Hotel Sales Manager: Job Skills and Responsibilities

What is a hotel sales manager?

A hotel sales manager is a professional hired by a hotel to develop and manage sales strategieswith the aim of increasing brand visibility, bookings and revenue.

What does a hotel sales manager actually do?

What does a sales manager do in a hotel? Responsibilities of a hotel sales manager may include:

• Identify new markets and sales opportunities
• Develop and execute sales strategies
• Establish and maintain relationships with travel agents and corporate clients
• Negotiate contracts and agreements for events, conferences and group bookings
• Coordinate with other departments and managers, especially the hotel revenue manager.

What is the primary mission of a hotel sales director?

The primary role of a hotel sales manager is to generate more bookings and revenue. Experienced professionals will achieve this goal by implementing a range of strategiesfrom targeting untapped audiences to developing more attractive hotel offers.

In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at hotel sales managers from the perspective of the hotels that hire them.

Why Are Hotel Sales Manager Jobs Important?

Hotel sales managers are valuable because they are dedicated sales professionals. Many mid-sized hotels view sales as an extension of marketing and therefore miss out on the vast opportunities that a dedicated sales manager and team can capitalize on.

Hotel Sales Manager Job Description Example

The specifics of a job description will depend on the role: you’ll describe a freelance hotel sales manager working remotely very differently from an on-site department manager, for example. But for the most part, the job description of a hotel group sales director will be structured as follows:

• Job title: Create a clear title for the open role, for example “Hospitality Group Sales Manager”.
• Job summary: Provide a brief, one-paragraph overview of the role in the context of the broader business.
• Responsibilities: List the main duties of the hotel sales manager, such as developing and implementing sales strategies and managing corporate/group reservations.
• Requirements: List the skills, experience and qualifications the sales manager is expected to bring to this position.
• Benefits: Provide a summary of benefits, such as hotel sales manager salary, hotel sales manager commission structure, and career development opportunities.

Sales director of a hotel group vs senior sales director of a hotel

There is not much difference between a hotel group sales director and a senior hotel sales director.

As the name suggests, a hotel group sales manager works for a hotel chain or group. A senior hotel sales manager, on the other hand, can work in any hotel company – group or single establishment – ​​large enough to employ several sales managers, which group he or she manages.

Hotel Sales Manager Essential Skills

What talents do effective hotel sales managers bring to the table? Here are five essential skills:

• Negotiation skills: To obtain advantageous contracts and rates.

• Communication skills: Build strong relationships with clients and work well with others.

• Analytical skills: Understand industry trends that will inform sales strategies.

• Time management: Effectively manage responsibilities, deadlines and client communications.

• Leadership abilities: Guide junior staff and coordinate sales initiatives.

What are the strengths of a hotel sales manager?

The number one strength of any hotel sales manager is communication. Whether dealing with guests, sales teams, or other hotel departments, a sales manager must be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, to do their job.

What makes the best hotel sales manager?

The best hotel sales managers will combine elite communication skills with a constant drive to generate more sales. There’s no real end to this role – the goal is to always make more money – so a good hotel sales manager will be able to keep that hunger alive.

Primary Responsibilities of the Hotel Sales Manager

Some of the key tasks that hotel sales managers are responsible for include:

Team management

Lead and support the sales team by setting clear objectives, providing guidance and creating a collaborative work environment.

Customer management

Build and maintain strong customer relationships to maximize satisfaction and build customer loyalty.

Stakeholder management

Communicate and coordinate with internal stakeholders – marketing, operations, management – ​​to ensure sales activities are aligned with the hotel’s broader objectives.

Process improvement

Identify and implement improvements in sales processes to increase efficiency and streamline operations.

Improved sales

Develop strategies to increase sales and revenue.

What are the seven basic functions performed by a hotel sales manager?

A hotel sales manager performs a number of key functions by managing their team, maintaining guest relationships, and striving to increase revenue. Seven of the most basic functions include:

• Optimize sales strategies

• Coordination with other departments

• Identify sales opportunities

• Negotiate contracts
• Customer relationship management

Hotel Sales Manager Daily Checklist

The specific responsibilities of a hotel sales manager vary from role to role, but a daily checklist for a regular hotel manager might look like this:

1. Check emails and respond to customer inquiries
2. Track sales KPIs against goals
3. Review sales goals and priorities
4. Update and track key customer accounts in CRM
5. Follow up on potential leads and contact current customers
6. Review upcoming reservations or events with relevant departments
7. Analyze competitor prices and market trends
8. Use insights to review and adjust sales strategies
9. Prepare and participate in sales team meetings
10. Plan the next day’s tasks and set follow-up reminders

To set your sales managers up for success, it certainly helps to equip your hotel with the best technology and automation on the market.