Sales & Marketing Services - Success Stories

La Posada Hotel & Suites, Laredo, Texas – Sales & Marketing Action Plan - 2006

"At our request, this past summer, HVS conducted a marketing assessment of the la Posada Hotel & Suites in Laredo, Texas, and independent hotel property which Palafox Hospitality, Ltd. has owned since 1994. The hotel has been beset by challenges recently, including new construction of several competing hotels, and adverse national attention with respect to ongoing violence in bordering Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. We found HVS' assessment to be thorough and professional, and we are in the process of implementing many of the recommendations that they made. Based upon our satisfaction with their work, we have retained HVS Sales & Marketing Services again, to assist us with marketing support and training at the hotel."

Chuck Hedges,
Fasken Oil & Ranch - Midland, Texas,
Owners - La Posada Hotel - Laredo, Texas

The HVS Assignment
Fasken Oil & Ranch, owners of the 200 room established hotel asked HVS Sales & Marketing for assistance. The hotel was just recently updated with $14 million worth of capital improvements bringing it to a level now competitive with the newer branded hotels recently added to the local inventory. As a full service hotel, however, la Posada was bringing in an average rate lower than its limited-service competitive set. Our assignment was to create a Sales and Marketing Action Plan that would position the hotel to increase its current customer base, improve rates and develop a dynamic electronic media plan to drive revenue and increase customer awareness.

Results
Through redirecting the sales effort through vertical market segmentation, establishing weekly sales goals and objectives the present team began reaching out to the local business community. This initiative resulted in new signed contracts for corporate transient room nights with rates reflecting the improved positioning of la Posada. The electronic media campaign also generated additional room nights at higher rates to the hotel. Most of the recommendations made in the HVS Plan are currently in progress.