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.
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So why are so many vendors still clinging to outdated, pushy sales tactics that buyers themselves hate?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.
