Why Your Group Sales Role Isn’t Producing, and How to Fix It

Use these tips to troubleshoot the gaps in your group sales success

Recently at the Foundations, ahead of Amusement Expo, I delivered a presentation on group sales. I am often asked how to structure compensation for these roles and this was no exception.

Speaking about compensation can be a bit tricky because it depends on several factors, such as what sales roles in your market pay and your overall event profitability. With so much competition, I suggest offering a decent starting base that keeps a sales rep hungry enough to perform but not starving, so they’re always on the hunt for a better sales role, which can result in high turnover.

During the session, I shared a model used by many sales organizations because it creates both stability and incentive: a base salary paired with a progressive commission bonus. It is a practical structure because it provides a salesperson with enough security to build a pipeline while still rewarding them for delivering results. The keyword here: results.

After this session, an operator shared, “I implemented this exact structure last year, and my person only made the base plus $20 – they never sold anything. Was my base too high?”

It’s certainly possible that the base was too generous, but the real question is, where were the sales activities? Where were the call logs? Who were they reaching out to? How often were they following up? How much time was being spent prospecting? How many tours were booked? How many proposals were sent? What was happening each week that should have led to business?

Bottom line: success leaves clues. If the team members are putting the work in, you’ll be able to see those results and the effort it took to get them there.

To help you onboard a new team member or roll out a new/revised sales program, use these tips. I promise that how someone is doing will become clear quickly, so you can help guide them toward success.

No. 1: Provide Product and Pricing Training.

Before a salesperson can sell corporate events well, they need to understand what they’re offering in a way that goes beyond memorizing packages. They should be able to explain why your experience is easier to plan, more engaging for attendees, and more effective than other options a company might consider. They should understand where pricing can flex and which offerings make the most sense for different types of groups.

No. 2: Set Clear Goals.

Revenue targets matter, but for someone who is new, they don’t guide daily behavior. Be sure to discuss revenue goals and the quantitative activities necessary to achieve them. Your salesperson should know what is expected of them each week: how much outreach, how many new conversations, how many tours, how many proposals, and how many bookings that should result. When those expectations are clearly defined, it becomes much easier for you to distinguish between effort and outcome. Without them, it’s easy for someone to stay busy without actually building momentum.

No. 3: Collaborate on Prospecting Strategy.

Your non-birthday events will come from fairly defined audiences: local businesses, HR teams, schools, nonprofits, community organizations, and traveling groups if your community hosts a lot of tourism for conferences, sports, or attractions. Identifying those groups and building a plan to reach them shouldn’t be left entirely to chance. If you’re hiring a seasoned sales professional, ask them to brainstorm the top leads or prospects they will reach out to. If you’re hiring someone brand new or promoting from within, sit down with them and work together to define that list early on as they get started.

No. 4: Establish Measurement and Reporting Tools.

Pick one system and make it the single source of truth. Whether it’s your CRM or even just a Google Spreadsheet, require that all activity, notes, and follow-ups live there. Set the expectation that if it’s not logged, it didn’t happen. Include your sales numbers from events held as well, so you can see progress towards goals and expected commissions.

No. 5: Provide Sales Conversation Training and Support.

I believe the Dustin Hillis method of sales conversations, as outlined in the book, Navigate 2.0: Selling the Way People Like to Buy. In it, he shares great insights into different buying styles that can help you get on the same side of the table. I highly recommend the book and the scripts I made using it. You can find more on those in this blog series.  Teach them that, in event sales, you must have all of this key information before you’re ready to educate your buyer on what your facility can do for them. You must know event logistics, of course, but also the timeframe, who the key decision makers are, what other facilities they’re considering, the budget, and what’s most important to them regarding event or purchase success. If you don’t have answers in all of these areas, you’re not in position to sell yet.

No. 6: Ramp up success. 

As they begin owning the role, set a clear plan for their first 30, 60, and 90 days. In the first 30 days, focus on outreach and learning. By 60 days, expect a steady flow of tours and proposals. By 90 days, you should start to see momentum, some wins, and the makings of a strong pipeline.

Schedule weekly check-ins on the calendar so you can review their pipeline, active opportunities, and so they have a consistent place to ask questions and recalibrate. During these meetings, ask them to walk you through where each one stands, what the next step is, and where they feel stuck. Instead of jumping in with answers, ask questions that help them think through the situation. Over time, this builds stronger decision-making and confidence in managing their pipeline while ensuring they feel supported.

No. 7: Reap the Benefits and Continue Refining.

Once you have a consistent rhythm, start looking for patterns and gaps. Which industries convert best? Which packages sell most often? Which days or times are easiest to book? Where are objections cropping up? How are they being handled? Use that information to refine your outreach, adjust your offerings, and improve how you position your events with prospective buyers. Sales becomes much more effective when it’s informed by what you’re actually seeing in your pipeline.

When you can clearly see what’s happening in your sales process, including activity, consistency, and outcomes, you’re in a much stronger position to build results. From there, success is going to show itself clearly.