My ear is constantly hot. Sometimes I wonder what this age of the iphone is going to mean for our kids. Will they have hot ears too? With all the technology flying around the world, how has making the sale changed?
Just looking around our sales office the other day I was hit with a flashback. It may have been all that champagne from the Go Go 80’s finally getting to me, but I swear I was in a different world. Gone were the oversized, under produced sales billboards. The sweet sounds of bad elevator music had long ceased to exist. And the furniture…let’s just say things looked a bit more polished.
These days when you come into the office the secretary politely offers you a beverage and the well-dressed sales reps smoothly ushers you over to a polished oak table. These days the flimsy props are replace with wall sized panoramas, 3D renderings of future amenities and of course the HiFi sales videos design to ooh and aww the prospects.
Beyond the immediate sales process, even the architects are getting in on the action. Viewing areas along the tour are design as pit stops to let the sales rep do their magic. Tours get a chance to take in the new water park set against the backdrop of fancy new buildings and manicured lawns.
The point is, the setting has changed, but I submit that the selling hasn’t. They say selling is a killer instinct that you are born with. I have definitely seen reps that were not naturals become good at what they do. However, there is something to be said for the tigers out there. With all the new technology it still comes down to engaging with people and earning their trust.
Companies continue to data-mine their tour channels and monitoring performance. All these metrics are critical for keeping a competitive edge. Despite all the technology and techniques I still believe it comes down to the sales team. With the economy in the gutter and gas prices through the roof, the sales team needs to carry the torch. As resort marketers get creative about generating tours, keep your eye on the sales guys. As long as you get qualified people through the door, they have to sell the ice, even in these hard times when we are all Eskimos.
The Wizard
The Living Link Web Directory
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