“I think I canna, I think I canna”…..
Remember that childhood story about the little train that could? The story was about teaching children to believe that they can do anything they set their mind to and conquer their fears by trying. “I think I Can” is the mantra used by the “Little Engine That Could”.
It’s the same thing in hotel sales. We need to teach ourselves to believe that we can and prove to ourselves when we accomplish our missions.
The title of my blog today “I Think I Canna” plays with the storybook mantra, and that mantra coincidentally corresponds with the first bloom in my personal, backyard Canna garden. There are many, many hundreds of buds in this sea of green, but that first pop of color always catches my eye and reminds me of all the blossoms that are to come.
I have said on more than one occasion that believing in oneself and focusing on standing out from the crowd in the sea of similar hotels in your market is what is going to breed success. So what are you doing….. and more importantly, why are you doing it? Are you that pop of color?
"I Think I Can" Strategy Development
You may not be familiar with the Canna.
“Cannas (Canna × generalis) are tropical and subtropical flowering plants with large, banana-like leaves. Their popularity and active hybridizing have resulted in a dazzling array of cannas to choose from, many with large, showy flowers and variegated leaves that look like stained glass when the sun shines through them. Striking flowers notwithstanding, cannas are often grown for their foliage alone. The large, paddle-like leaves come in a range of greens, blue-greens, and bronze, and can have variegation and stripes. Somewhat tubular and lily-like, canna flowers come in shades and combinations of yellow, orange, red, and pink and are borne on tall stalks poking out of the foliage. Rhizomes planted in spring after the last frost will take a few weeks to sprout but will then grow at a rapid pace and often flower in the first year.”
Like the Canna plant, adopting a “I Think I Canna” sales strategy is easy place to start. Even new sales manager seedlings can plant a “I can” seed and regardless of the season, will ‘sprout and grow at a rapid pace’ and ‘often flower in the first year’. Nurturing your own sales garden will yield great results with constant attention to details, watering, and keeping out weeds. Are you keeping up with your training and education? Do you read the paper or subscribe to Google Alerts for the most up-to-date news about your customer and the industry?
Yesterday I sent out templates for the 2022 Sales & Marketing Plans. Each team should take a look at the balance of the year and come up with “I Think I Can” strategies for your hotel. Being creative AND strategic will lead to success.
I Know You Canna, I Know You Canna….
Call me and let’s talk about how your sales garden is growing!
Happy “Canna-do” selling,