train with the pros

SEPTEMBER, 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
648 N. Plankinton Ave. #425
Milwaukee, WI 53203
414.273.3950
www.visitmilwaukee.org
TRAIN WITH
THE PROS
Member Spotlight / 2
Briefings from Brent / 3
The Marketing of Milwaukee / 4
Get On The Bus / 6
The Big Sell / 6
At Your Services / 7
Milwaukee In The Media / 8
Industry News Briefs / 9
New Members / 10
UPdates
B y Paul Upchurch,
President & CEO
414.287.4233
[email protected]
VISIT Milwaukee prides itself on making
first-class training opportunities available to
members on an ongoing basis. Recently you
received an invitation to:
VISIT Milwaukee Superior Service &
Leadership Training Series
September 26-October 1, 2011
Mark Your Calendars!
September 13 -
We are very lucky to have retained Bob Brown, a highly-revered hospitality trainer,
who has worked with major companies and CVBs across the country. Sessions to be
covered will be:
September 13 -
VISIT Milwaukee 2012 Marketing
Opportunities Seminar
• 9-10:30am at Mader ’s Restaurant
• FREE
Members Only Section Webinar
• 2:30-3pm
• FREE
September 22 -
VISIT Milwaukee 101
• 3:30-5pm at VISIT Milwaukee Offices
• FREE
October 11 -
Fall Hospitality FAM
• All Day
October 13 -
MemberSpotlight
• 9-10am at VISIT Milwaukee Offices
• FREE
• Service Excellence for Lifetime Loyalty
• The Eight Keys of Dining Sales Success
• The Five Keys to Wine Sales Success
• Coaching for Star Performance
In order to maximize attendance at dates and times convenient to you, sessions will
repeat throughout the week at various times of the day. Special pricing is available
for VISIT members.
We are very pleased to partner with the Greater Milwaukee Hotel and Lodging
Association, Wisconsin Restaurant Association, Milwaukee Area Technical College
and Waukesha County Technical College on this series.
I urge as many front-line staff as possible to take advantage of this offering! With
sessions on general service and leadership as well as more specific training geared
to F&B, the series will cover ground which has not been explored in previous
training sessions.
We hope to see you there!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW!
October 26 -
Member Mixer
• 5-7pm at Shaker’s Cigar Bar
• $10/pp
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
BETA BY
SABOR
BETA BY SABOR
Beta by Sabor
777 North Water Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 431-3106
www.saborbrazil.net
BETA BY SABOR OPENED
ITS DOORS ON JULY 22,
2011. The new restaurant within
a restaurant shares a front door with
Sabor Brazilian Churrascaria and provides
the same premier level of service, while
giving guests two distinct options.
SABOR HAS BEEN PROVIDING A BRAZILIAN
STEAKHOUSE ATMOSPHERE, with seared meats
carved tableside, since 2006. Beta, on the other
hand, provides guests with a constantly evolving
menu all about creating an opportunity to “beta test” madefor-sharing dishes that artfully blend an eclectic mix of styles,
flavors and sensations.
ONE THING THE PUBLIC DOESN’T KNOW (YET) ABOUT BETA BY
SABOR
is its passion for creating comfort food with a twist, while experimenting
with new flavors and technology. The restaurant houses the first NitroCream
machine east of the Mississippi, which uses a patented liquid nitrogen technique
to create premium ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt or mixed drinks for guests
tableside. The mix of new technology and old classics ensures Beta by Sabor’s menu is
always exciting.
CO-OWNERS PAUL BERLIN AND GREG MEYERS have been in business together since 1993,
opening restaurant management company, Oscar, Inc. They are proud to bring dining innovation
to downtown Milwaukee.
The VISIT Milwaukee blog page is hot with new blogs on all things Milwaukee. Bill’s blogging his way through member
restaurants while Zack is “beer-heading” all things that “ale” our members. And, Jeannine’s scribing includes everything else arts, culture, festivals and the list goes on.
We’ve got a lot more BLOGS ready to ignite, but we’re always open to new ideas. So, if you’d like us to feature your products,
services or event in an upcoming blog, send an email to Zack Zupke at [email protected] and we’ll give you a call to get
your VISIT blog started!
MILWAUKEE:
Where you want to be.
Briefings from Brent
By Brent Foerster,
VP of Sales & Marketing
414.287.4226
[email protected]
Marketing and Sales Opportunities
VISIT Milwaukee’s goal is to bring conventions, meetings and tourists to the
greater Milwaukee area. You can take advantage of some of our efforts and
market to this potential audience. The following are just a few ideas:
• Calendar of Events – This appears both in print and online. Make sure you
are adding your events and updating them regularly. Monthly advertising is
available if you want to stand out from the rest.
• Maps and Guides – We produce a Visitor Map, Official Visitor Guide,
Destination Guide and Group Tour Guide annually. All have targeted audiences
and all are in print and online. Consider increasing your organization’s
exposure by running a cost-effective ad.
• Social Media – In last month’s article, I discussed social media. VISIT
Milwaukee has a robust social media campaign. Contact Bill Prange at
[email protected] to get involved.
• Website – VISITMilwaukee.org generated over 46,000 unique visitors last
month alone. Take advantage of this traffic with an enhanced web listing or a
new option coming in the next few months - banner advertising.
• Convention Calendar – We maintain a list of groups we have booked into the
Milwaukee area 36 months out. This includes both contact information and
details about the event. Go to the Members Only section and print the list.
Then use it to sell your services! These groups often use VISIT members to fulfill
their meeting needs.
• Convention Alerts – Convention Services sends out detailed information
on conventions just prior to their arrival. Use this information to tailor offers
specific to the group, especially if you are close to the Frontier Airlines Center
or the convention is large (more than 2,000 attendees).
• Group Leads – VISIT Milwaukee will send out well over 600,000 group room
nights in leads this year. Conventions, meetings and group tours are all
markets we are soliciting. The lead window has become significantly shorter.
As a result, you need to respond faster. Often, the “early bird gets the worm.”
These are just a few marketing opportunities available to you. I am happy to
discuss more, just give me a call.
BE A PART OF
MILWAUKEE
VISIT Milwaukee has started production of our 2012 major publications including our
Official Visitors Guide, Destination Guide, Group Tour Planner and Visitors Map. Linda
Mittag, with Nei Turner, sells advertising for us in the first three publications. Elden
Brown with Northwood Map sells the map for us. I highly encourage you to consider
taking out an ad in these highly-targeted and visible publications. In addition to the
advertising opportunities, all members receive a listing in the Destination Guide and
Official Visitors Guide as part of your membership. There is a window of opportunity
coming up where you can adjust your listing. You will receive an email from us when
that window comes around.
Finally, on Tuesday, September 13 from 9-10:30am, VISIT Milwaukee will produce
a free educational marketing seminar, highlighting many of the 2012 marketing
opportunities available only to you - our partners. These opportunities include the
Official Visitors Guide, Destination Guide, Group Tour Planner, Map, Calendar of Events,
as well as Co-op Marketing Opportunities. This seminar is free to all VISIT Milwaukee
partners and will be held at Mader’s Restaurant.
To register, please contact Maria Strand at [email protected] or 414.287.4248.
The Marketing
of Milwaukee
B y Todd O’Leary,
Director of Marketing
4 14.287.4252
[email protected]
©2010 AirTran Airways
Working online
Procrastinating online
Wi-Fi on every flight.
GRAB YOUR FRIENDS, LET’S GO FOR A TOUR!
Get On The Bus!
By Wendy Dobrzynski,
Group Tour Manager
414.287.4222
[email protected]
August has been a busy month for the group tour department.
It began with attending the International Motorcoach (IMG)
SAM meeting. We met with approximately 20 tour operators
from around the country with one-on-one appointments.
We ended the month hosting the Travel Alliance Partners (TAP)
board meeting. Board members represented tour operators
from California to Canada. This was many of the operators’ first
time in Milwaukee and it won’t be their last.
Over Irish Fest weekend VISIT Milwaukee hosted 20 tour operators and group leaders for a FAM
tour of the area. Over three and-a-half days, we visited the Bucyrus Museum, Great Lakes Distillery,
Potawatomi Bingo Casino, Basilica of St. Josaphat, Grohmann Museum, Lynden Sculpture Gardens,
Bayshore Town Center, Village of Greendale, Boerner Botanical Gardens, the Milwaukee Public
Market, enjoyed a cruise aboard the Edelweiss and, of course, an evening hosted at Irish Fest! It was
a beautiful weekend in Milwaukee and thank you to everyone who helped make it shine.
If you would like to learn more about the Group Tour market, be sure to attend our next Explore
Milwaukee’s Best Meeting, Tuesday, September 13 at 1:00 pm at Lakefront Brewery. These are
FREE informational and networking meetings attended by hotels, restaurants, attractions and even
a tour operator or two. Watch your email for upcoming information and to RSVP. Milwaukee has also been featured in a couple of Group Tour publications – BankTravel Magazine
and Group Travel Leader. Be sure to check out their publications online.
MAKE ROOM FOR A
SUCCESSFUL SEASON AHEAD
As you read this we are staying “geared up” for many exciting
events as summer comes to a close. I’ve heard from most of
you that your summer was a huge success and it looks like fall
will follow suit. We are in the midst of planning two industry
events along with our Fall FAM, followed by another Advisory
Council meeting in November along with our Marketing to
the Meeting Planner panel discussion which has proven to be
a hit with all of you! Mark your calendars now for November
10 at 3:30 (location to yet be determined).
We are also planning two sales missions – one in D.C. and one
in Madison – along with holiday events in both cities.
Be sure to check the VISIT Milwaukee sales activity calendar
and join us where you can.
The Big Sell
By Mia Nardi,
Director of Sales
414.287.4259 /
[email protected]
At Your Services
By Dave Larson,
Director of Convention Services
414.287.4224
[email protected]
VISIT Milwaukee is excited to
welcome the following groups to
Milwaukee in September:
GIVE YOUR
ADVERTISING
A
-NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS
• Fall Board of Directors Meeting • 2000 attendees
• September 6-11
-CATERPILLAR, INC
• Fall Leader Meeting • 400 attendees
• September 11-16
-INTERNATIONAL CITY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
• 2500+ attendees
• September 18-23
-THOMAS NELSON LIVE EVENTS WOMEN OF FAITH ANNUAL
CONFERENCE.
• 13,000 attendees
• September 29-October 1
-AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY, AND
MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES WOMEN’S CONFERENCE.
• 1250 attendees
• September 30- October 2
Also in September, the Services Department will be traveling
to Cincinnati to talk up Milwaukee and get the attendees of
The Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors Inc. Annual National
World Burn Congress excited about coming to Milwaukee in
September of 2012.
JUST $100
TO ADVERTISE
IN VOICE!
Reach over 1,200 Milwaukeearea hospitality professionals
for just $100! That’s LESS
THAN A BUCK to reach
10 PROs like you!
Contact Bill Prange at
[email protected]
or 414.287.6235 for more
information on this awesome
opportunity in VOICE.
THERE’S PLENTY TO SEE & DO IN
MILWAUKEE!
Milwaukee in
the Media
By Jeannine Sherman
Director of Public Relations
414.287.6230
[email protected]
Your VISIT Milwaukee public relations team has been busy making headlines all summer
long! We hosted six writers from across the country on our annual Summerfest Press Trip
in July. We partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Tourism to host 25 writers on a
2-day Culinary Press Trip in August. We also hosted popular travel blogger Mara Gorman
on a Milwaukee family adventure - a direct result of our participation in the Travel Blogger
Exchange conference earlier this year.
We participated in radio promotions to capture the Chicago market on stations WXLC-FM
and WKRS-AM and talked Milwaukee with travel talk show host Stephanie Abrams, whose
programming reaches millions of listeners nationwide. In addition to hosting writers, we
did some of our own, as well, ramping up the content on our VISIT Milwaukee blog. Our
ping pong promotion, in which we provided nine tables across the city for people to
play on free of charge, to tie into the Summer of China and U.S. Table Tennis Open, made
headlines across the country when it was picked up by the Associated Press and distributed
nationwide! Now on to the news!
Chicago Tribune writer Christopher
Borrelli looked to us for advice on
Milwaukee’s culinary scene. Check
out the delicious result here!
READ STORY
Milwaukee is named one of
America’s best hiking cities by
National Geographic! We worked
with writer Kate Silber who tested
our knowledge of trails within an
hour of the city and our homework
paid off! Read more here:
READ STORY
Check out this nifty report on our ping
pong tables from Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel columnist Jim Stingl - it became
a top video on JSonline!
READ STORY
READ STORY
Cheapflights.com, touts Milwaukee’s value! According
to Cheapflights Media (USA) Inc., this popular travel
web site’s monthly global traffic reaches more than 7
million visits.
READ STORY
The Chicago Sun-Times talks up Milwaukee’s Summer of China, with a readership of more than 300,000 daily
print in addition to online visitors.
INDUSTRY NEWS BRIEFS
SABRE SURVEY FINDS BUSINESS
TRAVELERS WANT LOCAL DEALS,
NAVIGATIONAL TOOLS
Tomorrow’s travelers will expect even more
convenience and functionality from their
mobile devices, and corporations and travel
management companies must meet those
needs or risk being left behind.
READ STORY
SCENES FROM...GREATER MILWAUKEE HOSPITALITY OPEN
VISIT MILWAUKEE WELCOMES
Welcome
New Members!
By Fran Jackson,
Membership Sales Manager
414.287.4248
[email protected]
BOELTER SUPERSTORE
4200 N. PORT WASHINGTON ROAD
MILWAUKEE, WI 53212
414-967-2200
WWW.BOELTER.COM
BILL BOELTER - CEO
[email protected]
TRANSFER PIZZERIA
101 W. MITCHELL STREET
MILWAUKEE, WI 53204
414-763-0438
WWW.TRANSFERMKE.COM
JOHN ROSSETTO - OWNER
[email protected]
PARKSIDE 23
2300 PILGRIM SQUARE DRIVE
BROOKFIELD, WI 53005
262-784-7275
WWW.PARKSIDE23.COM
GEORGE FLEES - GENERAL MANAGER
[email protected]
VIA DOWNER
2625 N. DOWNER AVENUE
MILWAUKEE, WI 53211
414-403-4473
WWW.VIADOWNER.COM
KRISTINA COLGAN - GENERAL MANAGER
[email protected]
STREET TEAMPICS
The VISIT Milwaukee Street Team has been busy cheering on events like Brady Street
Festival, Chill On The Hill and more. Enjoy these pics and check for more Street Team
happenings on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/visitmilwaukee.
CHRIS DUZYNSKI PHOTOGRAPHY
PO BOX 210691
MILWAUKEE, WI 53221
414-282-3792
WWW.DUZYNSKI.COM
CHRIS DUZYNSKI - OWNER/
PHOTOGRAPHER
[email protected]