October 29, 2007 by Chris Harrower, CTIS.

I’m sitting here, getting ready to pack for NTA in Kansas City (followed almost immediately by OMCA in Ottawa). And I’m a newbie! Yippee!

I know that I turned some heads at ABA this past year with a star on my badge. Everyone on the east coast seems to know me already. I’ve been doing shows from Pennsylvania to Tennessee for over 10 years now, but I’ve never been able to do the “big shows” before ABA in Grapevine this past February. That’s not a criticism in any way…if anything, it’s a credit to my former employer for wisdom.

As I mentioned below in my post about ABA, it can cost upwards of $3,000 to $4,000 to do one of these shows. While they are very much well worth it, it takes quite a bite out of a group marketing budget. My former employer decided against spending the money, and I fully agreed. And I took quite a bit of heat from my friends about it.

It all comes down to simple ROI, which we teach about as part of the Group Sales Seminar…Return On Investment. At the Choo Choo Barn, our retail admission was $5.50, and our group rate was $4.50. We implemented tiered pricing, so Operator rates were even less than that. Do the math…even at $4.50 per person on a coach, if coaches average 45 people per visit, that means we bring in roughly $202.50 per bus. Which means we would have to sell at least 20 buses just to cover the cost of attending a “big show”. Profitability starts well after that point…

I have no doubt we could have sold that many buses, but when you consider the simple fact that it can take a couple of years to really get “up to speed” at a show, and maybe I would have to sell 40 buses, or 50. Again, I know it could happen, but there are no guarantees. And that’s where careful assessment of ROI must come into play.

It’s a discussion I had earlier this year with my “Daddy” (second family), Jim Morrison from the National Christmas Center (if you have not visited the Christmas Center, stop reading right now, and drive to Paradise to see simply the MOST amazing museum of Christmas you will ever see! It is truly a hidden gem here in Lancaster County, and should be part of every group itinerary!). Jim has wanted to go to ABA for years, but we did the math, and wondered about selling enough coaches to cover sending a couple of people (which works out to about $6,000 for two people to attend). This year, he hit on the perfect plan, and is going to run with it at ABA in Virginia Beach in February. I won’t give away his “master plan”, but it is complete genius, and is going to pay off for him! After the show is over, with his permission, maybe I’ll share his secret.

There’s nothing wrong with being a newbie…we all have to start somewhere, and even someone with 10+ years of experience can be a newbie once (or twice). If you’re going to Kansas City or Ottawa, please look me up! I’ll be there with my star, rookie, or first-timer insignia worn proudly! It’s my last time as a newbie…I’m already signed up to “give back” at ABA next year, working in the Orientation Center. And that’s what it’s all about…

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October 22, 2007 by Chris Harrower, CTIS.

After posting about the “loss” of Deanna Sorge to promotion a couple of weeks ago, two more friends are heading off into the fog, and I’m very sad to see them go.

One of the men who taught me this business is moving on up to the big time. J.R. Shaw has accepted the position as Executive Director of the Washington County (PA) Tourism & Promotion Agency. It’s a great opportunity for JR, who has worked for many years promoting Pittsburgh, and now can continue to work with his comrades in “Pittsburgh and it’s Countryside”, yet has a new office located literally one mile from his house. I can still remember years ago (in High Point, NC) winning “Rookie Of The Year” from North Carolina Motorcoach…one of the first people to come congratulate me after the dinner was JR, and I was able to thank him then, and again now, for all he taught me.

As usual, I feel like Paul Harvey, sharing “The Rest Of The Story”…what a lot of people don’t know is the living nightmare that JR and his family went through as a result of Hurricane Katrina. He had children directly in the path of the storm, and you know the rest, if you read a newspaper or watched TV during that horrible time. So I can’t blame him a bit for taking this new position, as it enhances his “real job”…being Dad. And that is so much more important than anything we do in this industry, as much as I love this job.

The other loss is more personal, and someone that many of you may have never met. My sister (second family, that is) Michele King is leaving the Lancaster Host Resort after a lot of years working there in one capacity or another. Michele was (and still is) an “up and comer” in the biz…someone relatively new to Group Sales, but with a huge background in tourism, and someone who instantly grasped how this industry works, and built positive relationships on both sides of our big table faster than anyone I’ve ever met.

But she’s getting married this coming June, and needs to be home to finalize plans for her wedding. I can’t argue with that…as above, family comes first. So even though we’re losing a sister, we gain an entire family in the process, so that’s positive!

Every industry goes through times of turbulence, change, and upheaval. And for every person changing jobs, there are hundreds still in place. Yet it doesn’t lessen the sting of losing a pair of traveling companions and good friends. Hopefully, like Deanna, both these good people will be back into Group Sales sooner, rather than later. But both are making the perfect decision for their future, and for their family. But that doesn’t make it any easier for those of us who are going to miss them terribly!

And that’s the bottom line, ’cause JR & Michele said so!

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October 4, 2007 by Chris Harrower, CTIS.

Back home again after a long weekend in Pigeon Forge for Virginia Motorcoach. It’s always so great seeing everyone again, and I finally got to go back to Gatlinburg, find the hotel where we used to vacation, and reconnect with my youth (see post below from July 20 for more about my family’s vacations in the Smoky Mountains years ago).

While we were down there, we received the tremendous/sad news about the promotion of Deanna Sorge to a new position with the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism. She’s got a wonderful new opportunity open for her, but it means she won’t be working the Group Sales shows with the rest of us. And that’s very sad…

Deanna is part of what I’ve referred to here several times as “my second family”. As part of the Seminar, I talk about this industry, and the friendships and even “cliques” the develop. When you travel together for weeks every year, deep friendships develop with your fellow travelers. It’s a natural outgrowth of spending time in airports, on motorcoaches, and in hotels for days on end together.

It’s kinda hard to explain to those who haven’t travelled with us for an extended period, or worked alongside any of us for less than a year or so. But there is a familial relationship that arises that can be as close as a physical family. I was talking about this the other day with my sister (second family sister, that is), and we both had to admit that we’re closer in some areas to each other than we are to our respective spouses. That’s really not a negative thing. When it comes to something regarding the industry, we instantly understand what’s going on. We have some expressions and jokes that make absolutely no sense to Linda and Matt, but can put us on the floor in fits of laughter instantly when uttered.

One nice thing about my second family…it is constantly growing and expanding, and nobody has to get pregnant. Now, that’s mostly an inside joke (we have seven children in my Family at home), but it’s true. I found several new brothers and sisters in Pigeon Forge that were added to my second family over the weekend, and I’m thrilled. It’s exciting when you find someone who shares your passion for this industry, and there’s a natural camaraderie that develops.

It’s a fine line, and unfortunately, not everyone can successfully navigate this minefield. But it’s another huge positive about this industry, and another reason I can’t see myself doing anything else ever again. Just like leaving my Family behind for any reason, being separated from my Group Sales family would be devastating. And that’s the pain many of us have with Deanna’s promotion…we’re all excited for her new opportunity, but sad to lose a sister.

All the very best, Date, and we’ll be waiting to welcome you back into the family with open arms should the opportunity arise!

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