by Richard Prior
Staff Writer
Reaching out over the Internet has become the modern, efficient way to draw big numbers to hotels. But it’ll never take the place of the personal touch.
“The Internet is becoming more and more of a factor,” said Christy Szczukowski, a corporate sales manager at the Adam’s Mark Hotel. “It’s the trend. For conferences, there’s a whole segment of online merchants.”
There is, however, a more impressive way.
“We call them and go see them,” said Margaret Brannen, another corporate sales manager. “We’re getting ready to do some massive canvassing of the downtown area, some ‘get to know your neighbor’ type things.
“That’ll also remind people we’re here . . . in case you can’t see us when you come over the Main Street Bridge.”
All large hotels, including the Adam’s Mark, have staff assigned to attracting large associations and groups. Szczukowski and Brennan, however, focus on “corporate transient business . . . the ones and twos, the road warriors,” Brennan said. “We don’t really get involved in group rooms.”
That approach takes more phone calls, more visits, more time. But the payback can be more impressive because guests never get enough of whatever they appreciate most. They keep coming back for more.
“The challenge is to get them inside your hotel,” said Brannen. “Once they come inside, it’s pretty easy from there.”
Szczukowski agreed, adding that the hotel is at the center of an expanding business area.
“Jacksonville is so spread out; all the little business district pockets are spread out,” she said. “But we’re only 18 miles south of the airport. We’re very accessible to all the major roadways.
“So we’re a great little hub, in a sense. That’s kind of our selling strategy.”
Brannen has been at the Adam’s Mark since Dec. 8, but has been in the hotel industry in Jacksonville for 17 years. Eight of those years have been spent in sales. She has also been in the conventions and catering divisions.
Szczukowski has also been in the industry for 17 years. She, too, has spent eight years in sales and has worked in several other divisions as well. She has been at the Adam’s Mark since 1999.
“We’re both pretty well rounded in every area of the hotel industry,” said Brannen.
In addition to corporate and government travelers, church groups get a lot of attention from the Adam’s Mark staff.
“Jacksonville has a lot of churches, and they have transient business, too,” said Brannen.. “That’s a big area. So we go there and build rapport with them.”
The effect of the county courthouse moving up the road is hard to gauge. The vacancies created by the departure of some businesses should be filled by others.
And, as the Bay Street Town Center takes shape, some law firms that are planning to move “may opt to stay put,” Szczukowski said.
The hotel expects to get the attention of out-of-town spectators going to the sports complex or to shows at the arena. Locals, too, may choose to drop by one of the hotel’s restaurants before or after events.
The “Getting To Know Your Neighbor” campaign is “our biggest thing right now,” said Szczukowski. “These people are right outside our door. We want them to know us, and we want to get to know them because there is something here for them at the hotel.
“It might involve them personally; it might involve the organizations they belong to. There’s just a lot of opportunity here, which is why we want to really saturate the downtown area.”
Distinguishing reality from public perception about the hotel is an important part of the selling job, the two women said.
“A lot of people don’t know what the Adam’s Mark is all about,” said Brannen. “They see this big, beautiful hotel sitting here, and they think, ‘I can’t afford to stay there.’
“That’s an image we’re trying to work on as well.”
Word about downtown and the Adam’s Mark is being spread through the publicity accompanying the Super Bowl and by the cruise ships that now include Jacksonville as a port.
“We’ve got Celebrity and Carnival (cruises) promoting Jacksonville, so that’s more exposure,” said Szczukowski. “Plus, we get the most exposure we can out of organizations like the Chamber of Commerce to help promote companies moving to Jacksonville.
“The same thing with Jaxport. We’re here to complement their effort as well, Hopefully, we represent the city well.”