STAR Tales #3

[PerFirstName], Happy New Year, STAR! Marketplace is just around the corner in Music City USA, Nashville!

This is the last newsletter before Marketplace, but once you arrive and register, the ABA veterans at the Orientation Center will be available to answer all of your last minute questions. After Marketplace we will send you a final STAR Tales that will focus on Marketplace follow-up strategies. For STARS that missed our first two issues, check them out.

Marketplace – A Buyer’s Perspective

Our earlier newsletters focused on the importance of knowing your product, advance research, and networking. To give you a better understanding of what buyers want you to know, we asked the question of some. Here are interesting thoughts from a buyer’s perspective.

Buyers look forward to productive appointments and meetings at Marketplace. They attend Marketplace to develop relationships with new destinations, attractions, hotels and restaurants. On their profile sheets, buyers try to give sellers the most up-to-date information available – and expect sellers to do the same; it helps buyers and sellers make more informed choices during appointments.

Veteran buyers encourage STAR seller to have plenty of profile sheets (approximately 200) and business cards (we suggest at least 300.) STAR buyers may need even more!

Sellers MUST research the needs of the buyer, and be respectful of their time. A buyer has literally hundreds of appointments and meetings with sellers; before requesting that appointment, MAKE SURE the buyer comes to your destination or uses the type product you are selling. Make that appointment an investment of time for both of you.

Similarly, buyers have a responsibility to only meet with sellers that are truly of interest to their tour product. Mutual respect of everyone’s time pays off in creating more business for everyone!

Be punctual. Buyers and sellers should be on time for all appointments, and respectful of those who have appointments before or after yours. Buyers, if discussion of a seller’s product is requires more time than a 7-minute appointment allows, agree to meet at a future time.

If it appears that your appointment is not mutually beneficial, the appointment can be ended by mutual agreement earlier than most. In this case, buyers and sellers can be professional and agree to keep the lines of communication open for possible business in future years.

Limitless Networking: Mating and Networking

On January 11, 2006 our Marketplace prescheduled appointment requests process ended and the appointments have been scheduled - all 103,000 of them! Take advantage of the Manual Scheduling option to increase your appointments even before you arrive on-site.

Once on-site, the Mating and Networking Sessions enable you to meet or schedule appointments you were unable to get in the pre-Marketplace scheduling process. Now it’s time to plan your strategy to capitalize on the Mating and Networking Sessions.

The research and planning process is much the same as for the Marketplace appointment scheduling process.

Each year we have a period of weeks to request our Marketplace appointments. At the Mating and Networking Sessions your time will be measured in minutes. Once again, preparation and strategy are critical. It is here you may pickup more appointments or equally important, establish initial contact with buyers or sellers with whom you wish to do business.

Following are dates/times of each Mating and Networking Session:

DMO Mating and Networking Session:

Saturday, February 4: 12:10 PM – 12:30 PM

Lodging Mating and Networking Session:

Monday, February 6: 9:10 AM – 9:30 AM

Attraction/LRO/Other Mating and Networking Session:

Monday, February 6: 2:25 PM – 2:45 PM

Once you receive your final appointment schedule, study it thoroughly and then develop a targeted list of buyers or sellers who were not scheduled by the appointment computer. These should be your “priority” buyers or sellers to target at your Mating and Networking Session. The ABA veterans at the Orientation Center will be happy to explain all the insider strategies so that you can maximize your sales efforts, but a couple of “no-brainers” to remember in Mating Session;

Sellers; Familiarize yourself with the layout of the Marketplace floor and make sure you know the location of the buyers on your target list.
Sellers; Don’t stand in long lines to request an appointment; jump to the next operator on your list. Time is of the essence.
Buyers; Don’t encourage a full-blown sales pitch in the Mating Session. Exchange business cards and have the seller mail you the information
Buyers & Sellers; If your appointment schedule is filled, exchange profile sheets and business cards and leave the sales discussion for post-Marketplace follow-up.
To repeat; ABA veterans at the Orientation Center will be happy to explain all the insider strategies so that you can maximize your sales efforts!

Certified Travel Industry Specialist

The American Bus Association, together with Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, offers a terrific continuing education program called the Certified Travel Industry Specialist (CTIS) program. Courses are designed exclusively for the motorcoach and group tour industry, and are offered online. Seminars on current industry issues are offered at Marketplace as well. Stop by the CTIS booth at Marketplace for more information and a discounted enrollment fee. Take advantage of all of ABA’s educational opportunities and by the end of Marketplace week, you should begin to feel like an industry veteran!

Quality Profile Sheet = Quality Appointment

A profile sheet is a one page summary (front and back may be used) of your product and area. This short summary may be your first introduction to a potential buyer. Check out sample profile sheets on the Resources link.

Your profile sheet should be distinctive and make a good first impression. Include what is most attractive about your product and destination; what is distinctive; and direct your profile sheet to your target markets. It is pretty safe to assume that if you are an upscale casino resort property, your profile sheet will not include items about how student friendly you may be! Know your product AND know the buyers that are your potential clients! Do not include fine print; exclusions, and rate information that can best be discussed in further detail in follow up meetings.

Remember: your profile sheet is a marketing tool. It is there to attract the buyers’ interest, and to make it easier for you to sell. It should be attractive and easy to read, but does not have to be printed in the latest full color technology with maximum resolution. Sometimes a low-key approach works best, especially if you do not swamp a potential buyer with information.

Additional Resources: Just Ask and Last Minute Reminders

Be sure to attend the entire Marketplace! Some of your best business opportunities will be found outside the Marketplace at social and networking events. Don’t miss out on every available opportunity.

Bring plenty of business cards, and profile sheets.
Don’t forget to 3-hole punch your profile sheet for easy filing by buyers and sellers.
Cell phones are terrific, but they do have their place, and it is NOT in Marketplace!
At Marketplace, set your cell phone on vibrate/silent ring.
Check out the Resource Central - Your Office Space at Marketplace for research, access to Microsoft Office Products, office supplies and up-to-date Buyer brochures and power profiles.
Business attire is recommended for appointments and casual dress is suggested for evening activities.

Pick up your official program from Registration and the Orientation Center to get more information regarding appropriate dress at each activity.

We believe our STAR delegates success is so important that we have created a part of our web site just for you, visit the First Time Attendee section. There you will find the STAR Packet, Frequently Asked Questions and Appointment Session Information. If you can’t find the answer to your questions, don’t hesitate to call ABA at 800-283-2877.

Last, but not least, we look forward to seeing all of you at the Orientation Center and getting you started on a productive and exciting week!

See you in Nashville – where our STARS will shine on Center Stage!