• Philip Richardson's March Luncheon Review
• Frank Robinson's March Luncheon Review

“How to Keep Your Sales Up in a Down Market”
MPI- Aloha Chapter Luncheon Review
by Frank Robinson

When I write of the MPI luncheon meeting this past week at the Sheraton Waikiki, I am, no doubt, understating the inspiration of what was truly a memorable experience for those of us lucky enough to attend!

Where do I begin?  Doug Smith, was our guest speaker.  As President of Douglas Smith & Associates, he has over 25 years of experience in sales management.  Doug has held trainings nationally to help coach, train and teach salespeople in many walks of life on how to find more customers and make more money.

Doug lived up to his bio…giving us innovative and thought provoking ideas to keep us fresh in our sales approach and asking one another “what do you think about that? ” 

Doug’s teaching was applicable to both planners and suppliers (in this market who doesn’t have to do that “internal sell” now and then ~ in all of our jobs). The pointers he gave transcended all barriers as he coached us on things like measuring your ego drive, pushing your comfort zone, placing ourselves in the pathway of our prospects and expecting to win! I think we all left with a renewed sense of what we needed to do.   

Mr. Revell Newton, the Director of Sales at the Sheraton Waikiki gave us a warm welcome and Mahalo for coming.  After lunch his team led guests on site tours of newly renovated (and stunningly gorgeous) Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the newest member of Starwood Hawaii’s Luxury Collection.

The menu, however, was (in my culinary opinion) the star of the event! In a stroke of genius and creative innovation, the Starwood culinary team pulled out all the stops with a Greek feast! The menu and meal were prepared under the supervision of visiting Greek chef Howe Stilianessis, direct from The Swan & Dolphin Hotels in Orlando. Chef Stilianessis’s family style presentations were creative, innovative and flawless (and delicious) – not to mention a complete departure from the expected!
 
One of many great announcements were made at the luncheon among them the 2009 -2010 President Elect, Philip Richardson, announced the site and date of this year’s MPI Gala Dinner, and put the call out for volunteers to many of the committees for the gala – call Philip if you would like to be part of the fun!

In the end, we all learned a lot from our great guest speaker, got to see one another, had a fantastic lunch and shared our ALOHA in the paradise we call home. .. who could ask for more!

Frank Robinson
Director of Catering
Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio