Why first responders get 70% of the business
You never get a second chance to make a first impression!
That phrase may be wildly overused but frankly, it’s very true. Think about a person’s handshake or phone manner. Do they sound like they’re smiling through the phone? Do they make good eye contact? Do they respond to your questions promptly with well thought out responses? If you answered ‘yes’ to each of these, you’ll agree that they convey a h2 personal image and instill a sense of confidence.
Event Planners Expect Immediate Response to their Inquiries
I once had a discussion with one of the hotel sales managers who uses Cendyn’s Events Suite solutions, and he told me about an instance when he was able to secure a wedding event in just one phone call. While listening to the planner talk about the requirements for the wedding he wanted to organize, the sales manager logged all the details into our electronic proposal delivery system eProposal, and customized it to include the catering menu, a venue, and room reservations for the entire group. The sales manager sent the proposal to the planner before they even hung-up the phone. The planner was so impressed that he booked the wedding right away.
In a way, event planners and their end customers exemplify the advance of the on-demand economy, where consumers accustomed to the instant gratification of digital marketplaces now expect immediate access to all goods and services. Nowadays, event managers expect an immediate response, and they get frustrated when it takes weeks to get a proposal back.
Planners Need Personalized and Curated proposals
However, planners don’t just expect a quick response, they also need a curated and personalized proposal that demonstrates how the event will satisfy their group preferences, while providing an experience that matches the end-user’s lifestyle. This is why, in our experience, a proposal should include the following items:
- A personalized letter from the hotel
- Private group rate that individuals can’t find on the Internet
- Customized menu proposal that can be edited by the planner and the end user
- Engaging dynamic, rich-media content that matches the group’s aspiration, interests and lifestyle.
- Certified integration that lets planners sign, send and close the proposal electronically.
Cendyn’s eProposal gives you an edge by providing that winning first impression
Celebrating more than 17 years of product excellence, eProposal is the cornerstone of Cendyn’s hotel and supplier offerings. Innovative and adaptable, eProposal is the go-to market tool no venue – large or small – should be without. With the seamless integration with Amadeus Hospitality’s Delphi sales and catering tool, sales teams are able to provide accurate content while being the first responder to RFPs.
eProposal generates a custom presentation, which can be scaled from a quick one-page response to a media rich multi-faceted brochure. One of the key value propositions of eProposal is its ability to target certain markets – wedding, social, corporate events and strategic meetings planners – while allowing the sales or catering manager to personalize the messaging and digital content. The event planner is presented with a proposal that is solely focused on the relevant information the customer requested for their event.
More than 22,000 hotels, venues and destinations in 143 countries (including 34 languages) use eProposal to visually tell their story and close deals fast.
