Immerse yourself in whispered tales and timeless beats, as the ambiance transports you to a bygone era reserved for top shelf A-listers. An air of intrigue awaits those who dare to discover this hard-to-find haven.
Why the “check-in and circle back” era of hotel sales is officially over
The inbox dings again.
Another “Just checking in!” email is sent into the void, joining hundreds like it … unread, unreturned, and unremarkable.
Down the hall, a sales manager dials through their “follow-up Friday” list, repeating the same script they’ve used since 2018. The results? Crickets.
For hotel sales teams across the country, the old playbook has stopped working. RFPs are drying up, inbound leads have slowed to a trickle, and the buyers they’re chasing are finding venues in entirely new ways, often without ever speaking to a sales rep.
She recently sat down with my partner Cory Falter on The InnSync Showto talk about something we’ve been yelling from the rooftops (and rooftops bars) for months now: the way hotel sellers are prospecting is broken.
What worked five years ago isn’t just outdated. It’s irrelevant.
Cory and Celeste have one of those energetic, high-voltage dynamics that makes you lean in and want to take notes. And lucky for you, I did.
Here are the big takeaways from their conversation and what the top hotel sales teams already know (and do) that the rest are still catching up to.
Hotel Sales Prospecting Tips
1. Top Sellers Stop Talking About the Ballroom
Features are a dime a dozen. Ballrooms, breakout rooms, room blocks, and rooftop bars.
Guess what? Your comp set has most of those, too.
Leading with features doesn’t differentiate you; it commoditizes you.
Instead of rattling off capacity charts and F&B minimums, top sellers ask better questions. They get curious about what the planner is trying to achieve and not just what size room they need.
Cory said, “The difference between selling empty space versus handholding someone through an experience is crucial for success.”
And Celeste added this analogy: “Imagine walking into a shoe store, not sure what you need. One salesperson hands you three styles in your size. The other asks about your foot type, injury history, and what you’ll be using them for.”
Who would you trust more?
It’s the same in hotel sales. The best sellers are flipping the script. Instead of saying, “Here’s what we have,” they’re asking, “Why is this meeting important? What does success look like for you? What are you worried about?”
That kind of conversation builds trust, and helps you move from order taker to trusted advisor.
2. RFPs Will Soon Be the Fax Machine
Ouch.
But let’s be honest … someone had to say it.
RFPs used to be the golden goose. Now? They’re a bottleneck. They’re clunky, slow, and almost entirely void of buyer context.
These days, folks are leaning into instant research, AI shortcuts, and buyer autonomy; the RFP is often the last stop if you’re lucky enough to even get there.
Cory said, “The whole purpose of agentic search and AI is to dissolve intermediaries. Buyers are sourcing venues directly—no RFP, no CVENT, no middleman.”
Modern planners are skipping the traditional process entirely. They’re going straight to Google. Or ChatGPT. Or social. They’re finding venues, qualifying them in five minutes, and you may never know they were even looking.
Celeste added, “There are buyers actually searching for you, but you didn’t make the shortlist. Why? Because you weren’t visible. You didn’t show value. You didn’t show up.”
Even worse? Most hotels are still over-investing time and energy in low-win-rate RFPs. If your close rate on those is hovering around 3%–5%, why are they still your sales team’s primary focus?
Instead of chasing every generic lead, top sellers are doubling down on visibility, positioning, and relevance, so when that buyer starts searching, they show up.
And when that inquiry hits the inbox? It’s not treated like one of 50. It’s prioritized and personalized, because that’s where the win is.
3. Direct Inquiries Are Gold, But Most Sellers Miss Them
If you’ve been selling long enough, you’ve seen it happen: an email drops in from your hotel’s website contact form. It’s not a professional meeting planner—it’s someone in marketing, HR, or operations. They’re asking about availability for a team offsite or regional sales meeting.
No RFP. No intermediary. Just one question: “Do you have space?”
Most salespeople don’t realize that these direct inquiries are the warmest leads they’ll ever get. This person didn’t stumble into your inbox by accident. They found you, picked you, and are quietly hoping you’ll make their life easier.
Cory and I see this every week in our work with hotels.
In this episode, he said, “When someone reaches out directly, it means there’s intent. You’re not competing with 27 other hotels. You’re on their mind for a reason. That is not the time to ghost them—or worse, make them wait four days for a response.”
Celeste shared a painful story that proves the point. A planner reached out to her in frustration, saying she couldn’t get a response from a hotel in Denver. Celeste messaged the DOS directly on LinkedIn. The reply? “I’m on vacation. I’ll get back to you next week.”
By then, the planner had already booked elsewhere.
The worst part? It happens all the time. Not because sellers don’t care, but because they’re overloaded, under-prioritizing, or treating direct inquiries like just another lead.
They’re not. These buyers are telling you with their actions:
I found you. I want to work with you. Please make this easy.
Top sellers know to roll out the red carpet the minute that email hits. Because if you don’t? Someone else will.
4. Warm Prospecting Wins (Especially in Flip-Flops)
This might be my favorite part of the entire conversation.
Cory coined a term I wish I’d come up with: warm prospecting, a method that aligns perfectly with how buyers behave today.
Instead of cold outreach that screams “I need you to buy from me,” warm prospecting is rooted in relevance, timing, and trust-building.
It works like this:
Your hotel sends out monthly value-driven content (trends, tips, planning ideas and not promos).
A prospect clicks through and lands on your website.
You get notified they visited (yes, the tech exists), and you see what they looked at; maybe your team page, F&B packages, or a recent blog post.
Then you reach out—not cold, not random, but with context.
This isn’t theoretical. We’ve been doing this for our clients for years.
Cory shared an actual story from one of our hotels. A planner had been in the CRM for three years, received 56 pieces of content, never responded once, and then booked six figures of business.
No RFP. No back-and-forth. They felt connected. They gained trust.
Why? Because of consistent, helpful, human communication.
5. LinkedIn Isn’t Optional Anymore
The days of hiding behind your brand are over. People don’t want to work with a building; they want to work with a person.
That’s why Celeste challenged sellers to treat themselves like entrepreneurs:
She said, “What’s your quarterly plan to show up online? What are you talking about? Where are you showing up? If the only thing you’re posting is a photo of your lobby renovation or a coffee cup on your rooftop bar…you’re missing it.”
Cory echoed it, too.
Sellers who consistently engage on LinkedIn by leaving thoughtful comments, posting helpful takes, and starting conversations are the ones who get remembered.
Even if someone doesn’t engage, they’re watching. And when the time comes, guess who pops into their head?
6. One-and-Done Training is a Waste of Money
This is where Celeste went full sales scientist, and I loved it.
She brought up the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, which shows that after just 7 days, most people forget 70% of what they learn if they don’t apply it. In other words, your annual training event is probably just a very expensive happy hour.
That’s why we created Sales on Tap: to make sales training ongoing, relevant, and actually useful in real time.
“Learning isn’t a one-time dopamine hit,” Celeste said. “It’s reps. It’s getting messy. It’s building new muscle memory over time.”
7. The Most Successful Sellers Act Like They Own the Business
If I had to sum up the biggest mindset shift hotel sellers need to make, it’s this: stop waiting, start building.
Cory and Celeste both hit this point hard. Whether it’s prospecting, posting, following up, or asking better questions—top sellers aren’t checking boxes. They’re thinking like business owners.
“We’ve got to stop thinking of prospecting as just sales activity,” Celeste says. “It’s not about blasting out brochures or asking if they have any upcoming meetings. It’s about being a helper. A guide. A strategic partner.”
Because guess what? If you’re not showing up as a trusted advisor, someone else will.
Final Thoughts (aka A Loving Nudge)
If you’re a sales leader reading this, here’s my honest take:
The old playbook is done.
Buyers are moving faster than the industry.
And most hotel sellers have no idea how much business they’re missing.
But this isn’t doom and gloom. It’s a massive opportunity.
Sales on Tap exists because we saw the shift early. We knew sales teams needed more than checklists and cold calls—they needed confidence, coaching, and a modern strategy that aligns with how buyers behave today.
So, whether you’re ready to ditch the “just circling back” emails, want to turn your team into warm prospecting machines, or need help getting visible where it matters most, you’re not alone.
We’re building a new way forward for hotel sellers who are ready to lead the pack in 2026.
Answers to Questions About Hotel Sales Prospecting
How is AI changing hotel sales prospecting in 2026?
AI has drastically shortened the buyer journey. Planners now use tools like ChatGPT and Google to research venues, compare options, and narrow their shortlist—without ever submitting an RFP. Hotel sales teams must shift from reactive to proactive, ensuring their digital presence answers buyer questions before they’re even asked. That means visible, helpful content, not just flashy features.
What’s the best way to stand out in a saturated hotel market?
Stop leading with ballrooms and start leading with value. The most effective hotel sellers don’t talk about square footage—they talk about outcomes. Planners want partners who understand their goals and can help them deliver a memorable experience. Asking the right questions (like “What does success look like?”) beats pitching your packages every time.
Are direct inquiries more valuable than RFPs?
Yes—and they’re often overlooked. When someone fills out a website form or emails your sales inbox, they’ve already done their research. They’ve chosen you. Treating those inquiries like gold (quick follow-up, personalized response, zero ghosting) is one of the fastest ways to win business. Ignoring them? That’s leaving revenue on the table.
What is “warm prospecting” and why does it work better?
Warm prospecting means reaching out to someone who already knows your hotel exists—maybe they clicked an email, visited your site, or liked a LinkedIn post. With the right tech, you can track these signals and follow up with context. It’s the opposite of cold calling, and it’s how top sellers turn casual interest into confirmed bookings.
Is one-time hotel sales training still effective?
Not really. Research shows most salespeople forget 70% of what they learn within a week. That’s why ongoing training (like what we do at Sales on Tap) is critical. The best hotel sellers treat sales like a skill to be honed regularly—not a box to check once a year. It’s about reps, not rah-rah.
How Hospitality Vendors Can Maximize Trade Show ROI
Are you really getting the most value from your tradeshow investment?
From what we’re hearing… probably not.
Vendors are betting big on booths, but without a solid online presence, they’re walking away with fewer deals and more debt.
So why do so many vendors still cling to trade shows like they’re the only game in town?
Cory Falter recently sat down with Sam Dunning (host of Breaking B2B) on the InnSync Showto dive a little deeper.
“Some in hospitality are not seeing the ROI like it used to from traditional trade shows, tons of time, effort,” Cory says, “but it’s not oftentimes translating into direct business.”
Let’s unpack what this means for future shows and how to get the most out of them.
Stuck in the Safety Zone: Booths Alone May Not Be Generating Business
Trade shows feel safe.
They’ve “always worked” in hospitality.
Sam says, “It’s a classic case of thinking, this has always worked for our industry, let’s just keep doing it.”
The problem? Buyers don’t buy impulsively.
Sure, they might be intrigued by a flashy display or an enthusiastic sales pitch, but Cory’s insight is this, “Most likely those people are gonna go home… they’re gonna begin to do a little bit more due diligence when they get back.”
That’s where the cracks show.
Too many vendors spend six figures on trade shows but leave their websites looking like they were built in 1999.
No case studies. No clear messaging. No proof of results. Just buzzwords and confusion.
Sam says, “Maybe you have a great sales call… and then you go to their website. This thing looks like it was built in the year 1900’s. I can’t really understand what they do. I can’t see proof of results.”
It’s not visibility that vendors lack. Its credibility.
When Prospects Can’t Find You Online
Here’s the thing many hospitality vendors do not yet understand: savvy buyers are already shortlisting before and after the show and they’re not waiting for your follow-up call.
They’re Googling, checking reviews, and yes, asking ChatGPT or Perplexity.
If you’re not there when they search, you’re pretty much invisible.
Despite the hype around AI search, Sam says, “if you put all the AI tools together, they only take up 2% of the search market. Google is still a beast when it comes to demand capture.”
Translation: ignoring SEO isn’t just risky, it’s revenue suicide.
Cory added this about when searching for a new CRM that “has never even been into a trade show.” Why? Because he could research, demo, and decide — all on his own terms.
The writing’s on the wall. Buyers want frictionless research. Trade shows are friction.
Taking Back Control of the Story
So what can hospitality vendors do instead of clinging to the trade show circuit like a bad habit?
Sam says it’s about owning the narrative. That means showing up where your buyers are searching and shaping the story around your brand.
Here’s how:
Fix the “Minibar Website”
Cory says: “If you don’t know what problems you solve and what you provide, and you confuse, you lose.” Start with a clear value proposition and structure your site with the problem → agitate → solution formula. Stop saying you’re “revolutionizing hospitality” — start showing real outcomes.
Build a Money Keyword Matrix
Sam’s tool of choice: map out the keywords buyers actually search when they’re ready to buy. Think “best hotel booking software for RV parks” or “Olive alternative pricing.” These long-tail, high-intent searches bring leads that are ready for a demo, not just browsing.
Lean Into EEAT
Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust. That means customer stories, testimonials, case study videos, and proof you actually deliver. Cory calls it “social proof on steroids” — because it’s not about traffic, it’s about trust.
Embrace LLM Visibility Buyers aren’t just Googling anymore. They’re asking AI for recommendations. That means your content has to be structured in a way that makes it easy for models like ChatGPT to pick you up: detailed, comparison-rich, and packed with real proof.
As Sam put it: “If you’re not showing up, then your competitors probably are. And they’ll be enjoying a free lunch 24/7.”
The Big Picture
Hospitality vendors don’t have a trade show problem, they have a trust gap. The flashy booth might spark interest, but if the follow-up research leads to a clunky website with zero credibility, the deal is dead before it starts.
The solution isn’t to ditch trade shows entirely, but to stop treating them as the only strategy.
Pair the visibility of events with a digital presence that builds trust and captures demand year-round.
Because let’s be honest: no one brags about raiding the minibar. And no buyer is impressed by a booth if the website behind it screams amateur hour.
Common Questions for How Hospitality Vendors Can Maximize Trade Show ROI
1. How can hospitality vendors measure ROI from trade shows?
Hospitality vendors can measure ROI by tracking post-show engagement (website visits, demo requests, content downloads), lead quality, sales cycle length, and closed-won revenue. But without a strong online follow-up experience, trade show leads often drop off after initial interest.
2. Why aren’t trade shows converting into real deals like they used to?
Today’s B2B buyers do most of their research online, before and after visiting a booth. If vendors lack a credible, searchable online presence (think: modern website, case studies, reviews), leads lose trust and don’t convert. The booth may generate buzz, but the website must close the deal.
3. What should hospitality vendors include on their websites to close more deals?
To build buyer trust and support trade show follow-up, vendor websites should include:
Content that answers common objections or comparisons
4. How can hospitality tech vendors improve their search visibility post-trade show?
Use a keyword matrix based on buyer intent (e.g., “best ID scanner for hotels”), optimize web pages for SEO, and publish content that LLMs like ChatGPT can digest—comparison guides, FAQs, customer stories. This helps buyers find and trust you when they’re doing independent research.
5. Is it still worth attending hospitality trade shows in 2026?
Yes—if they’re part of a bigger strategy. Trade shows are great for visibility and networking, but vendors need a strong digital foundation to convert that interest into revenue. The best results happen when trade show exposure is backed by an AI-ready, trust-building online presence.
Trust, Team, and Tech: The AI-Driven Hotel Sales Strategy Every Property Needs
If you’re in hotel group sales, you might be asking yourself: “Why isn’t my outreach working anymore? Cold calls are ignored, email responses are dwindling, and even when planners visit our website, they don’t convert. How do we make sure AI and real buyers actually find us?”
That’s the exact challenge Cory Falter and I unpacked on The InnSync Show—why hotels need an AI-driven hotel sales strategy to stay visible and competitive.
The shift to AI-driven search means your first sales conversation now happens online long before your team ever gets a chance to pitch.
Think of AI as a buyer’s assistant who never sleeps.
It scans the digital landscape for reviews, FAQs, case studies, videos, press releases—and then decides which hotels feel most credible, relevant, and trustworthy.
In other words, it’s looking for E-E-A-T: expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.
That means the first sales conversation doesn’t happen when your rep picks up the phone. It is most likely happening when AI reviews your content.
If you don’t have the right proof points in place? You might as well be invisible.
Relationships will always matter in hospitality, but today, they often start online, where trust and authority lead the charge. Without the right digital signals, sales teams may never get the chance to build those relationships in the first place.
What’s Turning Buyers Away Before They Even Call
We’ve seen it, you’ve probably seen it, and all the sales gurus preach it… outreach just doesn’t work like it used to. Cold calls and mass emails are noise in an already cluttered inbox.
Even I don’t want to be bothered with a generic sales pitch when I can ask AI for answers myself.
Then there’s the problem of how hotels show up online.
Too many websites look like empty, sterile showrooms with photos of lifeless meeting rooms and glossy, overproduced videos featuring models instead of real staff.
I said it on the show, and I’ll say it again: that kind of content doesn’t feel authentic. Planners can see right through it.
Guests can too.
And if humans don’t believe it, why would AI?
Here are a few ways you can start to build that trust and authority so you can be seen where it matters most.
Building an AI-Driven Hotel Sales Strategy That Stands Out
Here’s what we tell every hotel team we work with, if you want to win sales in this AI-driven landscape, you need three things:
1. Build Trust Signals
Content is your scaffolding.
FAQs, case studies, testimonials, press releases, video reviews, team bios, even price ranges … these are the digital proof points AI uses to determine if you’re credible.
As Cory reminded everyone, “Marketing is now doing up to 80% of the sales process.” Without these signals, you’re invisible.
2. Show Your Team, Not Models
People buy from people.
I’d much rather see your director of sales welcoming me on video than a polished clip of perfectly plated food.
One of my favorite hotel experiences recently was chatting with a sandwich artist at a property deli. He was magnetic, memorable, and real. (And that sandwich was delicious!)
That’s the kind of person who should be front and center on your website.
3. Make Your Website a Sales Assistant
Your website should feel like walking into your hotel lobby.
A warm welcome, clear signage, and a sense of who I’ll be working with.
Too many sites are just digital brochures. With technology - and people working at the hours that are most convenient for them (sometimes at midnight or 4 am) - your website is a 24/7 sales assistant. It can be answering questions, overcoming objections, and reassuring planners they’ve found the right fit, even when you sleep.
When you combine trust, team, and tech, you don’t just attract attention, you convert it into bookings.
Without an AI-driven hotel sales strategy, your outreach risks being invisible.
Relationships Still Matter—But Relevance Wins
Hospitality has always been about relationships, but here’s the shift: relationships without relevance don’t cut it anymore. AI doesn’t magically know you’re the best choice. It relies on the proof points you provide.
That’s why sales and marketing can’t live in silos any longer. They have to work as one, building stories, content, and signals that feed both humans and machines.
So if you’ve been wondering, “Why aren’t my sales efforts working like they used to, and how can we make sure planners actually find us?”—here’s your roadmap:
Build the trust signals AI looks for.
Put your real team in the spotlight.
Treat your website like a 24/7 sales assistant.
Do that, and you’ll stop fading into digital obscurity and start winning more business.
As I told Cory, “Sales isn’t just about relationships. It’s gonna be as much about relevance.” And in this new era, that’s the triple threat every hotel needs to win: trust, team, and tech.
An AI-driven hotel sales strategy is a modern approach to group and leisure sales that focuses on creating digital proof points—like FAQs, case studies, testimonials, and videos—that AI assistants and search engines can easily scan and understand. Instead of relying only on cold calls or email outreach, this strategy ensures your hotel shows up as credible, trustworthy, and relevant when planners and guests ask AI tools for recommendations.
Q2. Why are traditional outreach methods like cold calls and mass emails less effective today?
Planners and buyers now turn to AI tools and online research before they ever speak with a sales rep. Cold calls and generic sales emails often feel like noise in an already crowded inbox. Without the right online signals, your property may never even make it onto their shortlist—because AI filters out hotels that lack trust signals, team visibility, and relevant content.
Q3. What trust signals help hotels rank higher in AI-driven search?
Trust signals are the pieces of content that show your expertise, authority, and reliability. Examples include:
Authentic testimonials and reviews
FAQs that address planners’ real concerns
Case studies or success stories from past groups
Press releases and media coverage
Team bios and videos featuring real staff
When these signals are clearly presented on your website, AI tools treat your hotel as a credible choice and are more likely to recommend you.
Q4. How can hotels showcase their team in a way that builds trust?
People buy from people, not stock photos. Featuring your real team—sales managers, banquet leads, or even front-line staff—humanizes your hotel and builds instant credibility. Short videos, staff quotes, or authentic photography of your team “in action” are far more effective than polished but impersonal images.
Q5. How can my hotel website act like a 24/7 sales assistant?
Your website should do more than list rooms and amenities. It should answer common planner questions, overcome objections, and highlight your hotel’s strengths—even at midnight when a prospect is researching. Adding FAQs, pricing ranges, sample itineraries, and videos makes your site a round-the-clock assistant that nurtures leads until your team can step in.
Sales and marketing can’t operate in silos anymore. Marketing creates the content and proof points that feed AI and build trust online, while sales uses those assets to nurture and close deals. Together, they create a seamless buyer journey where relationships start with relevance, not just outreach.
Why Agentic Search Is Quietly Rewriting the Rules and How to Keep Up
When group leads start to dry up, most hotel teams scramble to tweak their RFP process, refresh their offers, or blame seasonality.
But what if the real problem isn’t internal … it’s invisible?
On a recent episode of The InnSync Show, Cory Falter and Christine Malfair unpacked what they call the “silent hotel sales killer,” and trust me, it’s not something most teams are even aware of yet.
Spoiler: It’s not about your comp set or the economy.
It’s about agentic search, and if that phrase doesn’t ring any bells yet, buckle up.
So What Is Agentic Search?
Christine, founder of Malfair Marketing and one of the sharpest minds in hospitality marketing, broke it down simply: “Once upon a time, we searched in Google. Now we prompt in ChatGPT.”
Search behavior is shifting from keywords to conversational queries, from browsers to bots, and hotels that don’t adapt are already seeing the cracks: a drop in website traffic, fewer inbound inquiries, and sluggish RFP flow.
Search Behavior Is Changing Fast
The data doesn’t lie. Traditional search is declining, and AI prompt-based tools are gaining traction fast. As guests and planners shift from Google to tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, the way your hotel is discovered (or ignored) is evolving with it.
Take a look:
From search bars to prompt boxes, how guests (and planners) find hotels is changing fast. If your content isn’t optimized for AI agents, you’re vanishing from the conversation before it even starts. Source.
Cory’s group side take? “The faucet has begun to really stop for the first time in a long time… and many sales teams don’t even know why.”
As someone who works closely with hotel sales teams and vendors, I can tell you: if you’re waiting for leads to trickle back in the way they used to, you’re going to be waiting a long time.
Marketing & Sales Can’t Sit at Separate Tables Anymore
In most industries, marketing and sales collaborate closely. Not so in hospitality.
Cory said, “In hospitality, they’ve been sitting at different locations at the hotel.”
Agentic search requires a new level of alignment between your sales strategy and your marketing content, because today, your website is no longer a brochure.
It’s your best salesperson.
Your Website: From Booking Funnel to Digital Concierge
Christine made a compelling case for rethinking how we view our websites. “It’s not just a booking tool,” she said. “It needs to be a repository of goodness. A concierge. A destination guide. A trust signal.”
Cory took it further: “Your website is an important trust signal for potential clients, and more important than ever."
That doesn’t mean you need to blow up your current strategy.
In fact, Christine encourages hotels to start small. Use what you already have: your FAQs, guest reviews, keyword data, and just get it on the page in new ways that answer real questions.
The “High Fives” of Group Sales Content
One of my favorite parts of the episode was when Cory outlined our “High Fives,” the five easiest, most impactful ways group sales teams can align with this shift and stand out to both human planners and AI agents.
FAQs: Not buried on a single page. Placed throughout your site where they matter—especially on group and meeting pages.
Team Page: Planners want to know who they’re working with. Photos, bios, friendly intros. Show us the people behind the pitch.
Testimonials: Especially video testimonials. “Nothing sells your property better than someone else’s experience,” Cory said.
Pricing Snapshots: Not rate cards—just ballpark figures for different group sizes and types to reduce friction and increase form fills.
Short Forms: Please stop making assistants wade through multi-step RFPs to ask a simple question. Make it easy to raise a hand.
Implementing these doesn’t just improve the guest journey—it sends signals to AI agents about your trustworthiness, expertise, and relevance (hello, EEAT).
The Bigger Picture: Why Now?
The barrier to entry is low, but the window to act is closing.
“It’s a lot easier to win today than it’s going to be at the end of the year,” Cory says.
He’s not wrong.
Whether you’re marketing to a solo traveler or an enterprise-level planning team, one truth remains: you can’t afford to be invisible in the next era of search.
This isn’t just a content problem or a tech trend, it’s a visibility crisis.
The good news? You have the tools. You have the team. You just need a new roadmap.
And that starts with asking one question:
Are we showing up where our future guests and planners are looking?
Because if the answer is no, the silence you’re hearing in your inbox might just get louder.
How Agentic Search is Rewarding Human Connection and Punishing Outdated Sales Tactics.
You know what’s wild?
For years, hotel sales folks have leaned hard on polished photos of empty ballrooms and panoramic lobby shots.
And guess what?
It’s not working anymore.
I’m here to tell you: the future of hotel group sales doesn’t look like another chandelier ... it looks like a trust fall into AI.
When Cory Falter and I got together on The InnSync Show, we tackled this head-on: what exactly are “trust signals,” why does AI care so much about them, and why should hotel sellers be scrambling (in a calm, professional way) to get on board?
Spoiler alert: If your strategy is “list on Cvent and hope,” you’re gonna have a bad time.
The Truth About Trust Signals in Hotel Group Sales
Empty Ballrooms and Outdated Playbooks
Every ballroom honestly looks about the same.
Sure, some may have better views or nicer chandeliers, but when you think about it, after you add decor, they all start to blur together unless there’s a story behind the space.
The modern group buyer isn’t just window shopping.
They’re envisioning their experience in your space.
That Pinterest-perfect wedding? That high-impact leadership retreat? They want to feel it. A polished venue pic without a story behind it? That’s just décor without depth.
And here’s the kicker: 63% of planners aren’t even using RFPs anymore. That stat from Cvent was a record-scratch moment for me. They’re skipping the old-school platforms entirely and turning to tools like ChatGPT for answers.
If your property doesn’t show up with content that screams “credible, proven, human,” you might as well be invisible.
When AI Starts Playing Matchmaker
Here’s where it gets spicy.
AI, especially agentic search (yes, it’s a thing), is now the middleman between your hotel and a planner’s “I need this booked by Friday” panic.
When someone types, “Where can I host a 300-person event in Austin with cool team-building options?” into ChatGPT, guess what the AI pulls from? Not your lifeless photos.
It’s looking for trust signals: testimonials, case studies, social proof, transparency, and real stories from real people. If you don’t have it, you don’t show up.
And AI is no dummy. It knows fake. It knows vague. Cory says, “The more I learn about AI, the more it’s asking for more humanity, not less.”
Exactly.
Hotel Group Sales Playbook: Then vs Now
Stop Selling. Start Signaling.
Think about your last big purchase. Did you believe the product page, or did you scroll straight to the reviews? Exactly.
Hotel buyers are no different. They don’t want to be sold to; they want receipts. They want evidence. They want to trust you before they ever fill out a form.
And trust doesn’t come from a polished lobby shot, it comes from signals.
You probably already have gold sitting in your inbox.
Testimonials from planners. Thank-you emails from wedding couples. Raving reviews from corporate retreats. Don’t let them die in the CRM.
Post them. Feature them. Repurpose them.
Add written testimonials to your site and event pages.
Film quick video testimonials at the end of an event (use phones, not film crews).
Embed real reviews from TripAdvisor, Google, or Yelp.
Ask past clients if they’ll do a 60-second recap on Instagram or LinkedIn.
If ChatGPT can’t find any of these signals from your brand, neither can your future client.
2. Stop Talking About Square Footage—Tell a Story
You’ve got 5,000 square feet? Cool. So does everyone else.
But did you help a nonprofit host a retreat with custom menus, breakout rooms, and late-night karaoke? That’s what we want to hear.
This is what I call “Event Snapshots.”
Turn successful past events into mini case studies:
Add photos of the event in action
Pull quotes from the planners who booked them
Highlight special touches your team delivered (surprise s’mores bar, anyone?)
Don’t describe your space. Demonstrate the experience.
3. Be Where People Are Talking (and Listening)
Trust signals can come from everywhere:
Blog mentions of your brand
Podcast guest spots
Branded hashtags or tagged posts on social
User videos and reviews on platforms like TikTok or Instagram
Upvotes or discussions on Reddit and Quora
Guest articles, media coverage, or NPS scores
Wiki references (yes, even that counts)
If it’s authentic and public, it counts as a trust signal. And AI is scraping all of it.
The more your brand is talked about in trusted spaces, the more likely you are to be recommended by both humans and machines.
Make it easy for them to share their story and experience.
4. Kill the Mystery, Show Some Prices!
Let’s talk about the hospitality taboo: pricing.
We get it … there are variables. But hiding behind “Call for a quote” is killing your conversions. People don’t expect exact math, they want a starting point.
Post a range.
Explain what’s included.
Link to a sample package or pricing guide.
Endless Customers author Marcus Sheridan says that buyers have two questions: “How much does it cost?” and “How much will it really cost?” Answer the first one early to earn the chance to answer the second.
We’ve all been rewired by instant gratification. Amazon, Netflix, DoorDash… It’s all instant, and now your group buyers expect the same. They’re asking ChatGPT. They’re searching differently. They’re demanding clarity and speed. If your sales process still involves “waiting for someone to get back to you,” you’re not competing, you’re clinging.
That’s why trust signals matter. They speed up the decision-making process by answering the unspoken question: Can I trust you to deliver what I need, without hassle, without risk?
Buyers Are Changing. Are You?
This isn’t just a tech trend for hotel group sales. It’s a human behavior shift. The old model - show the space, wait for RFPs, hope someone picks you - is falling apart. The winners? They’ll be the ones who embrace trust, transparency, and tech… without losing their humanity.
AI is here. But it’s not the enemy. It’s your new sales partner. And it’s asking: can I trust you?
You ready?
The Hard Truth: Buyers Are in Control Now
Here’s a reality check: Nobody—literally nobody—is sitting around thinking, Wow, I hope I get another unsolicited demo request today!
Yet, sales teams in hospitality and beyond keep hammering inboxes and LinkedIn DMs with Hey, just checking in… messages, hoping that persistence will magically turn into revenue.
It won’t.
The game has changed. Buyers are calling the shots now, and they don’t want to be sold to—they want to discover the right solutions on their own terms.
So why are so many vendors still clinging to outdated, pushy sales tactics that buyers themselves hate?
Cory Falter recently invited Zoe Koumbouzi, LinkedIn expert and fractional CMO to the InnSync Show and she shed light on why your old-school approach is pushing people away and what you should be doing instead.
Let’s see what she had to say.
Traditional Cold Outreach Is Dead (and Annoying)
Think back to the 1990s—when cold calling was the way to prospect. You sat in a room with a ripped-out section of the Yellow Pages and just… dialed.
That approach was already on life support in the 2000s, and now? It’s completely obsolete.
“Fast forward to today and you’ve got many global sectors, like the UK, where it’s absolutely impossible to get someone on the phone,” Zoe says. “There are gatekeepers. You cannot get through.”
It's not just ineffective, it's harming your brand.
“I can’t tell you how overloaded I am with feature dumping,” adds Cory. “Vendors are leading with things buyers don’t care about instead of addressing the actual pain points that keep their prospects up at night.”
Even worse? When you do get through, your prospects aren’t interested.
Traditional prospecting methods—cold calls, mass emails, aggressive LinkedIn outreach—don’t work because buyers don’t want to be interrupted. They don’t trust sales pitches, they don’t care about your latest product update, and they definitely don’t want to “jump on a quick call.”
“A lot of vendors still think people will be excited about their product just because they think it’s amazing,” Zoe points out. “But the reality is, buyers don’t care about features. They care about solving their own problems.”
Think about your own buying behavior. When was the last time you got excited about a cold pitch?
Never.
You ignore them just like everyone else. But when you need something—a new CRM, a better revenue management tool, a tech solution that actually solves a pain point—what do you do?
You Google it.
You ask your peers.
You read content that educates you before making a decision.
So, why aren’t you selling that way?
“I still see vendors starting with features and benefits that no one gives a sh*t about,” Cory said. “Buyers have acute pain. If you’re not leading with how you solve their problems, you’re being ignored.”
The Biggest Sales Mistake Hospitality Vendors are Making
Most vendors still lead with features and benefits instead of solutions. And it’s killing their chances before the conversation even starts.
“Sales teams are overloaded with feature-dumping,” I said in our conversation. “They’re leading with things buyers don’t care about, instead of addressing the actual pain points that keep their prospects up at night.”
Buyers don’t care about how cool your product is. They care about how it fixes their specific problems. And until your messaging reflects that, they’re not listening.
How to Make Hotel Buyers Come to You (Instead of Running Away)
So, what actually works?
1. Invest in Brand Awareness, Not Just Sales
Your prospects need to trust you before they’re willing to talk to you. That means focusing on education, visibility, and credibility.
“Prospecting 2.0 is about awareness,” Zoe explains. “It’s about getting your educational content out there, getting people to know you, and actually making them come to you.”
Buyers should already know who you are before they ever get on a sales call.
2. Educate, Don’t Sell
Inbound marketing works because it answers the questions buyers are already asking. Instead of blasting out sales pitches, create content that helps your audience make better decisions.
Ask yourself:
What problems do our ideal customers struggle with?
What questions do they Google?
How can we provide real value without immediately asking for a sale?
By consistently showing up with insights, research, and industry knowledge, you earn attention instead of demanding it.
“Sales is really easy when you literally help answer and guide prospects’ questions,” Cory said. “It’s not a mystery.”
3. Fix Your LinkedIn Strategy (Seriously)
Most vendors treat LinkedIn like an afterthought. That’s a mistake.
“LinkedIn is literally your portal to other people,” Zoe says. “Yet, too many companies leave it to their intern or just throw up random posts without a strategy.”
A strong LinkedIn presence—both for your company and for key execs—helps build credibility before outreach happens.
“Still no pricing anywhere,” Cory says. “No one wants to contact sales just to find out if they can afford your product.”
Be upfront. Publish pricing or at least a pricing range. If you can’t list a set number, explain why—and give potential buyers a way to qualify themselves before they waste time on a call.
The Bottom Line: Change or Get Ignored
If your sales team is still pushing outdated, self-serving tactics, you’re not just losing deals—you’re destroying trust before the conversation even starts.
Buyers don’t want your cold calls. They don’t want your demo requests. They don’t want another spammy LinkedIn pitch.
They do want to work with brands they trust, who educate, engage, and make it easy to buy.
“It’s about building high trust,” Zoe says. “You want to become the no-brainer choice in your industry. When people think of your service, they should immediately think of you.”
So, stop pushing. Start attracting. The brands that understand this? They’re the ones dominating their space.
Your move.
Meeting Planners Aren’t Just Booking Your Ballroom—They’re Booking Your People
Hotel sales teams love to lead with their sparkling chandeliers, high-thread-count linens, and panoramic rooftop views.
But let’s be real—meeting planners aren’t booking your ballroom because of the décor.
They’re booking because of trust, relationships, and confidence in your team.
Cory Falter recently had a conversation with Mandi Graziano, a seasoned meeting planner and sales coach, on the InnSync Show to talk about this very topic.
The thing is, most hotel sales teams are still selling like it’s 1999—leading with specs, square footage, and generic room setups instead of the one thing planners actually care about: the team that’s going to make their event a success.
If your venue is struggling to stand out in the crowded meetings market, Cory and Mandi’s conversation is a reminder … it’s time to rethink your approach.
Hotel Sales Strategies: Why Hotels Focus on the Wrong Selling Points
Hop onto any hotel’s website and head over to the meetings and events page. What do you see? Probably a standard lineup of stacked chairs, empty ballrooms, and a capacity chart.
What’s missing? The people who actually make events happen. Showcasing your team can significantly boost hotel sales by enhancing room occupancy and maximizing revenue.
Planners want to know:
Who’s running the show?
Who’s making sure their VIPs are taken care of?
Who’s going to pick up the phone when they need a last-minute change?
But instead of getting answers to these critical questions, planners get… a PDF of floor plans.
Cory says, “If this is a business of people and relationships, and most everybody I talk to in hospitality says it’s all about relationships, how come there’s so little mention of the team?”
That’s not how you build confidence.
When planners land on your website, they don’t just want to see numbers and specs—they want to know who they’ll be working with and whether they can trust your team to pull off a seamless event. An effective direct hotel sales strategy can increase direct bookings and eliminate commission fees, making it more profitable for hotel operators.
Sales Robots Are Ruining the Experience
If you want to turn a meeting planner off immediately, send them a soulless, robotic sales email.
Mandi says, “Emails, subject lines—lame subject lines, following up, checking in, circling back… or when they send an email drilling you with 18 questions… It does make an impression where I’m like, ‘Oh. That hotel has sales robots.’ Nobody wants to work with a sales robot.”
Cory adds, “So many of the emails I see are just robotic AI-generated spam. The approach hasn’t changed, even though the way people buy has.”
Meeting planners don’t just need a venue; they need a team they can trust.
If you want to attract more group business, it’s time to shift your strategy.
1. Make Your Team Visible
Planners book with people they trust.
So why are most hotels making it so hard to find out who they’ll be working with?
Feature your key team members on your website’s meetings page. A simple “Meet Our Team” section with headshots and bios can go a long way.
Showcase your team in action. Post short videos of your event staff setting up a room, executing a flawless F&B service, or handling last-minute client requests.
Highlight your customer service wins. Do you have a star CSM who saved a last-minute event disaster? Share that story.
“The people make the place,” Mandi says. Your people should be just as much a part of your hotel sales process as your property.
2. Stop Sending Robotic Sales Emails
Planners don’t want another “Just following up…” email clogging their inbox. They want to hear from someone who actually understands their event goals.
Send a quick video message instead of another cold email. It’s more personal and more effective.
Reference something specific about their event. Make it clear you’re paying attention.
Share a valuable insight. Instead of asking for a meeting, offer a tip, like a new trend in attendee engagement or a fresh approach to hybrid events.
Implementing a group hotel sales strategy is crucial. Use innovative marketing techniques and compelling offers to attract corporate groups.
Cory challenged hotels on this point directly. “If hotels actually started helping planners make better decisions instead of just pushing their specs, they’d win more business. The best salespeople educate.”
And that’s the key—stop selling and start helping.
3. Use Social Selling to Build Trust Before the RFP
If your sales team isn’t active on LinkedIn, you’re missing out on one of the biggest opportunities to connect with planners before they even send an RFP.
Post behind-the-scenes content. Show planners what a real event looks like at your hotel—not just a staged promo shot.
Engage with planners’ posts. Comment, ask questions, and start conversations before you pitch.
Share valuable insights. Educate planners on what makes an event successful at your venue. Not every post should be a sales pitch.
Planners are watching. They’re lurking. And when they’re ready to book, they’ll go with the hotel that’s already earned their trust.
The Bottom Line: Relationships Close Deals, Not Floor Plans
Hotels that rely on their space to sell are playing a losing game. It’s the team, the service, and the trust that truly win business. The evolution of hotel sales management in relation to significant developments in the hospitality industry has shown that focusing on these elements is crucial.
If your website, sales process, and outreach aren’t putting your people front and center, you’re leaving money on the table. Various strategies to enhance hotel revenue, such as partnerships, direct bookings, and targeted sales initiatives, are essential for profitability.
Meeting planners want to know:
Not just how many people your ballroom can hold. But who’s going to make sure their event runs smoothly.
Not just what your F&B minimums are. But who’s going to make sure their VIP speaker gets their custom green juice backstage.
Not just how many breakout rooms you have. But who’s going to jump in and problem-solve when an A/V issue pops up.
If you’re still hiding your best people behind a “checking in” email and a PDF of capacity charts, it’s time to change that. Because when meeting planners start choosing venues, they don’t just pick a place—they pick the team that makes them feel confident, supported, and ready to pull off an unforgettable event.
So… are you making it easy for them to choose you? Or are you still hoping square footage alone will seal the deal?
San Diego, CA, August 1, 2024 – Lure Agency, a leader in hospitality B2B marketing, is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Crotonville Conference Center. This iconic corporate learning and development venue, historically known as GE Crotonville, is expanding its services to welcome a broader range of guests and events, offering unique leadership development opportunities to a broader audience.
With a rich legacy of hosting some of the nation's most recognized companies and thought leaders, Crotonville Conference Center is now opening its doors to a wider audience. This partnership with Lure Agency will help build awareness and foster new relationships, leveraging Lure's proven 'Science & Soul' methodology to promote the newly accessible offerings at Crotonville.
"We are excited to collaborate with Lure Agency in opening our doors and expanding our services to include a broader array of business events and leadership development programs," said Sherri Hoy, Area Director of Sales and Marketing at Crotonville. "Our goal is to offer the same exceptional experiences and opportunities for growth that have defined Crotonville for decades, now accessible to more organizations than ever before."
Cory Falter, Partner and CEO of Lure Agency, added, "Partnering with Crotonville is a remarkable opportunity to enhance the landscape of corporate learning and development. Our focus will be on promoting Crotonville's unique value proposition and its iconic status in the world of corporate education. Together, we aim to elevate the experience for all guests, providing them with unparalleled leadership development resources."
This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone for both organizations, aimed at redefining the standards of corporate learning and development. The collaboration is set to drive substantial growth and recognition for Crotonville as a premier destination for business events and leadership training.
About Crotonville Conference Center
Crotonville Conference Center is an iconic destination in corporate learning and development, historically known as GE Crotonville. The property has long been a hub for leadership development, exclusively serving some of the nation's most prestigious companies. Now, Crotonville is expanding its services to offer exceptional event and leadership opportunities to a broader audience. For more information, visit crotonville.com
About Lure Agency
Since 2012, Lure Agency has been at the forefront of integrated hospitality marketing, merging data and creativity to drive revenue and build lasting relationships. Their unique 'Science & Soul' methodology has supported clients like Stonewall Resort, Newman Windows and Doors, and TTI Technologies in achieving measurable success. For more information, visit lureagency.com.
New Collaboration Set to Inspire and Educate on Team-Building in the Hospitality Industry
San Diego, CA, July 1, 2024—Lure Agency, a leader in B2B hospitality marketing, is thrilled to announce a strategic partnership with United EVENTures, a full-service event planning company specializing in team-building and professional training. The collaboration aims to build relationships with hotel sales teams so they can enhance their on-property team-building activities.
United EVENTures provides comprehensive event planning services catering to groups of all sizes and destinations. By partnering with Lure Agency, United EVENTures will leverage Lure's expertise in website enhancements, video and blog content, email marketing, and social media to strengthen connections with hotel sales teams and improve the overall experience for their clients.
"We are excited to work alongside Lure to address team-building experiences at properties," said Will Leggett, United EVENTures owner and president. "Our goal is to not only support hotel sales teams through educational and inspiring content, but we also aim to be their go-to team-building partner, while giving back to the local community through our support of 501(c)3 non-profits."
Cory Falter, partner, and CEO of Lure Agency, added, "Our partnership with United EVENTures represents a fusion of our 'Science and Soul' methodology with their hands-on event expertise. Together, we will help educate hoteliers on how they can enhance the team-building experience."
This partnership represents a significant commitment to setting new standards in hospitality engagement. It combines Lure Agency's proven marketing strategies with United EVENTures' dedication to exceptional event planning.
Together, they aim to enhance the reputation of hotel-based events and provide unmatched experiences for their clients.
About United EVENTures
United EVENTures is a premier event planning company specializing in team building, professional training, and entertainment services. From organizing retreats to finding the perfect venue, United EVENTures handles all logistics, ensuring a seamless experience for any group size or destination. For more information, visit teamue.com.
About Lure Agency
Since 2012, Lure Agency has been at the forefront of integrated hospitality marketing, combining data and creativity to drive revenue and build lasting relationships. The agency’s Science and Soul methodology has supported hospitality-industry clients like Stonewall Resorts and TTI Technologies in achieving measurable results. For more information, visit lureagency.com.
