Violet Jernigan

• Responsible for building accounts and client relationships for the newest extended stay hotel in the Marriott brand
• Identified, developed and maintained relationships with key customers and partners
• Submitted business cases and annual RFP's for negotiated accounts/rates with Marriott account representatives
• Conducted market research to identify new business opportunities on a weekly basis
• Built relationships with customers and industry professionals to establish long-term business growth.
• Developed and implemented sales strategies to maximize revenue growth.
• Created detailed reports on sales performance metrics and trends.
• Utilized CRM systems to track leads, manage accounts and monitor competitor activity
• Created yearly marketing and business plan
• Implemented yearly sales budgets
• Developed referral plans for the front desk to provide sales leads
• Researched competitors and stayed on top of current market conditions to survey landscape and anticipate roadblocks
• Implemented weekly and 90 day forecasting. Attended revenue meetings weekly

• Manage, lead, and direct the sales and reservation team of the hotel
• Implemented new creative ways of  marketing a brand unfamiliar to the market (Hotel changed from Marriott to Delta in 2016)
• Developed annual marketing plan and the 2018 budget for the sales and catering team
• Responsible for submitting annual rates for local negotiated accounts and managing the RFP system with the national accounts 
• Hired qualified candidates for the Sales department
• Monitored our competitive set with the Hotelligence report and hotel shops, utilizing the information to shift share
• Highly involved with the revenue management team and participated in weekly revenue calls
• Assist home office with hotel advertisement and marketing projects
• Established office procedures and implemented systems to grow  rate year over year

(Courtyard by Marriott 25th and 37th Street, Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach)

• Responsible for direct sales solicitation through phone calls, email communication, appointments, site tours, etc.
• Develop and maintain relationships with top accounts to create trust, loyalty and lasting business relationships
• Manage the training and supervision of the solicitation efforts of the sales team. 
• Motivate small team of myself, sales manager and coordinator,  maintaining an extremely busy office  while completing outside sales calls and networking events
• Develop and implement annual hotel budget , sales goals and business plan with the general managers
• Respond to all sales leads through Marriott, CVENT, CVB and all third party planners in a timely manner
• Establish relationships with Marriott sales executives
• Plan and implement quarterly sales blitz
• Submit annual RFP in the Marriott Global System
• Renegotiate LNR rates annually 
• Monitor comp set reports-STAR, Hotelligence for share shifting

• Manage the training and supervision of the solicitation efforts of the sales and catering team
• Develop the hotels annual budget, goals and business plan with the general manager
• Create, implement and keep current the sales & marketing plan, group rates and group room night allotments.
• Monitor catering bookings to ensure space availability and maximize revenues
• Monitor comp-set reports-STAR, Travel Click
• Hold weekly sales meetings and monthly one on ones with team members
• Organize and attend sales blitz, trade shows and networking opportunities
• Manage and sell the Federal/Military market of the hotel.

(Director of Sales 1/2008-6/2013)

• Develop the hotels annual budget and business plan with the general manager
• Hired qualified candidates for the sales and catering department
• Directed the solicitation efforts of the sales and catering staff through effective oral and written communication
• Direct and manage all group, transient, and catering/banquet sales activities to maximize revenue for the hotel
• Responsible for ordering and creating all hotel marketing collateral
• Conduct weekly sales/catering meetings and monthly one on ones
• Review all proposals and contracts
• Manage and sell the Federal/Military market
• Conduct weekly prospecting, sales calls and site tours

(Sales Manager 7/2004-1/2008)