What a Director of Sales and Marketing at Santa Monica Proper Hotel wishes they had known before entering the Hotel industry
Erin, a Director of Sales and Marketing, wishes someone had explained the niche nature of hotel sales before entering the industry, noting that "what the job is...can be unknown to other people," often leading to misunderstandings about the multifaceted nature of the role. The daily tasks are largely invisible to hotel guests, unlike more visible roles such as servers.
Hospitality Sales, Industry Knowledge, Career Clarity, Communication Skills, Networking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Erin Bennett
Director of Sales and Marketing
Santa Monica Proper Hotel
Boston University 2008
UCLA EMBA 2023 (expected graduation June 2023)
Hospitality Administration
Hospitality, Restaurants & Events
Sales and Client Management
Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. The hospitality sales industry is niche and often misunderstood by those outside of it.
2. People frequently confuse hotel sales with other roles, such as party planning.
3. The daily tasks of a hotel salesperson are not always visible to hotel guests, leading to a lack of understanding about the role.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
This was a really tough one. Hotels and sales are pretty straightforward, and the skills you pick up in hospitality can be transferred anywhere.
But I think the thing I wish someone had told me is how niche it is and how unknown my job can be to other people. Oftentimes, when I tell them what my job is, they have no touchstone to what that means.
I would get asked if I was a party planner or if I just sold space. People didn't quite understand the concept of full hotel sales and how it can apply to several industries.
So, if you're joining this industry, it's going to be a mystery to other people. They'll wonder what you do on a daily basis because they can't see it when they go to a hotel. Much like you can see a server bringing you food at a restaurant, you understand that. But you don't quite understand what someone in sales behind the scenes is doing on a daily basis.