Role Summary
The Regional Director, Hotel Sales acts as the primary relationship manager between LA INC., member hotels and its self-contained clients for a specific region of Los Angeles (i.e. LAX/Beach Cities, Downtown/Hollywood, Westside/Luxury, and the Valley/Neighboring Regions) and/or market segment. Territory covered includes: approximately 18 member hotels within the San Fernando Valley/San Gabriel Valley/Neighboring Regions areas. The Regional Director is responsible for promoting, developing, closing and maintaining self-contained sales (meetings/conventions held solely within the hotel grounds) and meet LA INC.'s established annual goals on leads and definite room night bookings.
Key Performance Measures and Accountabilities
- To meet or exceed predetermined Regional and Cross-Regional Lead Generation and Room Night goals.
- To maintain existing client relationships through appropriate follow-up activities.
- To develop new client relationships through prospecting and proactive lead generation activities.
- To meet or exceed predetermined sales activity goals included in the annual goals & objectives – including Business Development, Industry Segment Production, Familiarization Trips, Regional Sales Partner “Missions”, Sites, Assists, etc.
- Serve as the Regional liaison for the hotel members within the assigned Region and LA INC.
- Develop key relationships with trade associations, corporations, government bodies and/or labor unions (the key LA INC. market segments) and promote the assigned Region as a destination to hold self-contained hotel conventions and meetings.
- Conduct sales meetings with clients within LA and its Regions (and on behalf of the National Directors) to convince and encourage the client to hold their meeting/convention in their respective Region by demonstrating all the features and services the Region has to offer.
- Use all negotiation skills in promoting LA and the assigned Region to potential clients by stressing the uniqueness of their respective Region; implement creative selling approach at all times in personal sales calls as well as proposals.
- Design, coordinate and partner with National Directors to execute customer events and familiarization trips within the respective Region.
- Schedule, arrange, and conduct Site inspections for the member hotels within the respective Region (and other LA Regions and also on behalf of the National Directors when required).
- Actively participate in “Assists” – Collaborating strategically with hotel partners to close a “non-CVB” generated lead when possible and/or beneficial for the hotel member(s).
- Cultivate relationships with clients to determine their needs and what resources are available to them within their assigned Region (e.g. hotels, entertainment venues, airline needs).
- Partner with member hotels and align clients with appropriate hotels acknowledging the need of both the client and the member hotel (e.g. how price sensitive is the client?).
- Stay abreast of current and upcoming LA/Region events to develop a working knowledge of LA/Region offerings. Use this knowledge to promote LA/Region based on client needs.
- Develop leads for the bureau through all available means and methods including cold calling organizations, attending industry events, maintaining ongoing client relationships, and asking for referrals.
- Manage the client through the negotiation process with the hotels to ensure ultimate booking of the client with a LA and/or Regional hotel(s). The Director is not responsible for negotiating the contract between the client and the hotel, but can act as a resource to the client if they run into difficulty with the hotel.
- Obtain a copy of the contract between the hotel and the client (not all Convention and Visitors Bureaus are responsible for obtaining an actual contract, most need only a signed letter of intent from the client).
- Obtain a letter from the client confirming LA INC's involvement in the sales process.
- Transfer client relationship to appropriate Client Services team member once the client arrival is definite.
- Maintain and develop ongoing relationships with clients even after the definite booking by conducting follow-up calls once the meeting time gets closer and consistently checking in with the client throughout the year as needed.
- Maintain effective relationships with Client Services counterparts to ensure smooth client transition from Sales to Client Services.
- Ensure all internal and external deadlines are met.
Essential Work Experience:
- Living within the assigned Region (e.g. San Fernando or San Gabriel Valleys) is favorable.
- Hotel sales experience with the knowledge of multiple brands and/or hotel classifications and the ability to translate that knowledge to LA INC.'s sales process (e.g. negotiating with a client, pricing strategies, relationship building, etc.).
- Local Los Angeles and/or Southern California sales experience to understand how to reach clients at a Regional level and encourage them to select a member hotel within the Region.
- Hotel operations experience to know what different product/service hotels offer and how those offerings can be aligned to the needs of the client.
- Brand selling experience to know and understand how to sell a brand, not just a product, to a wide range of clients and customers.
Excellent social and professional skills
Effective communicator and listener
Creative sales professional
Good organizational skills to keep track of a large group of clients and their needs
Strong attention to detail
High self-motivation
A deep passion for the work and for promoting LA, the respective Region, and its offerings
Ability to travel
Able to stay on top of current events both within LA and among the industry
Able to maintain a pulse on latest trends within hotels
Basic computer knowledge
Ability to meet deadlines
Possess a Certified Meeting Planner Certification (CMP) (Optional)
Salary Range: $60,000 - $80,000/year
Please submit your resume to Antoinette Lara, hr@lainc.us.
