Keeping the 80/20 rule in mind; that is that 80% of your business comes from 20% of your client base, there are a lot of missed opportunities to keep your clients coming back again and again and yet again. Having worked six years in the hospitality industry, particularly the hotel business, I have found the key to success and I would like to share it with you. It is a rather simple concept, I will admit, yet we sometimes need to regroup or refocus on the simple things to remain successful.

I had the misfortune of establishing my hotel sales career during the worst time in the industries history - 9/11. I can remember that day like it was yesterday. I was in a daze like I had never experienced before, or since for that matter. But, because of my due diligence prior to that day, my phone continued to ring while I watched some of my fellow associates begin to sink. In fact, at the end of 2002 I was recognized by Hilton Hotels Corporation as one of their top producers among thousands.

What was I doing in the early months of 2001, you ask? I was taking care of my clients in special ways with personalized gift baskets. I learned what my clients liked and what they disliked and I made sure to send them a special gift after they booked with me and in some cases when all they did was provide me with a few moments of their time to learn about my hotel. Needless to say, it paid off. It was a small investment that paid for itself a thousand times over...probably more.

As I grow with the company and assume more responsibility, my time to research items has slowly dwindled. The fact remains that although I have a staff of four, I am still a sales professional and that will never change. It was time for me to sit down and get back to the basics. This time, I have compiled my information in the virtual world of the Internet for you to use.

Eric Gans, Director of Sales and Marketing (at a Hilton Hotel)

http://hospitablegifts.com