Sales & Marketing Services - Success Stories

The Westminster Hotel, Livingston, New Jersey - Overseeing Pre-Opening, First Year Sales & Marketing and Public Relations Efforts -- 2002 - 2003

"HVS' contributions to the formulation of an integrated sales, marketing and public relations effort has been invaluable and has enabled us to establish a distinct presence for our new hotel in an exceptionally compressed timescale. By supplementing our project and operational teams from the earliest stages, we also feel that we have been able to create and implement our strategies, select systems and put contracts in place in both a more timely and cost effective manner."

Michael Linczyc,
(former) Director of Development,
Kushner Companies

The HVS Assignment

The Westminster Hotel, an independent 4-star hotel opened its doors in January 2002, during a traditionally slow first quarter, as well as a depressed economy after the tragedy of September 11. Opening in a market dominated by major brands, the hotel needed a powerful sales and marketing effort to establish itself.

Results
HVS Sales & Marketing Services spent 18 months in a retainer relationship with the hotel, working directly with management and the sales team, and was on property several days a week for months at a time. Activities included: assembling the local and regional marketing plan to target the corporate group, transient and social market; hiring and training sales, reservations and front office teams; developing first-year print and electronic campaign; supervising the public relations effort; establishing of rates and yield management guidelines; selecting property management and central reservations systems; actively participating in sales site inspections and events; developing all hotel collateral and website content; coordinating photo shoots, and assembling the pre-opening sales plan.