Being a hotel sales manager can be a rewarding career both financially and professionally. Each hotel management company will have its own established compensation structure, but as with any sales position, a commission structure is a normal part of that compensation. 

There are a few key traits that hotels look for when hiring a sales manager and it’s important that you possess these. Not only for the hotel, but also for yourself as it can be a challenging position. 

Listen

The number one quality of a great sales manager is the ability to listen. Every guest is going to have a unique set of needs and desires. This means that the pitch that works for one client is not going to work on the next. After the ability to listen, you need to be able to ask questions that will assist the guest in opening up more about what they need. You’ll want to make sure that you know every aspect of your hotel and the service menu so you can cater answers to each guest’s needs. 

Resilience

You need to have thick skin when it comes to sales. There is a lot of rejection that comes with a sales career and being able to bounce back from rejected proposals and maintain a positive outlook is key. Keeping a positive attitude will be key in your success. One failed deal should not impact your goals. 

Persistence

Another important habit of a successful sales manager is persistence. Clients rarely call back after the first or second call. Sometimes salespeople give up too quickly and lose the sale because they aren’t following up. YOu should try a variety of methods to get through to a client. Set reminders to help you stay organized. 

Creativity

Being memorable as a salesperson can be difficult, which makes it even more important to be creative in your approach and correspondence with potential clients. Put a personal touch on your emails, or customize your proposal so that your client so they know you listened to them and that you are different than other sales managers. Treating each client as an individual will set you apart. 

Know Your Hotel AND the Competition

An experienced sales manager will be armed with the knowledge of what the hotel offers as well as what the competition offers. Play to the hotel’s strengths? Identify areas for improvement. Visit the competition and scope things out for yourself. This can be especially important for new sales managers or when a competing hotel has had renovations. 

If you’re looking to start a sales career in the hotel industry, brush up on these skills and then search our open opportunities!