Family Fun Day @ Las Olas

Save the Date: This Sunday - November 28th, 2010

FREE for the entire FAMILY Enjoy a traditional family event - Fun for young and old with lots of activities, food and a variety of beverages for sale to make this Sunday a perfect outing for everyone.

•Holiday Entertainment and music from Mobile Mike, MIA and Y-100 •Epilepsy will be giving out helmets •Pick out your Tree or have the kids make a Wreath by Happy Holiday Christmas Trees •Kilwin's will be selling Ice Cream, Candy Apples and Popcorn •Food and Beverages available to purchase •FREE Kid Activities - face painting, bounce houses, games, activities and more� Get your family photo with Santa and enjoy a Sunday on the Boulevard!

Learn from the mistakes of others.

You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

It's not how hard you work, it's what you get done.

Anybody can work hard, and most people do. The really successful people focus on accomplishing results not on effort expended.

How to Start a Restaurant

If you have decided that you are going to go into the restaurant business then you have a fair amount of w ork before you before you can even think of opening the doors.
First thing you want to do is determine the area that you are most likely going to want to open your business. Once you have done this then you have to do some analysis to determine the type of clientele that you would most likely be serving.

This is going to give you a good indication of the types of foods that would be the most receptive for that particular area. Along with this you will also want to decide on whether you are going to have a family restaurant, a sports bar restaurant for example or if you are going to specialize in a certain cuisine such as perhaps Italian, Chinese or Mexican.

What type of food you are determining to serve, will depend on w hether you are going to be the chef or whether you are going to be hiring staff. If it is going to be reliant on your cooking expertise then that will dictate what you specialize in. If that is the case then you w ant to be sure that you are opening in an area that will want this type of food.

Then you are going to have to decide on how much capital you have to invest in your business to determine w hat the size of it is going to be you will then have to determine what the operating hours are going to be and how much staff you are going to require.

You are going to have to make sure that you do a concise business plan in order to be able to cover all of the expenses until you are able to generate the revenue to cover these.

Before you make any final decisions, if you are purchasing in a certain area you have to be sure of what the laws for that area state such as w hether it is a commercial area or w hether it is zoned for restaurant services. You will most likely need to get a business license which w ill depend on the specific state and area that you are opening your business in.

You will have to comply with all of the department of health rules and regulations, therefore it is important that you know these well.

Once you have gotten all of this into place then you are going to have to start your marketing early on to let people know that you will be opening your business.

Aside from this, you are going to have all of the purchases of equipment and furniture that is necessary for the type of restaurant that you are opening. This is something that you want to plan time for so you can shop around to get the best deals.

Then it will be time to start hiring staff, and again this is going to take time to do the proper interviews and to be sure that you have enough staff to start with. How ever you can increase your staff as your business grows.

You want to be absolutely sure that everything is in place, so be sure to give yourself enough time when you are advertising your opening day. There is a great deal of planning and thought to be put in to opening a restaurant but then with great care everything can be run smoothly.

Do Your Homework.

Whether it's a proposal to a major client or a meeting with the Shop Steward of a union, you will do better if you are prepared. Collect the facts, think the problem through, talk to the others involved. Take the time to do the "up-front" work and the "downstream " work will be easier and more rewarding.

Get Involved.

If you think you are too busy to get involved in civic and charitable activities, you don't know what you are missing. The greatest reward is the personal satisfaction, but you will also make a lot of valuable contacts.

8 things to look for when searching for a GM

The general manager is the “CEO” of your multi-million dollar asset. What they do and how they lead determines the success and profitability of your property. The following is a list of eight proven skills you should look for when you are trying to bring on a new leader or to measure the one you have in place.
Look for someone with:
1. Proven leadership as a GM. Preferably in the same segment as the hotel they will be leading.

2. A commitment to success. Take a look at their track record and their attitude. Ask questions that allow them to give examples of their past success and how they achieved it.

3. A service mentality. Do they always do their best to take care of the guest and to make sure the rest of the team does? Are you likely to see them out of their office meeting guests during key periods of the day such as check-in, check-out or breakfast?

4. A focus on quality. When they walk across a hotel, even one that is not theirs, do they pick-up
trash and not even break stride? Do they expect everyone else to do the same?

5. Sales expertise. Your GM should have a firm understanding of all aspects of sales from rate-setting, to account management to knowing what questions to ask the sales team. They should be available to assist the sales teams as needed with top accounts. Ideally, they have been in sales.

6. Excellent communications skills. Good GMs can communicate well with guests, employees and clients at all levels. They should be able to communicate clearly, concisely and in a positive way. They should be able to communicate with their management company or owner as well as their brand team.

7. A coach/mentor mentality. A good coach or mentor is not afraid to lead by example; they see opportunities for improvement in all departments and employees. They know how to counsel and train to improve performance and they know when to remove an employee that is holding the team back by not responding to the coaching (by choice or ability).

8. Understanding of a property-level business plan. They have the ability to measure against benchmarks and then adjust resources and the annual plan accordingly throughout the year to meet goals.

Maximizing your property’s bottom line often ties directly to the leadership and the experience of your GM. By focusing on proven traits you will maximize your revenue and minimize the risk of shortchanging your property, your guests or your bottom line. Is your multi-million dollar asset in the right hands?

You Are Not Smarter Than Everybody.

You may be smarter than anyone, but you are not smarter than everyone. Seek input from the group, and LISTEN to it. You will be surprized at what you can learn.

Be Careful Who You Step On On Your Way Up.

They will be there on your way down too. Keep in mind that every industry is composed of a well connected network. And do not forget the teammembers that made you successful.

Recognise the accomplishments

Recognise and rewarded performance and achievements. This includes giving constructive feedback-what have they done well and how it has contributed; where they have fallen short and how this can be improved. Celebrate and share successes; identify and utilise people strengths, delegating and giving them control and ownership where appropriate. Be sure to recognise all departments, including back of house staff, e.g. housekeeping is often the most undervalued department, but is commonly the most profitable aspect of a hotel.

Encourage and reward loyalty by conducting regular pay/benefits reviews. Think about incentives that are within reach of any member of staff who performs well. This might mean focusing on a different theme each month so that everyone has an opportunity to be recognised for their particular skills or strengths.

Look and listen

Ensure that you and your management team are approachable. Provide support when it's needed, and be receptive to when this is required. Not everyone will be confident enough to ask for help. Consult staff and listen to their ideas; they may be able to offer better ways of doing things.

Take time to talk to staff to build relationships and show an interest in them as individuals. Listen to and act quickly on any concerns. Identify what's important to them recognising that with the varied cultures and backgrounds of your staff that their values and priorities may sometimes be different to your own.

Leading by giving direction

We've already talked about communicating what's expected. Set standards so that people can measure their own performance. Be consistent, ensuring the same 'rules' apply to everyone. Focus on telling people what you want to achieve, i.e. the end result, rather than dictating how to do it. This gives people flexibility to adopt their own style and you'll be surprised how often they end up improving the process. Lead by example so there are no mixed messages. And make sure you provide the appropriate tools, resources and training to do the job effectively.

Training to develop

The first six weeks is critical to any new staff; it's during this time that make up their mind whether or not this is the right job for them. Rather alarmingly it is reported that 33% of hospitality businesses don't do any training. If this is the case, how on earth do people know what is expected of them on a day-to-day basis, let alone know how they can contribute to the business or develop their career?

Training your staff in the mechanics of the business operation puts them in a better position to contribute to cost control and income generation. If people understand how the business makes its money they are then in a position to contribute to this and put forward their own ideas.

Make training a part of day-to-day management, so it's not seen as something that is additional or optional. This goes for both staff and supervisors/managers. Identify those who have an interest in developing their CV's and are willing to take on training responsibilities as part of their own development.

Think about your succession and grow from within. Give people the opportunity for career progression as well is enhancing the skills to do their existing job. Think also about life skills; for example offering English lessons. And make use of the training grants available through the tourist organisations, colleges, and government-funded schemes.

Communicate two way

Communication is a two-way process, not only do people need to know what's going on, they want to be heard. Daily briefings need to include what's happening that could affect the operation or the customer experience in any way (e.g. maintenance, staff shortages, unavailable products or services), as well as any feedback from staff on their observations or ideas. Let your team know how the business is performing, and what this means to them. Communicate any changes that are happening in the business before they happen, and how this might affect them.

Stop and smell the roses.

Believe it or not, you will do a better job with your business if you let your mind wander once in awhile. Take a break. Recharge your internal battery. When you go back to work you will be more creative as well as less stressed.

A Social Media Refresh for Hotels - By Daniel Edward Craig

Social media programs tend to start with a flurry of activity and then either take over our life or fade into obscurity. At one end of the spectrum is the coordinator who’s issuing updates every thirteen seconds and neglecting her other duties. At the other end is the manager who resents social media’s insatiable appetite for time and creative energy and is neglecting it in favor of other duties.

The key is to find the right balance: to manage social media rather than allow it to manage you. A basic program can be administered in as little as ten hours per week, with excellent results for your hotel’s reputation, relationships and bottom line. Here are some tips for investing your time in all the right places.

Less is more. Social media is essentially about sharing content in the form of words, images and videos. This can be accomplished via as few as three platforms: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. These platforms allow you access to both a mass market and niche markets. You can participate elsewhere if you have the resources, but better to do a great job on a few platforms than a mediocre job on multiple platforms. Social media’s potential is significant but limited and should be allocated resources accordingly. The best programs are fully integrated with marketing and operational activities.

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Listen first. Don’t be that guy who barges into a conversation, says something out of context, and gets tuned out. Monitor first. Learn about what people are saying about your property, your destination and the travel industry. Then message. You can facilitate monitoring by subscribing to a listening tool that scans the web for mentions of your hotel and delivers a daily summary to your desktop. Be disciplined: get in, monitor, message, and get out. Otherwise you’ll lift your head and it’ll suddenly be four hours later.

Make reviews a priority. If you do nothing else, monitor reviews of your hotel, share feedback with staff, and respond to complaints. TripAdvisor is the largest review site, but reviews are popping up everywhere, and Twitter is increasingly being used to air grievances. PhoCusWright reports that almost three times as many reviews were posted on online travel agencies than on traveler review sites last year. Moreover, OTA shoppers who visit review pages are twice as likely to convert. Yes, some reviews are false or exaggerated, but all the more reason to respond.

Leave out the boring parts. We all know someone who can tell a story about her old vacuum cleaner and have us in tears, and another person who can tell us about seeing his mother eaten alive by alligators and have us glancing at the time. Traveler reviews are compelling because they tell stories populated with facts, trivia, tips and humor. Use these elements in your messaging. Be spare with words and generous with imagery, and use hooks that make readers want to click for more. And remember, the subtext to every good story is your hotel’s branding, mission statement and values.

Easy on the smileys and exclamation marks. Your tone should fit your hotel’s branding. Be less formal than when dealing with guests in person, but not overly familiar, and always be professional. Show enthusiasm, but don’t be cutesy or overly promotional. And by that I mean annoying -- it will cost you friends and followers. If people other than you think you’re funny, then by all means use humor, but never when dealing with complaints, and avoid sarcasm. Each platform has a different audience and communication style, so adapt your tone and messaging to the medium.

Think of social media as a cocktail party. While mingling, we tend to tune out the chatty Cathys, the braggarts and the Debbie Downers, and we don’t even notice the quiet shy guy in the corner. We’re drawn to passionate people who think before they speak and say things relevant to us. How often should you issue updates? As often as you have something interesting and relevant to share with your primary audience of guests and prospective guests, and not a peep or tweet more. That disqualifies photos from drunken staff parties and birth announcements from housekeeping. Unless someone had octuplets.

Should you start a blog? Probably not. The web is a wasteland of abandoned Facebook pages, blogs and Twitter profiles. Blogs in particular are hard to maintain and time-consuming, often devolving into thinly disguised publicity vehicles or random posts from semi-literates. An abandoned social media platform is like a frayed carpet in your hotel lobby: it speaks of apathy and neglect and is off-putting when stumbled upon. A well-executed blog can give personality to your hotel and drive traffic to your website, but unless you have the skills in-house and are in for the long haul, channel your resources elsewhere.

Turn guests into advocates. Out of ideas and content? No problem. The most compelling social media content comes not from hotels but from guests. Encourage them to use your platforms and their own to share stories, news, reviews, photos, videos and tips. You may be surprised by their enthusiasm. It’s okay if guest content is a bit amateurish -- in fact, it’s more authentic. Be sure to acknowledge their efforts.

Comments or more tips to share? Post them at www.blog.danieledwardcraig.com or email me at dec@danieledwardcraig.com.

Be on time for ALL your appointments.

If you schedule a meeting, set a time to visit with a client, or tell a friend you'll meet them for a working breakfast you have to be there at the time you set or you will lose their respect. If your dispatcher tells a client the serviceman will be there at 1pm, make sure he is. It's just common courtesy, but it will really help your business.

STR Reports US Performance for Week Ending 17 April 2010

In year-over-year measurements, the industry’s occupancy increased 5.5 percent to 60.4 percent. Average daily rate rose 1.4 percent to US$98.67. Revenue per available room for the week was up 7.0 percent to US$59.62.

The U.S. hotel industry reported increases in all three key performance measurements during the week of 11-17 April 2010, according to data from STR.

In year-over-year measurements, the industry’s occupancy increased 5.5 percent to 60.4 percent. Average daily rate rose 1.4 percent to US$98.67. Revenue per available room for the week was up 7.0 percent to US$59.62.

Among the Top 25 Markets, Detroit, Michigan, reported the largest occupancy increase, rising 30.3 percent to 56.0 percent, followed by St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois (+26.4 percent to 62.9 percent), and Chicago, Illinois (+25.0 percent to 67.3 percent). Four markets experienced occupancy decreases: Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Virginia (-14.5 percent to 53.2 percent); Orlando, Florida (-13.3 percent to 62.9 percent); Anaheim-Santa Ana, California (-4.1 percent to 69.9 percent); and San Diego, California (-1.8 percent to 68.1 percent).

Washington, D.C., experienced the largest ADR increase, rising 16.4 percent to US$165.37, followed by San Francisco/San Mateo, California with a 10.8-percent increase to US$129.82. Four markets posted ADR decreases of more than 5 percent: Phoenix, Arizona (-9.1 percent to US$113.45); Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida (-8.4 percent to US$97.41); Miami-Hialeah, Florida (-8.2 percent to US$147.69); and Anaheim-Santa Ana (-6.4 percent to US$103.51).

St. Louis reported the largest RevPAR increase, jumping 35.8 percent to US$54.41. Three other markets posted RevPAR increases of more than 30 percent: Detroit (+35.1 percent to US$44.57); Chicago (+34.3 percent to US$75.33); and Boston, Massachusetts (+33.7 percent to US$112.56). Norfolk-Virginia Beach experienced the largest RevPAR decrease, falling 18.1 percent to US$41.38.

Is Your Property Poised for Economic Recovery?

Now is the Time to Invest in Online Marketing

The recession isn’t over for hoteliers, but we have caught a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks to several hospitality research companies, it's easy to see that the recovery has begun. It's also quite apparent that it will be long and gradual. But what about your property? Are you prepared for the recovery, ready to capitalize on online travel shoppers?

When focusing on U.S. hospitality industry stats, there are plenty of positive signs. PKF Hospitality Research (PKF-HR) recently forecast that the decline in U.S. hotel demand will be over during the current quarter. Whether or not that happens in the next three months is yet to be seen, but it’s a powerful sign that the recovery has begun… and that your property should be prepared to take advantage. They also expect RevPAR to decrease by 0.5% in 2010, but that’s much improved over 2009’s abysmal 17% decline. Lastly, PKF-HR’s research shows Internet bookings for the top 30 hotel brands grew by an impressive 6.6% in 2009’s third quarter, compared to 2008.

Smith Travel Research, another respected hospitality research company, also released some positive stats. Orlando, one of the most competitive hotel markets in the country, and an excellent barometer for other vacation destinations, saw occupancy rise from 66.8% March 7-13 of last year, to 71.2% the same time this year. RevPar also increased almost 2% in the same time period.

If that data’s not enough to induce optimism, TripAdvisor’s recent annual family travel survey found that 92% of families plan to take at least one vacation this year, up from 88% in 2009, while 33% plan to take both domestic and international trips, up from 28%. A poll asking customers if they plan to use some of their tax return for travel in 2010, saw nearly half (46%) respond “Yes.”

We could go on and on with stats about the recession and hotels’ recovery, with most being positive. However, what does this mean for hoteliers? Since the economy is beginning to rally and travelers are more inclined to spend, will they automatically show up in your lobby? Will your occupancy shoot up the charts? Of course not. But with aggressive hotel Internet marketing, you can at least position your property to take advantage of the recovery.

It’s understandable if your property has slashed your online marketing budget or reduced the amount of time invested on your Website, but it’s time to rethink. As the economy claws its way back, your property needs to be prepared to capture market share and online bookings. That means investing in search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click ads (PPC), Website updates, e-mail marketing and social media now, before you’re robbed of market share. As travel shoppers slowly gain confidence and spend more freely, they’ll be out there for the taking. Online marketing often takes time to produce, so investing now will prevent you from missing the boat later.

We’re not talking about inordinate amounts of time and money, just enough for some optimized content (focusing on location, amenities and demand generators), a fresh PPC campaign here or there, a few e-mail offers to your property’s database and time to monitor and respond to online reviews. These items will give you visibility in the search engines, where 85% to 95% of shoppers start their travel research and almost 50% of online bookers originate from, to turn new “lookers” into “bookers.” Seeing even a modest increase in occupancy and revenue will boost staff morale and provide confidence to have a better year than 2009.

Don’t invest your time and money without a plan though. Develop strategies and goals, and determine what can be accomplished in house and what needs to be outsourced. Don’t hesitate to use a hotel Internet marketing company, or at least get expert search marketing consulting first. Regardless of budget size, or if you’re outsourcing or not, make sure your plan is clear and concise. At minimum, you’re setting up your property for success and matching the competition. With the right strategies and execution, you’ll finish the year ahead of the competition, and be sitting pretty for 2011.

VIZERGY is an Internet marketing company that empowers hotels and resorts to drive revenue through the Internet. VIZERGY offers Internet marketing, search engine optimization, paid search ads, Web site design, e-mail marketing, reservation services and e-commerce strategy development to help hotels aggressively compete online.

For more information on VIZERGY and its services, please visit www.vizergy.com, call Amakeda Ponds at 904.389.1130 Ext. 179 or email Amakeda.p@vizergy.com.

You have to make a difference.

The group you manage has to be more effective, more productive with you there than they would be if you were not. If they are as productive without you, there is no business sense in keeping you on the payroll.

For more information about the services of the Dobrikow Group, go to www.dobrikowgroup.com.

Anyone can steer the ship in calm waters.

What will set you apart in your career is how you perform during the tough times. Don't become complacent and relax just because things are going well. Plan ahead for the downturn.

For more information about the services of the Dobrikow Group, go to www.dobrikowgroup.com.

Don't Limit Yourself.

The difference between leaders and managers is that leaders do not set limits on themselves. There are enough people trying to limit what you can do. Don't be one of them.

For more information about the services of the Dobrikow Group, go to www.dobrikowgroup.com.

Leaders create change.

If you lead, you will cause changes. Be prepared for them and their impact on people within, and outside, your group. If you are not making changes, you are not leading.

For more information about the services of the Dobrikow Group, go to www.dobrikowgroup.com.

Estate Management Services

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the Estate Management Services of the Dobrikow Group. We creates these services with one goal in mind - to simplify the lives of our clients. The Dobrikow Group is the premier standard in Estate Management.

For more information about the services of the Dobrikow Group, go to www.dobrikowgroup.com.

Practice what you preach.

To lead, you have to lead by example. Don't expect your people to work unpaid overtime if you leave early every day. Don't book youself into a four star hotel on business trips and expect your employees to stay in the motel off the freeway.

For more information about the services of the Dobrikow Group, go to www.dobrikowgroup.com.