Melissa Beaton
Halifax,Canada
Summary
Sales leader with proven ability to drive revenue growth and enhance team performance. Expertise in sales strategy, client relationship management, and market analysis. Strong focus on teamwork, adaptability, and achieving results. Known for leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Sales
Four Points by Sheraton Halifax
Halifax
01.2024 - Current
- Manage the property's reactive and proactive sales efforts.
- Determine and develop marketing communication activities, in conjunction with Regional Marketing Communications.
- Provide customer intelligence in evaluating the market and economic trends that may lead to changes in sales strategy to meet or exceed customer expectations.
- Review the STR report, competitive shopping reports and uses other resources to maintain an awareness of the hotel’s market position.
- Research competitor’s sales team strategies to identify ways to grow occupancy and RevPAR and increase market share.
- Plan and host sales strategy meetings to provide input on weekly and overall sales strategy.
- Serve as the sales contact for the General Manager, property leadership team, Group Sales and Area Sales leaders.
- Serve as hotel authority on sales processes and sales contracts.
- Serve as the property sales liaison with Area Sales, Group Sales, Revenue Management, Event Management, Regional Marketing Communications and other hotel departments as appropriate.
- Participate in sales calls with members of the Sales and Marketing team to acquire new business or close on business.
- Execute and support the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).
- Implement a seamless turnover from sales to operations and back to sales while consistently delivering high level of service.
- Maintain successful performance by increasing revenues, controlling expenses and providing a return on investment for the owner and Marriott International.
- Implement the brand’s service strategy and applicable brand initiatives in all aspects of the sales process and focuses on building long-term, value-based customer relationships that enable achievement of the hotel’s sales objectives.
- Develop strong partnerships with local organizations to further increase brand/product awareness.
- Develop strong community and public relations by maintaining property participation in local, regional and national tradeshows and client events.
- Execute exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and monitoring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.
- Function as the leader of the property’s sales & marketing department.
- Develop sales goals and strategies and verifies alignment with the brand business strategy.
- Execute the sales strategy in order to meet individual booking goals for both self and team.
- Coach leaders of revenue generating departments in developing effective revenue strategies and setting aggressive goals that will drive the property’s financial performance.
- Verify Sales team understands and is leveraging Marriott International (MI) demand engines to full potential.
- Sets goals and expectations for direct reports using the Leadership Performance Process (LPP), aligns performance and rewards, addresses performance issues and holds talent accountable for successful results.
- Train and mentor group sales team; utilizes all available on the job training tools for talent.
- Provides day to day leadership to sales team to achieve property sales objectives with overall responsibility for achieving booking goals and property revenues.
Sales Manager – All Markets
Four Points by Sheraton Halifax
Halifax
11.2023 - 09.2024
- Manage customer inquiries and act as the on-property liaison for group sales within the pre-defined peak room parameters.
- Achieve group revenue goals by selling our hotel to incoming group opportunities for the property.
- Understanding the overall market (e.g., competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc.) and know how to sell against them.
- Understand the customers travel/meeting needs and sell spaces/rooms based on these.
- Close the best opportunities for the property based on market conditions and property needs.
- Use negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
- Achieve group revenue goals by actively up-selling each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity.
- Proactively identify and solicit new business opportunities and contacts.
- Re-solicit past actualized, lost or turndown business.
- Build and maintains rapport with customers throughout the sales process.
- Perform consistently in sales, meeting production goals each period/quarter/annually.
Executive Sales & Event Manager - SMERF
The Westin Nova Scotian
Halifax
01.2022 - 01.2023
- Handle customer inquiries and act as the on-property liaison for group sales within the pre-defined peak room parameters for Property sales.
- Achieve group revenue goals by responding to incoming group/catering opportunities for the property that are within my pre-defined peak room parameters.
- Understand the overall market (e.g., competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc.) and know how to sell against them.
- Close the best opportunities for the property based on market conditions and property needs.
- Use negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
- Achieve group revenue goals by actively up-selling each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity.
- Ensure that events progress seamlessly by following established procedures, collaborating with other employees, and ensuring accuracy.
- Greet customer during the event phase and hands-off to the Event Operations team for the execution of details.
- Ensure billing accuracy and conduct bill reviews with the clients prior to processing the final bill.
- Manage group room blocks and meeting space for average to large-sized assigned groups.
- Identify operational challenges associated with each group and determine how to best work with the property staff and customer to solve these challenges or develop alternative solutions.
- Use judgment to integrate current trends in event management and event design.
- Participate in customer site inspections and assist with the sales process as necessary.
- Deliver excellent customer service throughout the customer experience and encourage the same from other employees.
- Coordinate and communicate event details both verbally and in writing to the customer and property operations.
Sales Executive - SMERF (1 Year Term Maternity Leave Coverage)
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront
Halifax
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Handle customer inquiries and act as the on-property liaison for group sales within my pre-defined peak room parameters for Property sales.
- Achieve group revenue goals by responding to incoming group opportunities for the property that are within the pre-defined Market parameters.
- Understand the overall market (e.g., competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc.) and know how to sell against them.
- Close the best opportunities for the property based on market conditions and property needs.
- Use negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
- Achieve group revenue goals by actively up-selling each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity.
- Work with the management team to create and implement a group sales plan addressing revenue, customers, and market.
- Provide accurate, complete, and effective turnover to Event Management.
- Execute and support Marriott’s Customer Service Standards and hotel’s Brand Standards.
- Conduct site inspections, as required.
- Develop relationship with existing and new customers to enable future bookings through sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.
- Develop relationships within the community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.
- Partner with Event Management and/or Operations in providing a customer experience that exceeds the customer’s expectations.
Business Development Researcher
Canada Account Sales – Marriott International
01.2017 - 01.2021
- Tasked with reviewing over 700 Canadian accounts, determining if they met Marriott’s criteria for Account Sales, as well as their potential market value for Marriott.
- Proactively solicit potential new accounts or business opportunities by leveraging business intelligence from Sales & Marketing Planning and Support and from third-party data sources to generate leads.
- Created client facing savings reports highlighting the benefits of a negotiated rate with Marriott properties.
- Effectively present market hotel benefits and features based on customer needs.
- Utilizes negotiation skills and creative selling abilities to uncover new business.
- Works collaboratively with the Large Group, Core Group, and Select Service & Extended Stay Group and Catering teams as an Area Sales liaison to ensure that sales efforts are coordinated, complementary, and not duplicative.
- Establish and maintains complete and up-to-date lead information on each account in SFAWeb|CI to ensure accurate reporting.
- Enter and follow up on all yearly negotiated rates in HPP, ensuring all negotiation requests are responded to prior to their deadline.
Sales Coordinator – Dual Property Role
Delta Hotels Halifax & Barrington
Halifax
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Perform general office duties to support Sales & Marketing (e.g., filing, sending emails, typing, faxing, and copying).
- Prepare sales-related documents throughout the sales process (e.g., proposals, contracts, or banquet event orders).
- Promote awareness of brand image internally and externally. Gather materials and assemble information packages (e.g., brochures, promotional materials).
- Enter, retrieve, reconcile, and verify information (e.g., commissions, leads, third parties) in software involved in the sales process.
- Answer guest questions about property facilities/services (e.g., hours of operation, rates and room types, packages, promotions, entertainment, restaurants, special events).
- Serve as the point of contact for clients and communicate with them by phone and email to respond to questions and requests.
Reservations & Revenue Coordinator – Dual Property Role
Delta Hotels Halifax & Barrington
Halifax
01.2014 - 01.2016
- Co-ordinate the execution of the Revenue Management Strategy for the Delta Hotels in Halifax.
- Liaison for the Regional Revenue Management Team, the Hotels Front Office, & Sales Department.
- Use Ideas Revenue Management system, to implement strategies & achieve goals set by our hotels Revenue Management Team.
- Ensure both hotels are maximizing revenue opportunities and capturing room nights above their Market Share.
- Attend weekly Revenue Strategy meetings and action any promotions or initiatives discussed.
- Complete Bi-weekly payroll & Review, process and submit weekly and monthly commission payments to travel agents and third-party booking channels.
- Oversee accuracy of room blocks, reservations, and group market codes.
- Verify room inventory and rate integrity within Delta’s Central reservation system and all 3rd party booking channels.
- Produce and distribute rollouts and other communication tools for new rates and packages to both hotels.
- Develop, update & maintain spread sheets to show year over year production, group block pick ups.
- Collect & Analyze competitor rate strategies, experiential package strategies, and their market share percent to help determine individual strategies for Delta Halifax & Barrington with the Revenue Management team.
- Pursue, acquire and maintain relationships with clients, booking channels and partners to develop packages and promotions to increase revenue for multiple parties.
- Produce a 14-day forecast for both hotels weekly to ensure each department can schedule according to forecasted occupancy levels.
- Plan and communicate weekly & monthly upsell (Rev it Up!) challenges for our Front Office & Restaurant teams to help ensure continuous engagement to exceed our sales goals.
Front Office Supervisor – Delta Halifax
Delta Hotels Halifax
Halifax, NS
01.2012 - 01.2014
- Schedule & conduct monthly 1 on 1 performance reviews with Guest Service Agents to discuss development & set monthly goals.
- Communicate with all departments about upcoming groups & meetings to ensure every detail is being carried out by the assigned department.
- Respond to post departure surveys completed by guests with an aim to exceed guest’s expectations at every opportunity to ensure positive closure is brought to any negative experiences.
- Assist with implementing & creating strategies to ensure we meet our quarterly & yearly departmental goals. Complete employee 90 day & yearly development reviews.
- Create plans for oversold nights to maximize revenue, with minimal guest impact.
- Manage all aspects of a shift, ensure guest service agents are covered for breaks, all guest concerns or questions are met with exceptional service, and respond immediately to emergencies.
- Assist with hiring and conducting interviews. Ensure the onboarding process in completed for each new hire.
- Prepare weekly schedule based on forecasted arrival and departure levels, balancing this with our monthly budget and staff time off requests.
Night Audit Manager – Delta Halifax
Delta Hotels Halifax
Halifax, NS
01.2010 - 01.2012
- Balance the hotel room & restaurant sales for the day.
- Ensure smooth and efficient running of the property - 296 rooms are well looked after with 3 staff on. Respond immediately to all noise complaints, guest requests and emergency situations.
- Manage oversold situations to maximize revenue and minimize guest impact.
Education
Diploma - Tourism Management
Nova Scotia Community College
Dartmouth, NS05-2010
Skills
- Sales training and leadership
- Revenue growth
- Sales funnel management
- Pipeline development
- Sales team training
- Deal closing
- Sales process optimization
- Sales team motivation
- Sales coaching
- Key account targeting
- Sales software proficiency
- Sales pipeline management
- Client relationship management
- Profitability optimization
- Trade show representation
- Sales strategy development
- Revenue forecasting
- Competitive analysis
- Sales reporting
- Strategic account development
- Business development and planning
- Relationship building
- Operating procedures and policies
- Decision-making
- Staff training and development
- Sales tracking
- Goal setting and achievement
- Market trend analysis
- Closing techniques
- Interdepartmental collaboration
- Sales process
Languages
English
Full Professional
Timeline
Director of Sales
Four Points by Sheraton Halifax
01.2024 - Current
Sales Manager – All Markets
Four Points by Sheraton Halifax
11.2023 - 09.2024
Executive Sales & Event Manager - SMERF
The Westin Nova Scotian
01.2022 - 01.2023
Sales Executive - SMERF (1 Year Term Maternity Leave Coverage)
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront
01.2021 - 01.2022
Business Development Researcher
Canada Account Sales – Marriott International
01.2017 - 01.2021
Sales Coordinator – Dual Property Role
Delta Hotels Halifax & Barrington
01.2016 - 01.2017
Reservations & Revenue Coordinator – Dual Property Role
Delta Hotels Halifax & Barrington
01.2014 - 01.2016
Front Office Supervisor – Delta Halifax
Delta Hotels Halifax
01.2012 - 01.2014
Night Audit Manager – Delta Halifax
Delta Hotels Halifax
01.2010 - 01.2012
Diploma - Tourism Management
Nova Scotia Community College