Hotel Sellers, The Next 6 Months Could Change Everything
2025 has been a wild ride for hotel sales … and not the kind that ends with a room upgrade.
Between AI anxiety, ghosting clients, and email blitzes that fall flat, sellers are navigating a shifting landscape where the old playbook feels dated and dangerous.
So what’s actually working? What’s breaking? And more importantly, what’s next?
We tapped the collective brainpower of Cory Falter, host of The InnSync Show, along with Nicole Quessenberry (Sales Manager at Noble House Hotels & Resorts), Celeste Berke Knisely (Certified Gap Seller and co-founder of Sales on Tap), and Susan Tucker (co-founder Sales on Tap and partner at Lure Agency).
The result? A conversation that’s part therapy session, part strategy summit, and part tough love.
Hotel Sales Marketing Tips
First, the Buzz: What’s Lit Up in 2025
Hotel sales had some glow-up moments. Here’s what got people talking.
Buzz #1: AI is Here and It’s Already Sending Emails for You
The buzzword of the year is still AI—and not just the “vague headline on LinkedIn” kind. We’re talking real tools making real impact.
Nicole Quessenberry is seeing it firsthand, “ZoomInfo now has an AI feature where you can directly email clients from the platform… Google Gemini is great for searching live RFPs looking for hotels.”
But here’s the twist: most hotel sellers don’t know how to implement any of it.
“We get hit with ads and posts,” she said, “but no one really tells us how to actually use it.”
The takeaway? AI isn’t optional anymore. Sellers who lean into it (even just a little) are already moving faster and smarter than the ones waiting for a webinar to walk them through it.
Buzz #2.: Visibility is the New Pipeline
For Celeste Berke, the buzz hits differently. It’s about sellers finally realizing that existing isn’t the same as showing up.
“They think just because they’re with a big brand—Marriott, Hilton, whatever—that they’ll magically appear on a planner’s radar,” she said.
Spoiler: they don’t.
Using simple AI searches during training, Celeste shows hospitality sellers exactly how invisible they are. The reaction? Total deer-in-headlights energy. Many still rely on a dusty contact list and a few email blasts to carry them through the quarter.
No brand is strong enough to save a seller without presence.
In a world where planners shop like consumers, visibility = viability.
Buzz #3: Video: The Sales Tool Most Sellers Are Still Afraid Of
Susan Tucker brought the data to back up what marketing pros have been shouting into the void for years: get on camera.
“This year, we had clients really lean into video. And the numbers are ridiculous! Collectively across all our clients LinkedIn and YouTube channels, impressions are up 185% and engagement is up 54%.”
Not glossy brand videos.
Not drone shots of the rooftop pool.
Actual humans. Talking. About their space, their team, and their value.
It’s not just vanity metrics either. Celeste shared this, “A planner said, ‘I saw your video and it sparked me to reach out.’ That’s the direct impact of visibility.”
Even Nicole, relatively new to video, said, “Every time I send one, I get a response. Ghosting disappears when they can see you.”
Video that features a person is the bridge between real life and online.
Buzz #4: Warm Prospecting with Predictive Lead Scoring
Cory Falter’s buzz? It’s part ‘right now,’ part ‘finally happening.’
Predictive lead scoring isn’t new to other industries … but in hospitality, it’s just starting to turn heads.
“It blows sellers away when they see how much more efficiently they can spend their time,” Cory said.
Here’s how it works: platforms track digital breadcrumbs like link clicks, page views, and time on site.
That activity is scored and stacked in your CRM so sellers can start their day with a ranked list of opportunities, highest intent to lowest.
Translation? No more aimless prospecting. No more “just checking in” emails to people who haven’t even clicked.
Sellers know exactly who’s hot and who’s not.
“They no longer have to cold prospect or wonder if someone’s going to pick up the phone,” Cory said. “It’s right there. Ranked. Actionable.”
And here’s the kicker: this strategy has been used for years in SaaS and tech. Now that it’s finally finding its way into hotel sales, the sellers who embrace it will run circles around those still stalking reader boards.
Now for the Burn: What’s Still Broken
With all that buzz, there’s bound to be a few hangovers. And 2025 had no shortage.
Hangover #1: Outreach That Still Talks About the Ballroom
Celeste’s biggest frustration? Sellers who are sending cold emails packed with self-serving nonsense.
You think your need dates or happy hour are going to move the needle? They don’t. If your outreach is all about you, it’s hurting your brand.”
And yes, we’re still getting these emails.
One hotel seller thought “stacked chairs in the corner” were a selling point.
Hangover #2: Ghosting After the RFP
Nicole dropped a reality check that every seller can relate to: “I get an RFP, respond within 24 hours, and then… crickets. Weeks later—’we’re ready to move forward.’ No communication between. It’s wild.”
And what’s worse? They come back with redlines and a demand for concessions.
There’s no win here. It’s demoralizing and inefficient.
Hangover #3: Resistance to Change Will Wreck You
Blockbuster said no to Netflix. Now they’re a trivia question.
“That’s what happens when you resist change,” Susan said.
The marketing team is still begging sellers to try video. Sellers are still scared of LinkedIn.
Meanwhile, AI is literally rewriting RFPs, and planners are bypassing forms completely.
If your answer is still “this is how we’ve always done it,” you’re already behind.
Hangover #4: Hiding on LinkedIn Is Costing You Real Business
Let’s call it what it is: lurking. Cory called out hotel sellers who treat LinkedIn like a spectator sport.
“Most sellers post about MPI events on LinkedIn, but won’t actually show up in LinkedIn,” he said. “Meanwhile, their ideal prospects are active, sharing insights, asking for advice, engaging in real-time.”
The reality? LinkedIn is the new networking floor, and it’s open 24/7.
The people you’re hoping to run into at trade shows? They’re already out there, posting, watching, and shortlisting.
And the sellers who are building personal brands, sharing video, offering insights ... they’re not just getting noticed, they’re getting booked.
“It’s mind-blowing how few hotel sellers are actually showing up to the conversation,” Cory said.
Visibility isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. It’s sales survival.
The Bounce-Back: What’s Actually Working
Now, let's talk about what's actually working.
Direct Group Inquiries are the New Gold Rush
Forget the 30-field RFP form.
Cory Falter sees the shift in real time. “Planners—and non-professional planners—are skipping the RFP altogether. They’re submitting direct group inquiries through the website, and they’re converting at 30 to 50%.”
Compare that to 3-5% conversion rates from third-party leads?
It’s a no-brainer.
But most hotels aren’t even tracking this data, and many don’t realize those inquiries are coming from actual buying signals.
The Sellers Who Win Will Be Advisors, Not Order-Takers
Want to stand out? Don’t pitch the product. Solve the problem.
“Planners aren’t looking for square footage,” Celeste said. “They’re looking for someone to make them look good to their boss.”
That starts with being visible, being valuable, and showing up as someone worth listening to. You can’t automate trust.
Personal Brands are the Armor Against Obsolescence
Transactional sellers are being phased out. (Read that again.)
AI will handle your availability.
It’ll write your proposals.
It’ll predict who’s most likely to book.
If all you do is respond to RFPs, your job is on the chopping block.
The sellers who thrive in 2026 will be the ones with personal brands: those who show up online, share value, and build a reputation as a trusted expert in their space.
“LinkedIn is the biggest MPI event of the year,” Cory said. “And it happens every day. Yet most hotel sellers are completely MIA.”
So What Now? You’ve Got a Choice in Hotel Sales & Marketing
You can:
- Keep sending feature-filled emails that get deleted.
- Keep waiting for RFPs while competitors collect direct inquiries.
- Keep lurking on LinkedIn while others build personal brands that book.
Or you can:
- Send a 30-second video that gets a reply.
- Use AI to work smarter, not harder.
- Build visibility so you’re top of mind when the planner is ready.
The One-Word Non-Negotiables for Hotel Sales 2026
Let’s leave you with a few power words from our panel:
- Nicole: Wow – “How can I wow my client, my content, and my own goals?”
- Celeste: Journey – “Progress over perfection. Just start.”
- Susan: Clarity – “Cut through the noise and make it make sense.”
- Cory: Trust – “It’s the new currency. Lose it, and you’re done.”
2025 gave us buzz, burn, and bounce-back moments.
But what happens next is up to you.
Are you building trust, showing up, and adapting fast enough?
Because AI won’t wait. And neither will your buyers.
