Occupancy Stimulus Plan

For the last several weeks I have heard about a Stimulus plan that is being considered which will help to stimulate our economy. This plan might or might not be approved and if it is approved it might or might not help our economy which in turn might or might not help our hotel occupancies. Frankly this this leaves too much to chance so I think it is time be more proactive and implement an Occupancy Stimulus Plan (OSP). This OSP is virtually guaranteed to put business in your hotel. The OSP consists of the following components:

1. Put a very aggressive monthly rate in place.
2. Allow customers to pay monthly rate by the week if they need to.
3. Convert some of your 4 night a week stays to a monthly rate & promote that taxes fall off after a while.
4. Maintain a daily Craig's List ad with an agressive rate.
5. Offer a 3 day rate to capture more short term business.
6. Establish a "no walk" policy & educate everyone on how to fade to a lower rate.
7. Empower GSR's to go as low as needed to make sure no one walks away.
8. Offer Choice privileges to people who book business for your hotel.
9. Offer a commission to anyone that books rooms for your hotel.
10. Maintain aggressive rates on web sites, 3rd party bookings, discount channels, etc.
11. Conduct parking lot shops on Tuesday or Wednesday nights at comp set hotels AND hotels a
"notch above" your hotel to look for trade down opportunities.
12. Conduct a mini sales blitz with a team of 2 or two teams of two.
13. Go to a competitor's laundry room on a Saturday or Sunday and wash clothes. These are
busiest days for washing clothes (especially construction workers). You might opt to pay
someone to to this for you and offer them commission on booked business.
14. Call on apartments this week as a lot of them are filling up and no longer are offering short
term leases. There are also more credit turn downs so great opportunity to get business.
15. Visit ALL job sites and also call the corporate office of companies you find. A lot of them
would love to know they could save $ by switching to your hotel even if workers don't want
to switch.

The OSP has already passed the house (Rick and I) and senate (Ron and Rick) and President O'Daley's has given the nod to this plan. Implementation should be immediate. It is crucial that you make sure you implement all 15 items of this plan to maximize you hotel's occupancy.