branded or independent, strategic prospecting is the muscle that can help you build your pipeline. The goal is to turn prospects into clients.
Happy Readying
This blog absolutely nails it 💥, prospecting isn’t just a task, it’s a craft. The emphasis on strategic, data-driven outreach is exactly what sets high-performing hotel sales teams apart.
✅ Intentional targeting✅ Forecast-driven action✅ Insightful messaging✅ Consistent follow-up
The breakdown of common missteps, like lack of strategy or generic outreach, is refreshingly honest and incredibly useful. And the roadmap for strategic prospecting? Pure gold. From account segmentation to stay pattern analysis, this is the kind of smart, tactical thinking that drives real revenue.
Prospecting with purpose isn’t just a catchphrase, it’s a competitive edge. Love the clarity, the practicality, and the call to action. This is how hotels build stronger pipelines and smarter teams. Well done!