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!

Signature Aviation

Signature Aviation is the world’s largest network of private aviation terminals. As one of the world's preeminent aviation companies, we deliver exceptional experiences and essential support to business and private aviation customers.

Signature provides world-class service at more than 200 locations in 27 countries across 5 continents.

My key areas of focus are clients based in IL, IN, MI, MO, IA, KY, NE and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Québec.

Global Account Manager

Sonesta Hotels

● (2022 - 2023) Oversee the corporate travel sales efforts for the Royal Sonesta Hotels of Chicago, which includes 3 full-service properties in downtown Chicago.
● (2020 - 2022) Manage a portfolio of 4 full-service hotels in Chicago and St. Louis with an annual business travel budget of $6M.
● Create and implement strategies for target customer pipelines while fostering existing customer relationships.
● Provide sales forecasting and analysis, pricing, and key account management, ensuring accurate data is captured and documented. 
● Foster the growth of current accounts through personalized training and quarterly performance evaluations with Travel Managers in the local market, empowering employees to achieve their targeted goals.
● Lead end-to-end BT responsibilities, including rate and system maintenance, VIP coordination, and B2B customer service, resulting in increased revenue and market share. 
● Leverage tools for RFP solicitation and negotiations, adapting strategies based on real-time market conditions.
● Collaborate effectively with leadership, revenue management, and regional and global sales teams to align initiatives and strategies. 
● Orchestrate successful on-site inspections, outside sales calls, and industry events, establishing strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
● Achieve and exceed annual revenue goals by implementing proactive sales plans, analyzing sales statistics, and identifying growth opportunities, including exceeding the 2022 budget by 143%, providing an increase of $6M in budget.
● Serve as the trusted advisor to corporate travel decision-makers, embodying the Voice of the Customer to inform corporate strategy.

Regional Account Director (Business Travel) of the Royals of Chicago

● Assisted the Director of Sales in reaching the business travel revenue goals by targeting and soliciting national accounts.
● Leveraged market insights and competitor analysis to identify new opportunities, resulting in the acquisition of high-value corporate accounts and a substantial boost in market share.
● Collaborated seamlessly with cross-functional teams, including revenue management, marketing, and operations, to align business travel offerings with customer needs. 
● Cultivated strategic partnerships with corporate clients and travel agencies, ensuring a seamless end-to-end travel experience and generating repeat business.
● Mentored and guided a high-performing team of Business Travel Managers to consistently surpass sales targets by implementing tailored coaching programs and workshops.

Director of Business Travel Royal Sonesta Chicago Riverfront

Hyatt House

● Collaborated with General Manager to ensure successful strategies are in place to deliver the budget.
● Created and delivered appropriate marketing strategies for the new hotel's successful sales, marketing launch, and revenue ramp.
● Led the sales and marketing team for the hotel to ensure the revenue and marketing strategies were in place before pre-opening and delivered effectively through launch and ramp into successful operation.
● Managed the sales recruitment process supported by the General Manager and McKibbon Hospitality.
● Provided guidance, training, coaching, and leadership for the sales and event managers to ensure productivity.
● Crafted strategic vision for revenue growth, assessed program effectiveness, and utilized market intelligence for innovation, leading to sales generation and revenue growth.
● Forged relationships and built rapport with stakeholders to cultivate, enhance, and leverage external and internal relationships to elevate hotel and market share awareness and drive business.
● Partnered with General Manager, Regional Teams, and Revenue Manager to collaborate on rates and revenue maximization.
● Solicited and Secured RFPs for key demand drivers in the market during pre-opening and for the 2020 RFP season.
● Achieved consistent revenue growth by exceeding budgeted group revenue expectations: Act/Fct Group - 35% increase in 2019, Fct Group - 16% increase in 2020, and 59% increase over negotiated budget.

Opening Director of Sales

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

● Sourced and secured group accounts, skillfully targeting 10 or more rooms on a peak across diverse markets, including Corporate, Association, Government, Entertainment, and SMERF segments.
● Spearheaded participation in weekly revenue meetings, driving collaborative strategies to optimize revenues and RevPAR performance.
● Forged impactful partnerships with Wyndham Global Sales Organization, leveraging strong industry relationships to enhance third-party and end-user connections, thereby augmenting hotel business.
● Exhibited comprehensive event planning prowess by leading client meetings from proposal to billing stages, expertly handling food/beverage selection and AV requisites.
● Employed advanced prospecting tools, including Knowland Group, Topline Profit, CoStar, and Delphi Reports, to identify potential group opportunities, highlighting proficiency in data-driven decision-making.

Group Sales Manager

●	Strengthened corporate transient and consortia markets for a 334-room, recently rebranded property through strategic initiatives.
●	Negotiated the 2017 RFP season with national and local corporate accounts, delivering an impressive 5 - 9% YoY increase in ADR.
●	Employed data-driven insights from Hotelligence reports and CoStar analysis to identify lucrative opportunities, successfully securing new business amounting to $500,000 in revenue.
●	Fostered robust corporate relationships by employing a holistic approach, which included face-to-face meetings, persuasive client presentations, and proactive cold calling.
●	Orchestrated monthly sales blitzes within the local market to cultivate valuable transient, group, and catering partnerships.
●	Represented the property at industry events to effectively promote it to corporate travel buyers, solidifying its presence and appeal.
●	Actively engaged in quarterly Chicago Business Travel Association (BTA) meetings, contributing to industry discourse and network expansion.
●	Demonstrated strong negotiation skills by securing lucrative airline contracts worth an annual value of $275,000.
●	Created business traveler incentives to drive awareness and build brand loyalty.
●	Recognized as Manager of the Quarter (Q3, 2015) and consistently drove substantial revenue growth across TMC/Global/Local/Government segments: Achieved a $1,411,020 YoY increase in 2015 vs. 2014, a $250,000 YoY increase in 2015 vs. 2016, and surpassed 2017 budget by 103% in assigned segments.

Sr. Business Travel Sales Manager

Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles Westside

● Developed marketing strategies for a 566-room property that increased the overall market segment in revenue, ADR, and room nights in the corporate, consortia, and government sectors.  Also managed airline/cruise contracts, FIT individual and FIT group business.
● Increased national and local corporate account base by 60% with accounts generating 100+ rooms or more
● Conducted research on client room nights and revenue performance, prepared account performance reports quarterly and annually, and conducted semi-annual account review meetings.
● Developed and implemented specific account marketing plan accounts. Monitored production compliance.
● Active participation in LABTA and Chicago BTA networking functions, business travel trade shows, and travel agent presentations.
● Utilized market research tools such as Hotelligence 360, Hoovers, Knowlandgroup resources to identify new business opportunities.
● Ability to make key decisions, multitask, solve problems effectively under pressure, and make significant contributions as a team player.
● Achieved 129% over the $960,000 budget in 2011. Increased corporate transient revenue by $423k year over year (2011 vs. 2010).
● Achieved 115% over $1.47M budget in 2012. Increased corporate transient revenue by $426k year over year (2012 vs. 2011).
● Achieved 107% over the $2M budget in 2013. Solicited and secured multi-year cruise line contracts worth $650,000 annually.

Associate Director of Business Travel Sales

Club Quarters

● Developed the client base of individuals, organizations, associations, and social business for group opportunities.
● Maintained client files and updated information daily in accordance with established departmental policies and procedures.
● Utilized the sales CRM (iVvy / Salesforce) to log the sales journey from receipt of lead to materialization of group.
● Assisted in the preparation and delivery of group proposals and contracts.
● Responded to group leads through online RFPs.
● Worked closely with the revenue management and guest services team in the coordination of rate quotations, space availability, inventory management and rooming lists.
● Worked closely with accounts receivable team in securing deposits and payments.
● Prepared group resumes and turnover of definite groups to the hotel operations team.
● Maintained effective written communication to the hotel operations team regarding onsite groups and events.
● Followed up with clients regularly during and after departure to ensure satisfaction and secure future bookings.
● Prepared special events, hotel tours, and off-site presentations for potential clients.
● Cultivated collaborative, mutually supportive relationships with and among customers, as well as the CQ community, membership team, and hotel staff.
● Promoted teamwork and quality service through daily communication and coordination with other departments.

Membership Manager

● Quickly grasped the dynamic and competitive LAX corporate market by analyzing Hotelligence 360 to solicit and secure major room night generators for the 2011 travel season. 
● Managed the RFP process in Lanyon, Uversa, Sabre Hotel RFP during the 2011 RFP season to capture solicited and unsolicited corporate business. Negotiated all local rate agreements.
● Developed sales and marketing campaigns that generated an additional 25% of incremental revenue in the consortia market.
● Created and launched the Corporate Account of the Month program to increase locally negotiated accounts by an average of 35% over the same time last year.

Independent Sales Contractor

Hard Rock Hotel Chicago

● Negotiated national and local corporate accounts to secure annualized room night commitment.
● Managed an effective sales pipeline by identifying new opportunities and increasing penetration within existing customers locally and nationally.
● Researched and analyzed market reports to identify new business opportunities within the Hotel’s competitive set. Develop strategies to move and capture marketshare. 
● Developed and presented sales presentations and proposals based on the unique business requirements of each client. 
● Created account growth plans. Implement short and long-term strategies to fulfill revenue and room night projections.
● Attended travel industry association functions, travel trade shows, and other events important to generating account prospects
● Met monthly, quarterly, and annual targets for sales calls, account acquisition, and room nights and revenue growth.
● Increased room nights by 20% year-over-year.  Growth is accredited to account penetration, frequent guest program creation, and new account acquisition. Utilization of Hotelligence, Knowland Group database, and end-user solicitation was crucial to the room night growth.
● Developed Business Travel Account Executive position to exclusively grow the local account base and manage accounts generating up to 75 room nights annually.
● Achieved 115% of a $1.9 Million Goal in 2009.

Business Travel Sales Manager

K Hotels

● Planned and executed integrated marketing and sales strategies to maximize the profitability of corporate volume accounts and group bookings for 50 properties in the US, Caribbean, Central/South America, and Europe.
 ● Developed consultative relationships with decision-makers, including CEO's, CFO's, Directors of Procurement, Corporate Travel Managers. 
● Provided consultative sales approach when meeting with top-level executives and key decision-makers to educate them on each hotel's differentiating benefits, features, and unique brand qualities. 
● Analyzed and prospected market reports to make consumer-focused business decisions that drive revenue to K Hotels and its members.
● Identified and implemented best practices into operational processes; leveraged best practices to innovate and improve the way things got done.
● Increased consortia sales by 53% year over year. 
● Increased Midwest sales by 29% year over year.

Director of Consortia Sales

Intagio Media Services

● Planned and executed media buying and planning solutions for the hospitality industry
● Developed strategic marketing plans and strategies, including selecting media (print, broadcast, out-of-home, or online) vehicles, and determining the timing and placement of materials while maintaining budgetary parameters.
● Managed hospitality client relationships and delivered presentations and pitches to potential clients. 
● Planned and executed advertising campaigns. Conferred with clients to assess advertising needs, determine goals, and establish annual budgets. 
● Ensured implementation of campaign strategies on time and within budget.

Account Director

Experienced and strategic sales and marketing leader with 20-year background in the hospitality industry and a track record of executing revenue growth plans and elevating market shares. Expert in fostering sales relationships, contract negotiations, data analysis, and collaboration with cross-functional teams. Proven expertise in contract negotiations, relationship building, and market analysis. Well-versed in shaping business strategies based on industry knowledge and market trends. Accomplished in strategic planning and execution and recognized for surpassing venue goals by up to 59%.

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The Battle

Don Barnett

Iyonna R.

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The Battle

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Likes

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