Sales Manager, Group and Catering

About the role

The Group and Catering Sales Manager role is to solicit business that enables the hotel to meet and/or exceed revenue goals in rooms and food and beverage. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Understanding Market Opportunities & Driving Revenue Solicit new and existing accounts to meet/exceed revenue goals through telephone solicitation, outside sales calls, site visits and written communication. Prepare correspondence to group accounts in timely manner. Account management using DELPHI + sales/account management software. Prospect for new business, creating new leads and awareness of the hotel. Travel to strategic trade shows and customer events. Targets accounts, markets, or segments with heavy emphasis on proactive solicitation and account saturation. Partners with counterpart to effectively manage the business opportunity. Responds to and manages larger and more complex incoming opportunities for the property. Focuses efforts on accounts with significant potential sales revenue. Develops effective sales plans and actions. Works with partners to develop creative ideas and proposals for events. Maximizes revenue by upselling packages. Understands the overall market - competitors' strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them. Closes the best opportunities based on market conditions and individual property needs. Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts. Handles complex business with significant revenue potential as well as significant customer expectations. Building Successful Relationships Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings. Activities include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc. Develops relationships within community to strengthen and expand customer base for sales opportunities. Provides excellent customer sales service in order to grow share of the account. Manages and develops relationships with key internal and external stakeholders. Additional Responsibilities Utilizes intranet for resources, templates, and information. Participates in site visits. Develops and facilitates execution of contracts as required. Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence). Executes the brand's Customer Service Standards and property's Brand Standards through the sales process. Work with Director of Sales and other members of team to ensure adequate coverage of the Sales Department. Field unsolicited leads as allocated. Coordinate all details of bookings from these accounts with the assistance of Sales Assistant. Work to achieve annual budgetary goals with respect to occupancy and revenue in group segment. Achieve monthly and annual quotas. Manage relationships with accounts and ensure that all information/history in daylight is current and accurate. Secondary Job Functions: Continually update Delphi database with contact information. Assist Director of Sales with development of sales strategies and planning Assist with preparation of annual rooms' budget and marketing plan. Act as a backup sales resource in any capacity including handling leisure and corporate business travel reservations when needed.