A hotel director of sales works to develop and implement a marketing plan that reaches across the property's market and beyond.
A hotel's sales department relies on a leader to direct its sales and marketing efforts and bring in consistent business. The duties of a director of sales vary between properties and are influenced by the size of the hotel, the market it serves and its ownership.
Duties
A hotel's director of sales is responsible for overseeing the property's sales and marketing plans as they relate to the overall mission statement. The director of sales is also responsible for managing various departments within the property. These typically include the sales management team, catering and various support personnel. The director of sales also works with vendors who provide marketing, photography and printing services as they create campaigns and collateral material to promote and market the hotel.
Marketing
A hotel's visibility and reputation within the hospitality industry is often the result of an effective sales and marketing department. The director of sales, then, is responsible for promoting the property within the community and beyond.
Sales Department
The director of sales oversees all sales reports, calendars of events, leads and follow-through, and mailing lists. As leader of the sales team, the director also helps create and implement sales programs and advertising campaigns. Sales performance also falls within these responsibilities, and the director of sales maintains clear communication with sales managers and the entire sales team.
Miscellaneous Marketing Responsibilities
Marketing duties may include working with a public relations or advertising team to develop campaigns designed to reach sales, advertising and marketing goals. The director of sales may also oversee quantitative marketing efforts by identifying the competition and analyzing the bookings at other local and regional hotels.
Meetings and Conventions
Hotels that offer meeting and exhibit space rely greatly on the sales team to court associations and corporations for their conferences, annual conventions, trade shows, board meetings and other events. Groups typically work directly with a director of sales in submitting requests for proposals (RFPs) as they begin to plan a meeting. The sales department is the main contact for meeting planners before the convention services department assumes the responsibilities.
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