Blow the Doors off Sales-as-Usual

We recently ran into an MVP who is blowing the doors off sales-as-usual. Jenny Allen is a sales manager for the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego. She sells meeting space for a living. Jenny is one of 20 managers, her sales goal last year was to close 7.4 million and she closed at 12 million.

When we talked to Jenny she humbly shared her 100% closer rate! Not bad stats for a woman who’s been in the business for only three years. So what is so unique about Jenny? Is it the site? Well, the Manchester Grand Hyatt is pretty cool, but to be honest there are a lot of cool sites in San Diego. So no, site alone isn’t it! We think it has everything to do with being a player.

Imagine the surprise Tom Moore, Director of Meetings & Conventions for the National Ski Areas Association, felt when greeted by Jenny, who was wearing total ski gear in August (think 80°F and sunshine). Yes, ski boots, pants, jacket, gloves and a hat. She then escorted Tom through meeting rooms at Hyatt all identified as green runs, blues and double blacks! Jenny even had a lift ticket designed for his visit. 

When a local law firm came to look at the facility Jenny welcomed them into a room reconfigured to look like a courtroom. One by one, Jenny invited in what she called “jurors,” the Hyatt’s award winning chef, banquets and catering, housekeeping, reservations, security, and even human resources. Jenny simply said, "They are all the frontline, their contributions make or break an event and our clients need to hear their story, from them, and how it links to why the Hyatt is so special."

On another occasion Jenny invited a client up to the Hyatt owner’s private terrace on the 32nd floor of Seaport Tower. She asked them to enjoy the view, and lo and behold, a fly-by by an aircraft trailing the convention’s tag line!

Jenny gets it! She knows there are hundreds of other venues in town that offer similar space. To differentiate, Jenny focuses on the experience and she works at getting everyone at the property involved. Jenny does her homework; she works hard at understanding each client’s goals and creates a highly customized site visit unique to each. When Jenny invites other teams at the property to tell their story, she gives them prideful bragging rights and they play a role in closing the deal. When people get involved they have skin in the game, it’s more fun and they WANT to win!

Regardless of the industry, sales typically get a bad rap. Perception is, sales gets all the perks and then the rest of the team has to come in and do all the work! Jenny doesn’t have that problem! Jenny’s inclusive approach inspires everyone on staff to WANT to play. When sales wins, the property wins! So the question is...

How hard are you willing to play?

Your future, the quality of your life at work, your reputation, and the significance you glean from making a difference depends on your answer!

Think about these questions:

M When people in your organization complain do you press for a solution or do you join them?

M Is the culture in your organization primarily the will of the people or the will of the BOSS?

M When things get difficult and resources are scarce do you focus on what you CAN do or what you CAN’T do?

M Do you look for clarity about your role, responsibilities and the company’s goals or do you wait for others to tell you what to do? 

Your answers will determine whether you are an MVP or a DPW (Dead Person Working)!

What would Jenny do? Why not choose to be a player and make a difference — your reputation, your success and the significance you gain from your efforts at work depend on it.

Dr. Jackie Freiberg has co-authored several books with her husband Dr. Kevin Freiberg including Nuts!, Guts! and Boom! Jackie keynoted at the The Bob Pike Group’s 16th annual Training and Performance Improvement Conference in Minneapolis September 20-25, 2009. She is passionate about working with people who want to change the world—business leaders who want to create cultures where impassioned people wake up everyday and come to work fully-engaged knowing they’re going to be part of something special.