The Impeccable Host

Mark Perl

• Publisher: Filament Publishing
• Year: 2017
• eBook ISBN: 9781908691651
• Topic: Negocios y empresa
• Subtopic: Hostelería, viajes y turismo

The Impeccable Host is the world's first, definitive, training resource on how to Host corporate events of all types and sizes, more profitably than you ever have before. With well in excess of £1.3 billion being spent on corporate hospitality during the year of the Olympics in the UK, a significant amount of that will be spent by businesses using the opportunity to extend corporate hospitality to their clients. However, studies have shown that most companies have no idea how to measure the effectiveness of that spend, or more importantly, how to influence it. This book guides you through tactical, interpersonal processes which any savvy Executive can manage, to improve yield from events in three key areas: 1. Customer acquisition 2. Revenue generation 3. Customer retention Throughout an extensive career as an operational manager in hotels, corporate hospitality, conferencing and events, Mark Perl has developed a deep understanding of the value of 'connection' and the tactical skills of 'networking'. In today's highly competitive marketplace, acquiring superior relationship development skills differentiates the extraordinary business professional from the ordinary. Mark demystifies the tactical processes involved in become a confident and effective relationship builder and business developer. He helps professionals to explode their self-confidence, develop profitable relationships with ease, and to win new business in a way that brings in more money, consistently, with less personal stress.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Whilst there are many books on the practical skills of how to organise corporate events, and a growing number which identify and analyse complex metrics to establish return on investment (ROI), surprisingly there is little or no advice out there on the most important aspect of the whole client entertainment process; that of the tactical skills of engaging with, and influencing, the guests who attend.

The Impeccable Host is, to the best of my knowledge, the world’s first, definitive, training resource which is wholly focussed on the interpersonal skills of how to Host corporate hospitality events more professionally and profitably than you do now.

Packed with practical techniques that you can put to immediate use, not fluffy theories, The Impeccable Host takes you through a systematic and linear process to help you bring in more money from your client entertainment, consistently and with less personal stress.

The book also presents a simple formula to enable you to track and measure ROI.

Throughout The Impeccable Host, you will note that I refer to the sister book, The Impeccable Planner. This book is aimed at your PA, Executive Assistant, Senior Secretary, or anyone else within your organisation who, over and above the responsibilities of their daily role, is most often tasked with putting an event together, but who is not academically qualified in event management.

Asking them to organise events places a huge burden of responsibility on them. The Impeccable Planner offers insight and guidance to help them with the actual planning of your events, particularly when dealing with third party providers. It will help them ensure that:

• all the fundamental bases in relation to event planning are covered
• the often repeated pitfalls are avoided
• their event is remembered as the best your company has ever held
• their visibility within your organisation is more positively elevated
• their personal reputation is enhanced

The Impeccable Host and The Impeccable Planner are designed to be a set. Two books, going into the same office, but landing on different desks. Both books intended to ensure your events deliver improved outcomes, from a 360° perspective.

The Impeccable Host is specifically aimed at those within private businesses, corporate organisations, charities, the not-for-profit sector and the diplomatic corps, and all those who work in the professional services sector, who act as the Hosts at events of all types, but normally have little experience of the interpersonal, influencing techniques needed for this form of intimate marketing, business development and relationship building.

The Impeccable Host, whilst acknowledging that both you and the team with whom you work are exceptionally competent at what you do, asks: Can you reasonably expect to get the best results out of your investment in client entertainment without insight into the interpersonal skills required to Host these events Impeccably?

Some client entertainment events are designed purely for client retention, and others are created specifically for looking at new business.

There are events to which only key decision makers are invited, and there are others for which your clients’ partners are essential invitees. Without partners, the numbers accepting evening or weekend events can be significantly depleted.

As a Host, you will approach each event in a different way.

Whichever type of guest is in attendance, and whichever outcome you are looking for, Hosts will benefit from an enhanced skills set.

If you want to see improved revenues as a result of your events, then changing Host behaviour is the only way forward.

Just spending the allocated sales and marketing budget for events on corporate hospitality, and simply accompanying your guests in the enjoyment of events, is not enough to guarantee a return.

Hosts must do something to influence that return.

New income does not pour in on its own. If you want to see improved revenues as a result of your events, then changing Host behaviour is the only way forward.

Implementing the techniques presented within these pages will ensure that you, and your fellow executives who act in the role of Hosts at your events, are fully aware of the tactical, interpersonal skills and behaviours required to be an Impeccable Host.

You will be able to find more new business opportunities from within your guests’ organisations with ease, and deliver these opportunities to the income line of yours.

Invitations to enjoy hospitality, in branded corporate facilities, at events of all kinds taking place around the globe, are eagerly awaited and gratefully received. They form part of accepted sales and marketing practice.

Done well, we know significant financial returns can be derived from corporate hospitality.

But how are these returns achieved?

What follows is a list which you will recognise as questions about your potential ‘pain’ regarding events. For you, a negative response against any of them represents ‘Red Flag’. Three or more Red Flags will determine the urgency of your need to get to grips with the techniques and strategies contained within the following Chapters.

• Are you of the opinion that financial returns happen by chance, or are you in search of a set of processes that can deliver increased revenues, consistently?
• Do you honestly believe new business opportunities appear on their own, just because your guests had a good time? Is that enough?
• Have you ever wondered if there was a formula to uncovering new opportunities?
• If there was a formula, have you pondered whether it could be replicated across different types of events?
• Would knowing this formula be of value to you and your organisation?
• Is there ‘more to it’ to achieve positive results and empirical returns from your events?
• What are the processes you can manage to help you influence this?

Events, as you will know from experience, can be very costly affairs. And, like any other area of business investment today, maximising the ROI for this outlay is vital. Without the ability to influence, and then track and measure ROI, client entertainment at events, an essential line item in the marketing and sales budget, may be at risk of being removed, especially during recessionary times.

• Do you have any formula in place to calculate the ROI you require from your events?
• On reflection, after your events, how well do you feel your executives, your team of Hosts, performed on the night?
• Do your Hosts merely accompany guests at your events, or have they been trained to actively employ interpersonal engagement techniques to acquire business intelligence and uncover the needs, change and challenge that signal ROI opportunities?
• Have you ever felt disappointed with your Hosts’ performance or their outcomes?
• If you have, ask yourself if your team have ever had any training in how to Host?

• Did you notice that members of your team were huddled together, chatting amongst themselves, feeling well outside their comfort zone?
• Did you notice that some members of your team had partaken a little too readily of the free alcohol available at the event?
• Did you feel a little let down by this behaviour?
• Were they clearly briefed on your expectations of them?
• Did they know where to stand, how to appear most welcoming to arriving guests, or what to do to influence income-generating or ROI outcomes?
• Did they know, or were they given guidance on, what to say?
• Were they fully briefed as to the purpose of the event or the specific outcomes you were looking to achieve by Hosting it?
• Have you, yourself, ever clearly defined the outcomes you wish to achieve from your events and do you have any processes to track and measure those results?
• Were Hosts fully aware of all the guests who had been invited and who may be a good introduction for whom?
• Did they know what specific questions to ask guests, to uncover potential opportunities to do more, or new, business with them?
• Did they know who had been invited, by which department head, and why?
• Did you feel they all acted as excellent ambassadors for your corporate brand?

And what of your guests?

After all, without them, there would be no event to Host!

• Are you on their agenda, or your own?
• Are you 100% confident that your guests were well looked after throughout?
• Did everyone receive a warm, structured, welcome upon arrival, and, at the end, did they receive a genuine ‘thank you for attending’ and a memorable farewell upon departure?
• Were there any occasions where you noticed one or two guests were left standing on their own, and potentially feeling a little left out?

• Were all relevant introductions between guests made, so they could unlock new business between themselves?
• Were your guests encouraged to make referrals to other business prospects for you?
• Are you happy that all the networking opportunities were successfully harvested, for everyone concerned?

These are just some of the questions relating to the event itself.

And what of the follow-up after the event? Th...

Table of contents

• The Impeccable Host
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Foreword
• How To Get The Best Out Of This Book
• Chapter 1 Introduction
• Chapter 2 Why Trust Me?
• Chapter 3 For Whom Has The Impeccable Host Been Written?
• Chapter 4 Why Hospitality Works
• Chapter 5 Definition of a Host
• Chapter 6 Personality Traits and Core Skills of Impeccable Hosts
• Chapter 7 Understanding How Your Guests will be Feeling
• Chapter 8 Definition of Impeccable
• Chapter 9 Planning and Preparation
• Chapter 10 The Pre-Event General Staff Briefing
• Chapter 11 Hosts’ Preparation for Small Events
• Chapter 12 The Pre-Event Host Briefing
• Chapter 13 The Process for Receiving Guests at Large Events
• Chapter 14 First Impressions Count - The Impeccable Handshake
• Chapter 15 First Impressions Count - Wearing Your Name Badge
• Chapter 16 First Impressions Count - The Elevator Pitch
• Chapter 17 First Impressions Count - Remembering Names
• Chapter 18 Structuring Profitable Conversations
• Chapter 19 The Four Questioning Zones
• Chapter 20 Zone 1 - Breaking the Ice
• Chapter 21 Zone 2 - Small Talk
• Chapter 22 Zone 3 - The Business Questions
• Chapter 23 Zone 4 - Current Supplier Questions
• Chapter 24 The $64,000 Question
• Chapter 25 The Weekend Question
• Chapter 26 Spotting the Opportunity
• Chapter 27 Etiquette of The Business Card Exchange
• Chapter 28 The Follow-Up Call
• Chapter 29 The Wash-Up Meeting
• Chapter 30 Event ROI
• Chapter 31 Conclusion
• Chapter 32 Toolkit Downloads
• Chapter 33 Client Testimonials
• Chapter 34 Client List