STANDARD COMPETENCIES:

 

 I.      Judge the economical impact of association and corporate meetings on the economy.

 II.     Identify the needs and buying priorities of the association and corporate convention markets.

 III.    Point out the importance of exhibits and expositions to a convention.

 IV.     Select a meeting site based on geographic considerations.

 V.      Outline the requirements for meeting and exhibit facilities.

 VI.     Solicit convention business that offers maximum profit potential by evaluating the features and benefits of each given property, and determining the income area that needs priority sales activity.

 VII.    Find convention groups which have needs that parallel those of the hotel or motor inn.

 VIII.   Contact prospective conventioneers through media advertising, publicity, and public relations.

 IX.     Trace the professional advancement of executives responsible for convention solicitation and profit production and the methods of sales department operation.

 X       Utilize the telephone and personal contacts in convention selling.

 XI.     Review techniques used to close a sale.

 XII.    Open effective lines of communication between the convention buyer and the operating departments of the headquarters property.

 XIII.   Explain the importance of re-bookings and referrals of convention groups to the hotel`s success.

 XIV.    Attend to all the details of servicing a convention.

 TOPICAL OUTLINE:

 

 I.      Introduction of convention management and association convention

 II.     Association conventions and company/corporate meetings

 III.    Expositions, trade shoes, and geographic considerations Convention purchasing - the buyer`s point of view (Area and Headquarter Selection)

 IV.     Meeting facility and exhibit requirements

 V.      Convention selling - the seller`s point of view (product analysis, competition comparison, and determination of areas needing sales activity)

 VI.     Convention selling - the seller`s point of view (market selection and media marketing tools)

 VII.    Convention selling - the seller`s point of view (sales promotion, sales files, and written communications)

 VIII.   Convention selling - the seller`s point of view (telephone communications and personal sales calls)

 IX.     Convention management - customer service

 X       Re-booking or referral

 XI.     Convention servicing