January 21, 2008 by Chris Harrower, CTIS.

Back from Memphis, and getting ready for North Carolina Motorcoach and ABA. As always, Tennessee Motorcoach was a fun time, and very positive. The Operators in Tennessee are very open, very honest, and very interested, and ya can’t ask for anything more than that!

But what really set me to thinking was something that happened the final evening (and seems to happen at just about every convention at one time or another). I was sitting with some “old school” group sales professionals, and they started telling stories about shows in the past. It’s funny…when my Dad would start doing this, it prompted instant eye rolling and tongue clucking from the three sons, and a quick exodus from the room. After all, who cares about such old fashioned stuff?

But it hit me…I teach about Group Sales to anyone who will listen. I created a seminar program to help spread the word about my favorite job. And what do I teach? I teach what I learned from those who went before me. In other industries, there is always a “cutting edge”…those people stretching the envelope, coming up with new ways to attack an old problem. In our industry, while there are people coming up with great new ideas (like Dave Bolen from New World Tours, and his amazing 21st Century motorcoaches!), the vast majority of group sales is just like it was 20 years ago. One on one relationships.

That’s probably why I could sit and listen for hours, and have done so in the past. The people who taught me this business, like Joan Payne, Jeanne Vice, Barry Kidd, and the lady I sat with at Tennessee Motorcoach, the one-and-only Pamela Huey, have literally done it all. They have so many experiences, sometimes I think I should sit with them with a pocket recorder, and capture it all before we lose their insights and stories.

So it’s Old School for me, and please keep the stories coming! There’s a wealth of knowledge hidden inside those memories!

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January 6, 2008 by Chris Harrower, CTIS.

And we’re off again…flying out in the morning to Memphis, Tennessee for Tennessee Motorcoach.

You know (or maybe you don’t, which is why you’re reading this!), I love these state conventions.  Now, there’s nothing that compares to ABA, and the biggest show of the year.  But I always look forward to seeing my friends in Tennessee, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, NJ, and PA.  There’s just something more relaxed and fun about a state convention.

The unsung heroes of this work…it’s people like Debbie Neese, executive director of TNMCA.  Debbie works her behind off keeping things running for her member operators, and does an excellent job.  Debbie has a clue, and others can learn from her.  See, several years ago, she (and the Board) opened up membership in Tennessee Motorcoach to any Operator in a state that borders The Volunteer State.  So we’ll see Kentucky operators, Virginia, Alabama, and more.  It’s great, and makes the ROI that much nicer.

And I’m really looking forward to another visit to Memphis.  Sing it with me now, “when I was walkin’ in Memphis”.  It’s been running through my head for a week now (ever since I got those Christmas Carols out)!  Memphis is an impressive city…I was thrilled to see Graceland when I was last there (in 2001), and this time I finally get to “ride the ducks”, which I’ve always wanted to do.

It’s gonna be a crazy month…a week in Memphis now, then a long weekend in Asheville, NC at the end of the month, followed by 1 day home before heading out for Virginia Beach and the Big One!  Hope to see you along the way!

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