Carl (not his real name), is the Director of Sales and Marketing (DOSM) for a 4-star international business hotel in the suburbs of Shanghai. Although a 4-star brand, the hotel’s facilities are good enough to match any 5-star hotel anywhere in the world.
However, the location of the hotel actually makes it very difficult for Carl and his team to sell its 400 rooms. The key challenges that Carl and his team face include:
• Situated in an industrial area where there are literally no international or big companies willing to pay the price of a 4-star hotel, so that guests can stay in better comfort and get better service;
• Surrounded by a litter of 3-star and budget hotels, where cost-conscious visitors to the area find it more attractive to choose the cheaper options;
• Devoid of external parks and spaces that can be used for outdoor teambuilding programmes, which otherwise will make the suburb location of the hotel ideal of teambuilding and company retreats.
Undaunted, Carl led his team to target at the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions) market. In particular, he targeted at companies who would want to bring their staff a from all over China and other parts of the world off-site to have a series of meetings, training or strategic planning.
So far, Carl’s strategy has worked enough to keep the hotel afloat. Apparently, the meeting facilities of the hotel is in such high demand, Carl can actually “force” his customers to buy his hotel rooms, rather than staying in a cheaper (and poorer quality) place across the street.
So putting ourselves in Carl’s shoes, what else could Carl do to build on this initial success?
Well, if we were to frame Carl’s target customers as “people who don’t mind staying in a faraway hotel, BUT would like to stay in a hotel with good facilities”, then perhaps we can target at the following groups:
• Tour groups. During the 2010 Shanghai World Expo where there’s a shortage of hotel rooms, some tour groups actually stayed outside of Shanghai, and then hopped on the tour bus to get to the Expo.
• Cabin crew. They’ve got the usual tour buses to pick them up as well.
Companies doing outdoor teambuilding. Didn’t we say that there are no outdoor teambuilding spaces around the hotel? Well, the nearest teambuilding facility Top 10 Industry Types is only about 20-30 minutes’ drive away, and companies who want to have outdoor teambuilding AND stay in a better hotel can charter a bus.
• Industrial companies seeking to hold trade shows and exhibitions. Exhibition centres are expensive, compared to usage of hotel ballrooms. Since the hotel is in the middle of an industrial area, why not?
• Event management companies. Carl does not need to go directly to customers all the time. He can also approach the event organisers who could bring the people
The other way of thinking could be “how can we shrink the distance between the hotel Types …
Tag: sales
Drive Your Dealership’s Sales With Mobile Marketing
The automobile industry has been one of the hardest hit sectors in the recent economic recession. However, automobile dealerships have proven time and again over the past one hundred years to be incredibly resilient and capable of changing with the times. Embracing new technologies such as mobile marketing has been one of the reasons for this resiliency.
More and more dealerships are utilizing text messaging to build ongoing relationships with their customers and in the course of doing so, increasing their sales revenues. Dealers recognize that their customers never leave home without their cell phones and are checking their text messages all day long. It’s a fact that people tend to respond to short, concise text messages as opposed to other methods of messaging.
Mobile Marketing Basics
If your dealership hasn’t adopted this new, cost effective technology, now is the time and here’s how to get started. To begin, you have to determine the right mobile marketing vendor with the technology to meet your specific needs, develop the appropriate budget, create the marketing strategy that will motivate your target audience and finally, insure that you have the right reporting tools to determine the effectiveness of your campaigns.
The Critical Advantages Of Industrial Development Factors
The most important factor impacting the success of your mobile marketing initiatives is to have a database of cell phone numbers for customers and prospects. There are a number of very ways to acquire those numbers and one of the most effective is to establish a brand loyalty club at your dealership, for instance, a Cadillac VIP Club.
Staff training will also be extremely important to the success of building your database. Sales team members, service advisors and cashiers all need to let each and every customer know about the VIP Club and the benefits of joining, much like restaurant servers tell their customers about their daily specials. The dealership’s website can also promote the VIP Club and provide a simple sign up form.
Text the Info Your Customers Want to Receive
The benefits to the customer can be numerous. Customers can receive text message notifications of new model arrivals, special sales specials, demo drive events and accessory discount coupon. Reminder text message notifications for scheduled service will have high value since most customers claim they neglect vehicle service simply because they forgot. Service specials, discount coupons, parts availability and recall notifications will all provide high value to the customer and revenue to the dealership. Text messaging is also a great way to keep your staff aware of all of the dealership’s activities.
Reporting in general is important and coupon campaign reporting, in particular is critical. Your vendor’s mobile marketing technology should automatically assign a unique coupon code to every sent text message that identifies the consumer and the campaign. You should also be able to input the coupon value and easily determine the return on your campaign investment. Reports can then detail the current campaigns running, the consumers who were sent coupons, the coupon code …
Drive Your Dealership’s Sales With Mobile Marketing
The automobile industry has been one of the hardest hit sectors in the recent economic recession. However, automobile dealerships have proven time and again over the past one hundred years to be incredibly resilient and capable of changing with the times. Embracing new technologies such as mobile marketing has been one of the reasons for this resiliency.
More and more dealerships are utilizing text messaging to build ongoing relationships with their customers and in the course of doing so, increasing their sales revenues. Dealers recognize that their customers never leave home without their cell phones and are checking their text messages all day long. It’s a fact that people tend to respond to short, concise text messages as opposed to other methods of messaging.
Mobile Marketing Basics
If your dealership hasn’t adopted this new, cost effective technology, now is the time and here’s how to get started. To begin, you have to determine the right mobile marketing vendor with the technology to meet your specific needs, develop the appropriate budget, create the marketing strategy that will motivate your target audience and finally, insure that you have the right reporting tools to determine the effectiveness of your campaigns.
The Critical Advantages Of Industrial Development Factors
The most important factor impacting the success of your mobile marketing initiatives is to have a database of cell phone numbers for customers and prospects. There are a number of very ways to acquire those numbers and one of the most effective is to establish a brand loyalty club at your dealership, for instance, a Cadillac VIP Club.
Staff training will also be extremely important to the success of building your database. Sales team members, service advisors and cashiers all need to let each and every customer know about the VIP Club and the benefits of joining, much like restaurant servers tell their customers about their daily specials. The dealership’s website can also promote the VIP Club and provide a simple sign up form.
Text the Info Your Customers Want to Receive
The benefits to the customer can be numerous. Customers can receive text message notifications of new model arrivals, special sales specials, demo drive events and accessory discount coupon. Reminder text message notifications for scheduled service will have high value since most customers claim they neglect vehicle service simply because they forgot. Service specials, discount coupons, parts availability and recall notifications will all provide high value to the customer and revenue to the dealership. Text messaging is also a great way to keep your staff aware of all of the dealership’s activities.
Reporting in general is important and coupon campaign reporting, in particular is critical. Your vendor’s mobile marketing technology should automatically assign a unique coupon code to every sent text message that identifies the consumer and the campaign. You should also be able to input the coupon value and easily determine the return on your campaign investment. Reports can then detail the current campaigns running, the consumers who were sent coupons, the coupon code …
Industry Trends in Commercial Property Sales and Leasing
Given the status of the global economy, there are reasonable pressures on commercial property sales and leasing activity. That being said, business and commerce still continues and is currently adjusting to the new business circumstances.
Property owners and landlords need to accept change when it comes to property values and property rentals. Failure to accept change will see substantial delay in selling a property and increased vacancy factors when it comes to leasing.
One common trend noted today in commercial property centers on the significant difference between those property investors looking for higher inflated prices when selling their property, and those that have accepted that prices have fallen. Properties that are listed at an inflated price remain unsold for many months if not over a year.
Some clients think that is acceptable to wait for the ideal property buyer to come along; the reality is that buyers understand the property market and are not going to set a new benchmark on price above that which is acceptable today.
Commercial property agents today should only work with those clients that are realistic in their expectations of marketing, pricing, and rentals. To a degree the best way to flush out property owners and their intentions is through choosing a method of sale that will provide sale momentum to a time frame. Typically that will be the auction method, the tender method, or expressions of interest.
Properties that are put on the market at an inflated price to test the enquiry usually remain unsold for a very long period and may even totally stagnate when it comes to inquiry.
So the best strategies to sell or lease property today involve a mixture of some or more of the following:
Understand the location and proximity of competing properties before you take your property Meltwater Definition to the market. Investigate the rentals and prices being asked for those competing properties
Choose a method of sale or lease that suits the local level of enquiry currently. Professional commercial property agents will understand the existing trends and the sources of enquiry. They will have a database established from other campaigns and other quality properties.
When selling a property, be prepared to choose a timed method of sale with vendor paid marketing to initiate reasonable momentum and levels of enquiry. The marketing campaign should be directed to the target market that best suits the property type.
Property agents today need to do a lot of direct marketing when it comes to listings. This means lots of personalized phone calls and direct letters.
When leasing a commercial property, be prepared to offer generous incentives to entice tenant enquiry. Those incentives Postindustrial Economy should be provided on the basis of a lengthy lease with a reasonable rent review terms and conditions over the lease term.
When you understand the existing and prevailing industry trends, every property listing can be optimized for the available enquiry in the local property area. Commercial property should today be marketed through an exclusive listing process. …
Industry Trends in Commercial Property Sales and Leasing
Given the status of the global economy, there are reasonable pressures on commercial property sales and leasing activity. That being said, business and commerce still continues and is currently adjusting to the new business circumstances.
Property owners and landlords need to accept change when it comes to property values and property rentals. Failure to accept change will see substantial delay in selling a property and increased vacancy factors when it comes to leasing.
One common trend noted today in commercial property centers on the significant difference between those property investors looking for higher inflated prices when selling their property, and those that have accepted that prices have fallen. Properties that are listed at an inflated price remain unsold for many months if not over a year.
Some clients think that is acceptable to wait for the ideal property buyer to come along; the reality is that buyers understand the property market and are not going to set a new benchmark on price above that which is acceptable today.
Commercial property agents today should only work with those clients that are realistic in their expectations of marketing, pricing, and rentals. To a degree the best way to flush out property owners and their intentions is through choosing a method of sale that will provide sale momentum to a time frame. Typically that will be the auction method, the tender method, or expressions of interest.
Properties that are put on the market at an inflated price to test the enquiry usually remain unsold for a very long period and may even totally stagnate when it comes to inquiry.
So the best strategies to sell or lease property today involve a mixture of some or more of the following:
Understand the location and proximity of competing properties before you take your property Meltwater Definition to the market. Investigate the rentals and prices being asked for those competing properties
Choose a method of sale or lease that suits the local level of enquiry currently. Professional commercial property agents will understand the existing trends and the sources of enquiry. They will have a database established from other campaigns and other quality properties.
When selling a property, be prepared to choose a timed method of sale with vendor paid marketing to initiate reasonable momentum and levels of enquiry. The marketing campaign should be directed to the target market that best suits the property type.
Property agents today need to do a lot of direct marketing when it comes to listings. This means lots of personalized phone calls and direct letters.
When leasing a commercial property, be prepared to offer generous incentives to entice tenant enquiry. Those incentives Postindustrial Economy should be provided on the basis of a lengthy lease with a reasonable rent review terms and conditions over the lease term.
When you understand the existing and prevailing industry trends, every property listing can be optimized for the available enquiry in the local property area. Commercial property should today be marketed through an exclusive listing process. …
Industrial Equipment Sales Looking Up, But Employment Doesn’t Seem to Be
Well, they said this would be a jobless recessionary recovery, and the economists were right. Currently major corporations are sitting on hundreds of billions of dollars in cash because they’ve become really good at collecting the money. Their business models are tight, proven, and highly efficient. No matter how much money we give to the poor the wealthy corporations will have that money in less than three transactions.
Meanwhile the government keeps setting up corporate welfare programs on top of that. And if that wasn’t enough, due to all the lobbyists, our legislatures are putting more regulations on small business and building moats, and barriers to entry. This is a great time in American history to be an American corporation.
Many less than free-market capitalist thinkers are now complaining and demanding that corporations let loose of some of those hundreds of billions of dollars and start hiring more employees. But with all the regulations and Types Of Manufacturing Industry rules about hiring new people, including the additional cost of ObamaCare, it doesn’t behoove their bottom line, shareholders equity, or quarterly profits to do so. Meanwhile the small business community can’t afford to.
Therefore we continue our jobless recovery, as we enter a stagflation period, which is worse than a double dip, because you get inflation, but no growth, meaning no GDP growth, no job growth, and no earnings growth and thus, the jobs that do exist, but you still have to deal with increases in commodity costs, and wholesale inflation due to regulations and perhaps fuel and energy costs.
There was an interesting article recently in the New York Times which was titled; “Companies Spend on Equipment, Not Workers,” by Catherine Rampell, published on June 10, 2011. The article stated;
“Companies that are looking for a good deal aren’t seeing one in new workers. Workers are getting more expensive while equipment is getting cheaper, and the combination is encouraging companies to spend on machines rather than people. “I want to Secondary Industry have as few people touching our products as possible,” said one Tech company. “Everything should be as automated as it can, we just can’t afford to compete with countries like China on labor costs, when workers are getting even more expensive.”
Sure, that makes sense, after all why would you wish to hire more workers, only to be forced to pay their healthcare insurance, deal with employment law lawsuits, and all the increased regulations? You see, if you hire a worker at $15 an hour, that same worker really cost you $23 per hour. For that amount of money you are better to go buy a new robotic system for your factory, and take the depreciation cost over time against your corporate taxes, because you come out way ahead, and you don’t have to pay all those additional costs.
These corporations aren’t bad, they’re doing what makes sense. Now if our government will use common sense, it is my contention we can rectify this problem and get our …