What it ys, why hotels swear by it, and how to make it work

An explainer on cold calling for hotel sales teams, covering targeted outreach to corporate travel managers, event planners, and travel agencies to drive group and event bookings.

What Is Cold Calling?

Cold calling is the practice of proactively reaching out to potential customers who have had no prior interaction with your business. In the hotel industry, this means picking up the phone and calling event planners, corporate travel managers, travel agencies, and other decision-makers to pitch your property as a venue for their meetings, events, or group bookings.

While the term might evoke images of outdated sales tactics, proactive outbound phone outreach remains a vital tool in the arsenal of hospitality sales professionals. It’s not about blindly dialing numbers from a phone book; it’s about strategic, targeted outreach to qualified prospects.

Why Hotels Talk About Cold Calling

Hotels invest time and resources into cold calling for one simple reason: it puts money directly into their bottom line. Here’s why:

Advertisements

1. The Scale of Missed Opportunities

According to the 2024 Hospitality Benchmark Report, hoteliers average 2.6 non-booked lead calls per room each month. For a 200-room property, that’s 560 missed opportunities every single month to close revenue. Cold calling or strategic follow-up calling is how hotels recapture that lost business.

2. Incremental Revenue

The same benchmark data shows that hoteliers average $1,717 in incremental revenue per room annually** from outbound calling alone. For a 200-room hotel, that amounts to nearly $350,000 in pure incremental revenue.

3. Direct Reach and Personal Connection

Cold calling remains one of the most direct ways to reach potential clients. Unlike emails that get buried in crowded inboxes or digital ads that are easily ignored, a phone call creates an immediate personal connection. Calls build rapport faster, add tone and warmth, and create real connections in ways that text-based communication simply cannot.

4. Filling Specific Gaps

Hotels use cold calling to:

• Build an initial client base for newly opened properties
• Fill event spaces during off-peak periods
• Target corporate accounts for recurring group bookings
• Follow up on leads that showed interest but didn’t commit

Does Cold Calling Actually Work? (Spoiler: Yes)

Despite its reputation, cold calling delivers real, measurable results when done correctly.

Real-World Example #1: 40% Increase in Group Bookings

One sales professional helped a hotel client increase booked group reservations by 40% in just one month through strategic cold calling and consistent follow-ups. The approach involved identifying and prioritizing qualified leads from event organizers, travel agencies, and corporate planners and addressing their specific accommodation needs and budgets on every call.

Real-World Example #2: $110K in Sales Wins

Avision partnered with a top U.S. hygiene and personal care brand to implement a multi-channel lead generation strategy targeting independent hotels. Through targeted phone calls and personalized outreach, they achieved a 9 out of 10 success rate when reaching decision-makers and secured $110K in sales wins.

Real-World Example #3: 222 Room Nights Booked

The Ranch at Rock Creek a Forbes Travel Guide 5-Star guest ranch in Montana implemented an automated campaign targeting cold leads. When a lead called and didn’t book, agents rated the lead as warm or cold. For cold leads, an automated email was triggered one hour later. The campaign achieved an above-average open rate of 63.7% and led to 222 room nights booked in 30 days.

Real-World Example #4: Nearly $1 Million in Three Months

Sarah’s team at a Forbes Five-Star property generated nearly $1 million in revenue over three months through strategic follow-up calls, turning conversations into bookings.

Real-World Example #5: $4.9 Million in 12 Months

The Marker Waterfront Resort Key West and Southernmost Beach Resort generated $4.9 million in revenue in 12 months by implementing a proactive inbound call strategy.

The Data Behind the Success

• 82% of buyers say they’ve accepted a meeting with a salesperson who reached out proactively
• Outbound calling can increase connection rates from 15% to 30–35%
• Hotels see up to 50% higher conversion rates through nurture workflows

Why Cold Calling Works (When Done Right)

Cold calling works because it addresses a fundamental truth about B2B sales: people buy from people they trust. A well-executed call:

1. Creates an immediate human connection that emails and digital ads can’t replicate
2. Demonstrates initiative and genuine interest in the prospect’s needs
3. Allows for real-time objection handling and relationship building
4. Cuts through digital noise the average corporate event planner receives dozens of hotels pitches every week

The key is that “cold” doesn’t have to mean “clueless.” As one industry expert put it: “The ‘cold’ in cold calling doesn’t have to mean clueless. Spend five minutes researching the company, the contact’s role, or their past events. A little context like a recent company milestone, social media post, or local press mention, can turn a cold call into a warm conversation”.

The Ultimate Cold Calling Checklist for Hotel Sales

Phase 1: Preparation (Before You Dial)

• Build a targeted prospect list Identify event organizers, corporate travel managers, travel agencies, and corporate planners
• Research each prospect Spend 5 minutes on LinkedIn, the company website, and your CRM to find a hook
• Look for triggers Recent company milestones, expansions, press mentions, or past events they’ve hosted
• Know your property’s value proposition What makes your hotel uniquely suited to their needs?
• Prepare a flexible script Not a robotic monologue, but a clear game plan you’ve rehearsed and internalized
• Define your call objective Secure a booking, schedule a site visit, or gather information
• Identify decision-makers Know who you need to reach and their role in the buying process

Phase 2: The Call (When You Dial)

• Start strong and confident Never apologize or ask for permission. Avoid phrases like “Is this a bad time?” or “Sorry to bother you”
• Lead with relevance, not your property The prospect doesn’t care about your hotel’s amenities yet. They care about whether you understand their needs
• Personalize immediately Use the prospect’s name and reference something specific you learned in your research
• Deliver your 15–20 second value pitch Focus on what’s in it for them, not just what you offer
• Ask open-ended questions Understand their needs, pain points, and budget
• Listen actively Respond to cues and questions with thoughtful answers
• Handle objections calmly Don’t freeze. Have responses ready for common objections
• Set a clear next step Schedule a follow-up call, site visit, or send a proposal

Phase 3: Follow-Up (After the Call)

• Log everything in your CRM Notes, next steps, and follow-up dates
• Send a follow-up email within 24 hours Recap the conversation and confirm next steps
• Personalize follow-up communications Reference specific discussion points from the call
• Nurture warm leads Send timely follow-up calls and professional emails with customized package options
• Track engagement Use your CRM to monitor which leads are responding and prioritize accordingly
• Coach and train your team Use call recordings to coach agents and improve their skills

Best Practices to Remember

Final Thoughts

Cold calling in the hotel industry isn’t about annoying strangers with unwanted pitches. It’s about proactive, strategic outreach to qualified prospects who have a genuine need for what you offer. When done with proper research, personalization, and follow-up, it consistently delivers measurable revenue gains.

As one industry leader put it: “Hope is not a strategy but a well-executed outbound sales plan certainly is”.