Week 9 Forum

YOUR TASK FOR THIS WEEK (a scenario-based assignment)

Scenario: You are  working as an Association Sales Manager for the Desmond Hotel in Albany, NY.  (This means that your primary job is to try and get association, both state and national, to book their annual conventions and meetings at the Desmond).

Hotel Website: https://www.desmondhotelsalbany.com/meetings/

Check out the hotel’s website and DIG DEEP to determine what the Desmond has that might be important to an association meeting planner (ex: # of guest rooms, amount of meeting and exhibit space, uniqueness of meeting space, onsite restaurants, onsite amenities, Green/Sustainable initiatives, proximity to airport, support services for groups and meeting planners, etc.).

TASK: As an Association Sales Manager, part of your job is to develop relationships with State and National Association Meeting Planners. From all the methods in your textbook and also in the unit resources:

A. Identify at least ONE possible New York State or National Association that you would target as a potential client for the Desmond Hotel & Conference Center.

B. Identify TWO methods in which you could potentially go about making contact with the Meeting Planner for the Association you chose in Part A.

C. Identify at least ONE method by which you would go about introducing your hotel and all it has to offer to the Meeting Planner from the association you chose in Part A.  

BE CREATIVE…conduct some research of your own and think outside the box!  Consider making your contact or relationship strategies very specific to the association itself! Will you send them something unique? Will you invite them to your hotel? Think about ALL the options! 

In the forum board share:

1. The name of the Association you chose to focus on AND explain WHY you believe it would be a good fit for the Desmond Hotel (you can use details from the Desmond website to back up your answer, but please cite accordingly)
2. The two potential methods you would use to contact the Meeting Planner. 
3. The one method by which you would go about introducing the meeting planner to the Desmond and all it has to offer.  
4. Impact Factor: Lastly, share at least one piece of information that you learned or that was interesting to you from either the chapter or the resources this week.