Vista Host Sales & Marketing Conference Baltimore, Maryland January 26 – 28, 2010

1. Vista Host Sales & Marketing Conference Baltimore, Maryland January 26 – 28, 2010

2. Which successful person inspires you the most? Why?

3. What we will learn to see • What is vision? • The role of the Vista Host sales individual • Innovation, creativity, discovery • Defining the sales process • One key trait for effective sales • Guest speaker – Jeremiah Wilson • Is the choice clear? • Michelle Jones – Contact Point Solutions • The world is turning green • Who’s afraid to go outside? • Why don’t we share? • Look to the STARS • Ask not what your government can do for you, but what you can do to get government business • Internet prospecting • Expedia / OTA resources • Groups, groups, and more groups • The wonderful world of marketing on the internet • Team building

4. What is VISION? “The very essence of leadership is that you have a vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.” -Theodore Hesburgh “The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.” -John Scully “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.” -Joel A. Barker Can anyone describe « 20/10 » vision as opposed to « 20/20 » vision? How would you describe « vision »?

5. The role of sales within Vista Host • In one phrase, what would you describe as your ONE key responsibility as a Sales Manager or Director of Sales? • Ulitmately, the success of your hotel rests on YOUR shoulders. • So what is it that I am looking for from YOU? NO

6. DO NOT just serve as an order taker • Move the needle – how is this measured? • DO NOT be a maintainer • Change the status quo • Consider the goal of justifying your position every day • Strive to be #1…you know what they say about finishing in 2nd place… • Of all the losers, you were the best one!

7. INTEREST EXCITEMENT PASSION SUCCESS

8. INNOVATION, CREATIVITY, &DISCOVERY • Quite simply, in order to succeed in sales, YOU must be willing to do what OTHERS will not. • This will entail hard work and pushing yourself to realize your full potential. • Remember that GREATNESS is a choice. • I have interviewed hundreds of potential sales candidates. I look for T.A.P.

9. NEW IDEAS Learn how to think creatively. Your vision should inspire dreams. And remember, goals are simply dreams that are written down! ..."I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work." Wilhelm von Roentgen – X-Ray inventor by accident

10. Examples YOU Can Use • Advertising on online confirmation emails from ticket vendors, airlines, cruises, rental cars, etc. – true target marketing. (Remember…print advertising is dead) • Reverse in-room restaurant menus – have them allow us to advertise your hotel in exchange (your competitors’ Guests eat, too!) • 15% commission to travel agents • Monroeville – comp room for group leader based upon youth group’s behavior • Albany – premier dining group • OK…time to share. What are your ideas? Break up into groups of five – you’ve got 15 minutes to brainstorm then present your ideas in front of the group!

11. OK … wait, wait, wait We are about to get into the sales process… Who thinks they are a GREAT sales person? Who thinks they know the entire sales process inside and out? Who thinks they do not need to listen to this next part of the presentation? Come on…one volunteer…who’s got guts? OK – we have a volunteer. Now I will ask another attendee to select, at random, a company in a city of their choice. You will call that company, get the decision maker on the phone, and make an appointment. If successful, you win a fabulous prize. Point proven…now take some notes.

12. Defining the Sales Process The PRIME+ Selling Model • Prospect • Research • Identify • Make appointment • Engage • Then earn a commitment, sale, referral, and testimonial

13. PROSPECT As internet prospecting will be covered later in the conference, let us consider other forms of prospecting: • Breakfast interviews (Monday mornings – wake up from the weekend – this is Sunday night business!) • Networking events in your market • Local business journals • New construction sites • CVB / Chamber of Commerce • American Red Cross • Car rental agencies • Travel agencies • Insurance companies • Churches • Local sports complexes • Economic development office • Apartment complexes • Funeral homes • Hospitals / medical centers • Colleges / universities

14. RESEARCH AFTER determining a lead is a viable prospect, conduct research about the company / organization and individual contacts: • What does the company / organization do? (DO NOT ask this question during your first appointment – come prepared! Google the company, review their website, check with your local Chamber of Commerce, research the local business journals – www.bizjournals.com, etc.) • What recent articles have been published about the company / organization? (Google news search, press releases on their website, awards they have won, etc.) • What type of business does the prospect appear to present? (Extended stay? Transient? Training? Relocation? Meetings? Series of dates?) • What type of history / production does the prospect have with other hotels? (You should know your competitive set’s top accounts… For additional information, Google the company name with hotel, and you will likely find hotels in your market or another market that house them. Check market production with brand sales.)

15. IDENTIFY Perhaps the greatest waste of your time is in speaking with the WRONG people! • You must IDENTIFY the key decision makers for the company or organization. (The best way to accomplish this is through including the gatekeeper so that they do not feel threatened or of lesser value – for example, ask, Would there be anyone in addition to yourself that would be involved in handling your group’s needs?) • Instead of starting at the bottom, why not start at the top? (You will have a much better chance of actually getting information on who handles lodging needs from a CEO / CFO / VP who wants to delegate your call than from an administrative assistant who is trained at keeping people like you out!) • Not only must you identify the key decision maker(s), but also identify the potential value of this prospect’s business. (It is an ineffective use of time to spend 60 hours in pursuit of an account that only represents a potential $1000 in revenue into your market!)

16. MAKE APPOINTMENT Without an appointment, all is lost!!! • Get a referral (this is the ideal way to get in the door – attempt to find a colleague of the decision maker, one with whom you have done business in the past. Have that person introduce you and suggest a meeting.) • Be honest and sincere (express understanding of how you realize that your prospect gets overwhelmed with requests for their time, express how meaningful 20 minutes would be to you, express how you are simply trying to see if there exists potential for a mutually beneficial relationship – if not, they will not be pestered by you forever!, etc.) • Your opening statement is of paramount importance – and you only get one chance at the introduction. (Try – If we really could save your company significant travel dollars, what would your thoughts be on having a conversation so that you could hear more? Or, if you are really feeling confident, how about – I have a track record of saving companies in this market tens of thousands of dollars annually. I ask for one opportunity to show you why it is worth your time.) What are some of your ideas for best opening statements?

17. MAKE APPOINTMENT Now some truly ORIGINAL ideas! • Send the prospective contact a waste basket with your brochure inside, along with a hand-written note stating: I realize that if I sent you a brochure, it would end up here anyway. At least you have a new wastebasket! I would greatly appreciate if you would be so kind as to discard brochures from our competitors here as well! • Call extremely early or late in the day (remember, the higher-ups have achieved their success by working long hours – the administrative assistants are either not in yet or long gone!) • Find a recent quote from your prospective client in a trade journal, online, etc. Introduce yourself on the initial call by stating how you read the article, and you were impressed. Ask for time to discuss the company’s plans, along with how you may help their success. • Start a blog (yes, that’s an internet term) on business leaders in your local community. Create your site, promote it during networking, and now you have a great lead in to your prospective client (that you handle the Jackson Business Leaders blog, and you would like to include him/her in your next article). • Don’t stand me up! (send a hand-written invitation to your prospective client, expressing your desire to take them to lunch to discuss a potential mutually beneficial partnership. Explain that you will be waiting at a local restaurant at a specific time on a specific date – make certain to give enough notice – explain that you were stood up in high school once, and you truly hope it does not happen again!)

18. ENGAGE Most people have pictures on their desks… All parents love to talk about their kids!

19. ENGAGE • OK…so you got the appointment. You are in the office. You have commented on the beautiful family, and how Mr. Douglas enjoys fishing. Now what is your opening line (hint – it should be a question)? • How about – Mr. Douglas, when I say finding value in selecting a hotel for your company’s travel needs, what comes to mind? • Remember that people do business with people they like… This is true. If the client likes and trusts you, they will try to find reasons to give you business. If the client does not like or trust you, they will create reasons why not to give you business. From the onset, it is critical that you establish a sound reputation – be genuine and honest. Use humor when appropriate. Smile a real smile (not the kind you gave during your 3rd grade school pictures!). • Be positive. If your hometown football team is on a losing streak, and this is brought up during your small talk, do not lament with the client on the woes of the team. Instead, find rays of hope, and convey your optimism that they are positioned for a terrific winning streak soon to come. • You are a sales person. You like to hear yourself talk. So do other people. Let your client talk. Ask questions. Think of it as a first date with someone you would like to see again. The key to this portion of the process is in making your prospective client feel important.

20. ENGAGE TIME TO PRACTICE!!! • Pair up with someone across the aisle (not someone you know well). • Assuming that money is not a concern (ha, ha), you are to determine the key factors in your partner selecting a new car. • You have 10 minutes to complete this exercise. • Now let’s see what we’ve learned… • Do you believe you are in a position at this time to be able to sell a car to your partner (assuming you are in automobile sales)? Just their preferred car, or a competitor’s? • Did you learn anything of extreme interest that you may use to personalize future communications? (ex. – if your partner loves wine, how about a subscription to Wine Enthusiast – that way, they will be reminded of YOU throughout the year!). • Do you have a good understanding of their hot buttons? Can you predict their objections?

21. Pursuit of a Mutually Beneficial Partnership Nobody wins, unless everybody wins. -Bruce Springsteen This is sales. We will, at this time, trust that you are familiar enough with the actual qualifyingquestions and rapport regarding your particular services to offer. Please simply keep in mind that the end goal is to create a mutually beneficial partnership. If all parties involved believe they got a fair or even good deal, the likelihood of the partnership continuing, in the face of your competitors knocking on their door, is strong.

22. What you need to earn… • Commitment – how should we approach this? What body language could be involved? • Sale – when do we close? Remember that in order to gain their future business, it depends on how you handle the account regularly (Once you have a signed contract in hand, it is NOT OVER!) • Referral – how do we ask our client for a referral? When? • Testimonial – how beneficial is a testimonial? What type of testimonial is of the greatest value?

23. Unique Thank You Gifts / Notes • SmileBox e-cards • Personalized books / CD’s with their child’s name • Annual subscriptions to a magazine related to their hobby • Donation to a charity of their choice • Other ideas?

24. Who’s Hungry? You are about to be exposed to the world-famous, best tasting, fan making, belt breaking… G&M Crabcakes!

25. WELCOME BACK!

26. Let’s recap what we’ve learned so far… • Name some things that you have embraced and that you will be able to put into use upon your return to your properties. • Now I ask you to write down one item you would like to see addressed / answered (we will attempt to address as many as possible throughout the rest of the conference).

27. The one key trait for effective sales Einstein’s Soup

28. LISTENING… • For over three years, Albert Einstein, born in Ulm, Germany, listened. He took in all that was around him. • Listening leads to learning. • Learning leads to knowledge. • Knowledge leads to power. • Power leads to confidence. • Confidence is the one key trait for effective sales.

29. How well do you listen? • Are you thinking of ‘the perfect response’ while the other person is talking? • Are you correcting the other person’s English in your mind while they speak? • Are you pondering the many things you have to do before you get to go home while the other person is communicating with you? • Are you reading an email? Looking through a sales file? Checking to see how Sally just posted that she is baking cinnamon-nut cookies on your Facebook page? • While speaking with a client, TURN OFF YOUR MONITOR. Make every person with whom you speak feel as if they are the most important person in your world.

30. It is my genuine pleasure to introduce to you…

31. Is the choice CLEAR?

32. Most effective time to utilizecomparative model At the first sign of objection… Showing the client your points of difference via the Vista Host “Choice is Clear” selling chart… BETTER Telling the Client why you and your hotel are better… GOOD

33. Notice any trends in today’s ever-increasing technological world? Quick Abbreviated Txts Video Everything is turning visual Snapshot

34. Now let’s see your creative juices flowing this morning! • Please break up into groups of 5. • Each team will have 20 minutes to create a NEW “Choice is Clear” comparative model template (I recommend using one of your hotels as the example). Markers and posterboard are provided for you – you will present your concept at the end. • Be creative…be original…be VISUAL. Today’s decision makers do not wish to spend 10 minutes, or even 5 minutes, reading a lengthy proposal – design a compelling snapshot. • Winning team will have their model used company wide (pending approval from MVH, of course!)

35. Handling further objections

36. Addressing other objections • What are the most common objections you hear? • Now let’s write them down, and consider potential responses for each (great time to take detailed notes, as it is likely that you have heard / will hear similar objections).

37. Please welcome

38. The World is Turning Green

39. Vista Host Sustainability Program • Who has heard of this effort (show of hands)? • Who would care to explain this program to the group? • Who can explain the term “green washing”? • Greenwashing (greenwhitewash) is the practice of companies disingenuously spinning their products and policies as environmentally friendly, such as by presenting cost cuts as reductions in use of resources.[1] It is a deceptive use of green PR or green marketing. The term green sheen has similarly been used to describe organizations that attempt to show that they are adopting practices beneficial to the environment.[2]

40. How can we actively promote our GREEN efforts? • Our own private websites • Our brand websites • Press releases • Link to the Vista Host Sustainability program outline and newsletters on our websites • Social Networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) • Promotion through local green movements / environmental agencies • Chamber of Commerce • Host a Green event / reception at your hotel • Partner with major companies, universities, organizations that bring business to your market through collaborative sustainability efforts • Get listed on any / all of the numerous websites promoting green lodging (www.greenhotels.com – the Green Hotels Association, www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com, www.itsagreengreenworld.com, www.istaygreen.org, www.greenhotelreviews.com, etc.)

41. What’s Coming? Green reviews / listings on…

42. Who’s Afraid to go Outside?

43. Why don’t we SHARE?

44. The impact of sharing accounts, contacts, & leads EVERYBODY WINS!

45. What / When to Share • Corporate / LNR accounts (do they have regional offices in any of other markets? Consulting projects? Are you introducing our sister hotels to your contacts? Just wait until you see the opportunities on the upcoming slide…) • Sports teams / tournaments (3v3 soccer tournaments, cheer and dance, soccer, lacrosse, flag football, AAU basketball, etc.) • College / university travel sports teams • Motorcoach business (tour operators handle booking various markets throughout the country for the entire year – once we book a tour, are we seeking more business for our hotel? For our sister hotels?)

46. Just look at the opportunities!

48. Look to the STARS

49. Do We UNDERSTAND What We Look At Each Wednesday Morning?

50. Time for a NEW CONTEST for 2010! Look to the STARS! • DaySTAR report performance will be tracked weekly for ALL hotels. • Each week we will measure the variance from your actual weekly REVPAR Index vs. your Goal REVPAR Index for that respective quarter. • For example, if your goal is 120, and for the week you ran 132.4, your variance is +12.4. • We will list (and distribute to everyone) weekly and YTD rankings based upon these variances. • Prizes / incentives are currently in the works for weekly / monthly / quarterly / annual winners!