After 8 years of being out of the hospitality industry, I walked into a travel agency to the exclamation, "Hey! You're the Bingo Guy!" An email marketing campaign to drive sales from 8 years prior confirmed three things: 

•	The Power of Storytelling
•	The Power of Personal Branding
•	I Needed a Cooler Nickname

If you're looking to:

•	Develop creative paths to success
•	Find opportunities hiding in plain sight
•	Communicate strategic alternatives

Then let's chat!

In a world spinning with possibilities, I believe it's the genuine relationships we forge that make it go round.  And when you apply a bespoke touch to business – tailoring your sales, marketing, and personal brand to resonate with each individual – that's where the magic happens. 

Things I love talking shop about:

•	Customer service that's relationship-focused
•	Critical thinking & problem solving that gets to the root of the problem
•	Storytelling - Ask me about that bingo contest
•	Digital marketing & social media - CHDM certified!
•	Creative ideas & content development

Away from work I love spending time with my family, creating art, playing golf, and rooting for the Cubs and Bears. Additionally, I support the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Muscular Dystrophy Association. Please message me if you’d like to share your story or need help in reaching your goals.

Don Barnett

Every hotel Salesperson when a potential group can't shift their dates 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺.

Creative Solutions for Hospitality Success | Director of Sales & Marketing at LondonHouse Chicago | Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer

Ever had a meeting planner check your availability 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 blasting the RFP out to everyone else?

That’s not a sick fantasy.
That’s 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Somewhere along the way you became known as the team that:
• responds quickly • sends clear proposals • 
• actually follows up • doesn’t vanish after the site •

And once that reputation kicks in, something heavenly happens:
𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺.

Instead of fighting through the RFP Hunger Games, you see more:
• direct leads • referrals • first dibs •

Be responsive. Be easy to work with. Follow up.

Do that long enough and your reputation starts doing some of the selling for you.

Some people seem to have all the luck.

They're offered dream jobs. 
They meet the right people. 
They find a $20 bill in an old coat pocket.

Meanwhile, you find an old cough drop and a CVS receipt from 2022.

But here’s the secret, luck isn’t always random. In fact, I believe there are four types of luck. And one of them is wildly underrated.

☘ Dumb Luck - The “oops, I just won the lottery” luck. Completely random. No skill involved. Like finding a parking spot right in front of the store when it’s raining.

☘ Diligent Luck - The kind you hustle for. You put in the work, take the swings, and eventually get a hit. 

☘ Observant Luck - The ability to see things others miss. Like spotting an investment opportunity before it explodes. Or realizing before anyone else that cargo shorts were a terrible idea.

But the best kind of luck?

☘ Signature Luck - The luck you create by building a brand (corporate or personal). 

The reputation that makes people think of you first when opportunity knocks. 

It's putting in the work.
Staying visible.
Building trust.

Over time, this stops feeling like "luck" and starts feeling like momentum.

The vast majority of people in hospitality aren't sharing they're valuable knowledge or personality on LinkedIn. 
And I know why...
 
It's because of the "Eyeroll Threshold". 
 
It's these circles of hell one must traverse, fraught with judgement and eyerolls. 
 
⭕ The 1st Circle is usually your Inner Circle; family. And kids are the worst. No one rolls their eyes harder at you than a daughter, believe me, I have two. 
⭕ The 2nd Circle are Friends and Co-Workers. They'll mostly roll their eyes behind your back or make a snide comment. 
⭕ But the 3rd Circle, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙. This circle is filled with people that know you but don't see you often. They might find some joy in hearing what you have to say or what you're up to these days. 
⭕ The 4th Circle are people you've never met, but you've said something that resonates with them. Maybe even helped or inspired them in some way. 
 
I heard something great the other day: Hate doesn't come from people ahead of you. It comes from people jealous or threatened by you. 

It's the price you pay for going against the status quo. 
▶️ But to the bold go the spoils.

Is your hotel's social media like that gym membership you technically have?
Going twice a week, effort varies.

Technically active.
Visibly present.
Emotionally... buffering.

Next time you look at your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc., ask yourself:

🤔 Does your content show your hotel's personality?
🤔 Does it speak to your ideal audience?
🤔 Does it have a pulse?

If your feed feels like a treadmill set to 1 mph, don't be surprised when no one's breaking a sweat over your brand.

Have your LinkedIn posts been put in witness protection?
Seen by no one? 
Don Hoteleone has 2 pieces of advice...

1. Stop Reposting 

Reposting? Congrats, you just became LinkedIn’s version of a chain email.

Original content is king. Reposts get buried in the desert.

If you’re going to repost something, add your own thoughts and commentary to it. Otherwise, fuhgeddaboudit...

2. Stop putting a link in your post. 

LinkedIn doesn't condone you going against the family. In other words, they don't want you following another link off of their site.

However, to get around this algorithmic nightmare, post a link in the comments.

The algorithm isn’t out to get you. But it 𝘪𝘴 out to ignore you if you keep doing these two things.

Have you had the "𝙉𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙤𝙣 𝘿𝙮𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙙𝙄𝙣 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝"? It goes like this (queue music)...

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁, you finally say **** it and post something thoughtful and genuine on LinkedIn.

𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱, most of your inner circle of immediate colleagues, friends and/or family roll their eyes at you.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱, you discover that those outside of that circle in the LinkedIn community support and applaud your efforts. 

Maybe even hear your message loud and clear. In the movie (spoiler alert), he gets his buddy elected as Class President.

In real life, you gain new friends, allies, referrals, bookings, job offers, speaking engagements, and on and on...

Am I saying your wildest dreams will come true? 
You'll never know if you don't try.
Be willing to stand out in a sea of sameness my friends.

You've heard of goat yoga,
but have you tried Yorkie meditation?

It's where you meditate for 5 seconds before the most impatient dog on Earth jumps on your face.

1 star, do not recommend.

Speed wins. 
In sales. In sports.
When kicking a muffin into the air before it hits the floor...

If you're in group sales, let’s talk about response time.

According to Cvent, the 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝟴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 to respond to RFPs.

Eight hours.

Are we submitting RFPs... or walking to Mordor?

Amadeus’ MeetingBroker data shows that 72% of first responders win the business.

That's not a small edge.
That's structural advantage.

But here's the part people miss:

Speed gets you noticed.
Follow-up get you awarded.

Winning teams don't just respond fast.
They:

• Prioritize RFP responses
• Set clear next steps
• Follow a structured cadence
• Stay persistent (without being annoying)
 
Speed gets you in the game.  Follow-up closes it.

What’s your average response time?

And more importantly, what happens after you hit send?

Did you know there's a formula to monetizing your personal brand?

And none of it involves going viral.
(the germaphobe in me just said, "Thank God")

The people seeing opportunities are running this playbook:

✅ Specific Knowledge
→ Be dangerously good at something people actually care about. Generic advice doesn’t pay.

✅ Value First, Always
→ Give before you ask. Do you like ads in your feed? Me neither. Provide something people can use.

✅ Networking (Like It’s Your F***** Job)
→ Build relationships, not just a following. Opportunities come from people, not likes.

✅ Leverage
→ Utilize platforms, systems, and connections that amplify your reach. Smarter, not harder.

✅ Personality and Storytelling
→ Show up as YOU and tell stories. Facts tell, but stories sell.

✅ Consistency and Patience
→ This platform provides you the opportunity to stay top of mind with your network as often as you choose to show up.

✅ Thick Skin
→ First they'll roll their eyes and ask why you're doing it. Then they'll ask how you did it.

If you run this formula long enough, you won’t have to chase opportunities.

They’ll be chasing you.

What’s one part of this formula you’re focusing on right now?

Booked an influencer at your hotel?
Asking yourself, "Now what?"

Here are 5 things to do next:

✨ Give them a great room. If they’re staying overnight, make sure it’s one of your best rooms (per your agreement). They’re capturing your hotel for the world to see, so skip the “partial view of the dumpster” suite.

✨ Flag the reservation. Add any key details. Favorite drink? Allergies? Put it in the notes.

✨ Prep your team. Send a staff-wide email 24 to 48 hours before arrival. Include: 
• Influencer name + headshot
• Dates staying and arrival time if you have it
• What’s comped
• Special requests

✨ Send a welcome note & amenity. Even better? Research what they actually like. Did they cry over matcha in a recent Reel? That’s your cue. Custom touches = memorable content.

✨ Follow them on social media! It shows support 𝘢𝘯𝘥 lets you check out what they're posting in real time.

Hosting an influencer is your shot at showcasing your hotel in a way that’s real, relatable, and ready to go viral.

Did the person you just gave your name to say, "Who?"
Unless that person was an owl, your personal brand has some serious red flags.

In sales (hospitality or otherwise), 𝘺𝘰𝘶 are the brand long before anyone sees your property. If people can’t place your name or the reason they 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 remember you, then your follow-up is already playing from behind.

✅ Your brand is why planners reply to 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 email first. 
✅ It’s why they tag you when someone posts “I need a hotel in Chicago!” 
✅ It’s why your name doesn’t just show up, it 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴.

You don't have to be loud or as hilarious as I think I am. 
But you do need to 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 yourself. 

Who you are.
How you help.
Why you resonate.

So if the last five people you introduced yourself to said “Who?”, it’s time to give your brand a little boost. 

Or stop hanging out with owls.
Even if their meetings are a hoot. #𝗱𝗮𝗱𝗷𝗼𝗸𝗲𝘀

If you could travel 20 years into the past to impart some wisdom to yourself, what would you say? 
 
For me: 
 
🔹 Worrying is wasted energy and won't change any outcome whether good or bad. 
🔹 Nothing is more valuable than time. Invest it in quality people, places and things. 
🔹 Tremendous freedom is gained when you stop caring what people think. 
🔹 Create small daily goals that are impossible not to complete. 
🔹 Embrace the concept of leverage. 
🔹 Stop talking and start doing.  

⚠️ Don't shave your entire head to the lowest clipper setting, you will regret it.
 
What would you say to your younger self?

A big influencer can get you seen.
But a micro-influencer can get you booked.

If you've ever worked in Sales at a hotel with only one ballroom, you've likely told a client, "You'll be a big fish in a small pond."

Working with a micro-influencer is like that!

A creator with a massive following can put your hotel, restaurant, or experience in front of a ton of people. But that ocean is diluted.

A strategically aligned micro-influencer puts you in front of the 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 people and makes it feel like an actual recommendation.

Here are some key differences:

Big following influencer:

• big reach
• broad awareness
• polished content
• everyone sees it

Micro-influencer:

• stronger trust
• better engagement
• more niche audience
• content that feels believable
 
When trust and attention are at a premium, that matters. 
That’s where micro-influencers win.
 
Less “paid partnership energy.”  More “I went, I loved it, and you will too."

DM me if you want to talk shop!

Hospitality Group Sales Manager, Hospitality Sales Manager, Hospitality Area Sales Manager

TRAINING
Online Delphi Training

ACTIVITIES
Successfully completed online certifications in:
•	Hospitality Management
•	Fundamentals of Sales & Marketing for Hospitality
•	Diploma in Business Administration
•	Marketing Foundations
•	Social Media Marketing
•	Budgeting

Participated in multiple online LinkedIn networking events.

Continued to successfully build a LinkedIn network in the desired industry.

Seeking Position in Hospitality Industry

Propane Service Corporation

• Led the implementation of effective marketing and advertising strategies, resulting in a notable 25% surge in sales and the acquisition of new customers.
• Designed and created marketing materials for internal/external messaging to increase market share by 25% and drive sales.
• Successfully negotiated and managed contracts for compliance, business materials, and promotional items, generating a 10% cost-saving overall.
•Significantly improved upsell conversion rates from 5% to 15%, demonstrating a keen focus on driving additional value for customers.
• Operated within a challenging environment, consistently providing customer-centric resolutions and feedback, thereby fostering strong client relationships and satisfaction.

Sales Manager

Texas Propane Gas Association

• Led the planning and execution of a diverse range of events, encompassing conferences, expos, corporate gatherings, and smaller meetings. Managed all event logistics comprehensively, from budgeting to contract negotiations, to post-event assessments, ensuring smooth event flow and high guest satisfaction, and added revenue. Leveraged Cvent for event website and registration management.
• Developed a concise and compelling cold calling script, effectively addressing concerns and emphasizing benefits, resulting in an impressive 15% conversion rate.
• Developed forward-looking identity statements in collaboration with messaging across events, online platforms, social media, PR, and collateral.
• Played a key role in achieving a remarkable 10% year-over-year increase in sales revenue by identifying market trends and aligning sales strategies accordingly, including successful upselling techniques.
• Directed and managed a team of 5 event staff in the organization and execution of highly successful conferences and expos hosting over 400 attendees, alongside the seamless management of smaller special events.
• Implemented continuous improvement initiatives within the strategic planning process, contributing to enhanced attendee and vendor satisfaction levels.

Group Sales & Event Management

• Executed effective strategies to attract new members during business consolidation periods, involving comprehensive outreach efforts, targeted marketing campaigns, and strategic networking with potential members.
• Achieved a significant 20% increase in membership during various industry consolidation actions, showcasing a strong ability to drive membership growth in challenging circumstances.
• Attained an impressive 85% member renewal rate by implementing engaging and impactful member retention strategies, reflecting a keen understanding of member needs and preferences.
• Orchestrated a noteworthy 10% boost in annual revenue through the establishment of strategic initiatives, including the cultivation of sponsorship partnerships, and effectively leveraging diverse revenue streams.
• Generated detailed reports on key membership metrics, including growth patterns, retention rates, and engagement levels, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of membership dynamics and trends.

Membership Coordinator

•	Optimized workflow processes including VOIP phone system, utilizing Slack, and online bank deposits leading to a 20% increase in staff productivity.
•	Consistently met project deadlines, achieving a 90% on-time delivery rate.
•	Utilized Constant Contact to disseminate information to members increasing satisfaction and regional and board meeting participation by 20%.
•	Worked in challenging environment to provide member-focused resolutions and feedback.

Office Manager

Dedicated and results-driven professional with a rich background spanning over 12 years in the dynamic realm of the hospitality industry. My career journey has equipped me with valuable insights and honed my expertise in various capacities, making me well-prepared for a challenging role as a Group Sales Manager, Sales Manager, Area Sales Manager, or Business Travel Sales.

Throughout my career, I have consistently demonstrated a keen ability to cultivate and fortify client relationships. My approach involves devising tailored solutions and executing comprehensive sales strategies that not only meet but exceed client expectations. Demonstrated ability to develop and implement creative materials and manage online presence. I take pride in my proven track record, showcasing a remarkable 25% increase in new business development and a consistent 25% boost in bookings for events through the implementation of innovative approaches. 

My proficiency in utilizing strong negotiation skills has been pivotal in achieving a high 95% customer satisfaction rate. I pride myself on effectively addressing concerns and objections during sales discussions, ensuring a seamless and positive experience for clients.

What sets me apart is my passion for providing exceptional service, a quality that aligns seamlessly with the core values of the hospitality sector. I am deeply committed to personalized guest interactions, revenue generation, and overall customer satisfaction. This commitment has been instrumental in my success and has become a driving force behind my professional endeavors.

I am eager to leverage my skills and extensive experience to excel in a dynamic and customer-centric role within the hospitality industry. If you are seeking a professional who brings a proven track record of success, a commitment to excellence, and a passion for delivering outstanding service, I am confident in my ability to contribute positively to your team and organization.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
Delphi Software Training

TOP SKILLS:
•	Sales Strategy Development
•	Negotiation Skills
•	Event Management
•	Problem-Solving
•	Time Management
•	Group Sales
•	Project Management
•	New Business Development
•	Cold Calling
•	Attention to Detail
•	Interpersonal Skills
•	Adaptability
•	Customer Satisfaction
•	Client Relationship Management
•	Analytical Skills
•	Revenue Analysis
•	B2B, B2C
•	Communications Skills
•	Critical Thinking
•	Change Management
•	Social Media Platforms

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The Battle

Don Barnett

Debbie Simpson

Followers

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taplio

The Battle

Don Barnett

Debbie Simpson

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Don Barnett's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreDon Barnett's LinkedIn Performance