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Prospecting on Purpose is Forbes meets Saturday Night Live - it’s *the* show for everything prospecting, sales, business, and mindset.
As business grows more complex, the biggest opportunities emerge when we learn beyond our own industries. From hospitality and design to technology and travel, this is where professionals come together to exchange ideas, uncover new perspectives, and prospect for business with creativity, authenticity, and intention.
Hosted by Sara Murray, a heart-centric sales champion, each episode helps you raise both your vibes and your game. Sara's playbook is simple - ABAV: Always Be Adding Value. Embrace your authentic self, lean into your unique strengths, and sell the outcome instead of the product or service.
Join Sara each week as she sits down with world-class thought leaders to unpack today's business strategies, mindset shifts, and relationship-driven approaches to growth, giving you practical ideas you can put into action right away.
Connect with Sara: www.saramurray.com IG: @saramurraysales LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/saramurraysales/
Sara Murray - Prospecting On Purpose:
You're listening to Prospecting on
Purpose, where we discuss all things
prospecting, sales, business, and mindset.
I'm your host, Sara Murray, a sales
champion who's here to show you that you
can be a shark in business and still lead
with intentionality and authenticity.
Tune in each week as we dive into methods
to connect with clients, communicate
with confidence, and close the deal.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Chris Bird is the general manager of
Saybrook Point Resort and Marina, a
luxury waterfront resort in Old Saybrook,
Connecticut, where the Connecticut
River meets the Long Island Sound.
He oversees nearly every part of the
family-owned property: the hotel, guest
houses, villas, the lighthouse suite, the
award-winning Fresh Salt restaurant, a
full service spa, and a deep water marina,
thriving wedding and events business, and
the only butler service in Connecticut,
which I'm sure we're gonna talk about.
with a background in accounting and
hospitality leadership, Chris runs the
resort more as a CEO, not a manager.
He hires strong people, he develops
them and trusts them to run
their corners of the business.
I have had the benefit of meeting Chris
a couple of times now, and we've had
really powerful sales conversations,
and it's such an interesting perspective
with his role as a general manager.
So I'm very excited to
dive into our discussion.
Chris, welcome to Prospecting on Purpose.
Chris Bird: No, thank you so much.
It's such a pleasure to,
team up with you again
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Likewise, and I think one of the things
that would be really helpful just to
orient our audience is you could paint
a picture of what it is you actually do.
what is a general manager of
a hotel like yours, a large
hotel, what do you actually do?
Chris Bird: It's really about
the connection, whether it's
connecting with your guests, whether
it's connecting with the team.
I look at myself as a tool.
I am the tool for every staff member.
my philosophy is hire the right people,
give them the skills, training, tools
they need, and stay out of their way.
And really, we hire for that personality.
So it's really just,
you're that free safety.
You're just walking around, touching
people, making sure everything's okay.
when things get really
emergent, you jump into action.
but you're also, you're seeing
things and you're looking for what
gaps we have and how to fill those,
and that's, And that, that takes
a whole team, as we like to say.
It's, it takes a village, right?
You have, sometimes we'll have 240
guests at the hotel, plus wedding guests,
plus members, plus restaurant guests.
So we may have 850 people on the
property at one time, and no one
person or 10 people can handle that.
It's, we have to work together to do it.
And so it's just seeing
those opportunities
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
That's one thing that I've, as I've
started to meet more general managers,
that seems to be a through line
thread of the, the role is really
leadership, but it's empowering your
people to do what's best for the
guest and what's best for the hotel.
And I ⦠When I think of a general
manager, correct me if this statement's
wrong, but it's almost like you're the
mayor of your own little city and there's
all these different departments going on.
Chris Bird: I never thought of it
that way, but that is perfect, right?
And it's how do you bring those
other departments together, right?
And how do you bring them together so
the guest experience flows better, but
also how do you bring them together
so that they can share their ideas
and what's working in, say, a banquet
department with a spa director.
You think those are totally two different
animals, however, it's still an operation
and how can we work together to make each
other's ability to serve guests better.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
and I think about, some of the
parallels between other industries
too, Chris, because I think anyone
listening can, I- can really get the
angle of there's different departments.
You might have sales versus marketing
versus engineering versus project
management, and if none of those people
talk to each other, which is a very,
big offense that I see in my work,
things break down, and the person who
suffers is the customer or the guest.
So maybe we can talk a little
bit about how do you empower
your leaders to come together and
collaborate and talk to each other?
Chris Bird: Honestly, the first
and easiest way is, "I'm sorry."
So the second somebody comes up and says,
"I should have known this information,"
or, "This wasn't shared with me," great.
I'm sorry.
I have to be vulnerable.
I want to know that.
So now let's look at how we can do that.
Because at the end of the day, that
is the way that it needs to be.
And, it, at the, my final, the
final piece is me making sure that
these managers have the information
they need, to do their job.
And so my first reaction is, "I'm
so sorry," and then, "How do we
get you the information you need?"
One of the things that we do
every day in standup is we get
together, and we do standup.
And when I got here, it was very
much of this is what I'm doing
today, this is what I'm doing today.
That's lunchroom talk.
We can talk about what
we're doing all day long.
About how we can work
together, and what do youâ¦
Not what are you doing, what
are you doing for others, and
what do you need from others?
it changes the dynamic of the meeting
when the restaurant manager walks in,
and instead of saying, "Oh, we've got
180 on the books, and da, da, da,"
they're saying, "Hey, I saw the sales.
we have a site today.
Can you give me some more specifics
on where this guest is coming from,
and are there any food allergies?"
So different.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Mm-hmm.
Chris Bird: so again, it's
empowering for each of them.
I can't do it all.
I never will pretend I can do it all.
And so all I can do is empower people
as much as possible to run their
business and reach out to others
to help make them more successful
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
I loveâ¦
You said a couple of things
that are really powerful.
One is the, when you come together,
it's not talking about the day-to-day
stuff, but it's what do you need from
others, and what can I do for you?
And I, I see that a lot.
One way I frame it if I get a group
together is, I call it offers and asks.
Chris Bird: Yeah.
Perfect
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
offer something they can contribute,
but then what do you need in return?
And I think you're so right.
It creates a much different connection
and collaboration when you approach
it from giving and adding value.
And then the other thing you said
that I wanna dive into is this
concept of you being the leader.
You are the tool for your, for yourâ¦
to empower your team.
Are you a tool for the guests, too?
Can you give a couple of examples there?
Chris Bird: Absolutely.
One of the things that, I think
for me it's that security blanket.
I have been in roles where I was
the center of the guest, right?
very small properties, high-end
luxury, 12- $1,500 a day per person.
You need that personality.
They want that touch
with the general manager.
Here at Saybrook Point, it's about the
associates, and so I- it's not about me.
It's actually about the, the
team or the ownership, right?
The GM doesn't matter in that sense.
But yes, I'm a security blanket for them.
They know there's a general manager.
They know that they can speak with
a manager any time, and they can
reach me when I'm on property,
and, available on the website.
one of the things that's been very
important to me is my information is on
the website always as the general manager.
That way anyone can get to
me however they need to.
So this is a different role
than some general manager jobs,
but it's such a great fit.
when you have a front desk associate
who's been here 30 years, there-
there's not much he needs from a
personality of a GM because he isâ¦
He's the star of the show.
It's not me.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
it's so interesting you say that
you put your email and your contact
info front and center because in my
business I've been interviewing a lot
of different general managers, and
sometimes I'll walk into a property
and I'll ask for the card and I'llâ¦
And I, and it will be, you know,
I'm interviewing someone for my
presentation at the New England
Inns and Resorts Association.
I'm not trying to sell anything,
I'm trying to add value.
Chris Bird: Right
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
And it is funny, there's been a handful
of times where the person refuses to
give me the contact info of the GM.
Chris Bird: Okay
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
And other times where it's like,
"Yeah, of course, send him a note."
And so it's interesting.
I, I understand probably why
they would keep it guarded
Chris Bird: Yep
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
because I'm also assuming, Chris, correct
me if I'm wrong, but do you get a ton
of people trying to sell you stuff?
Chris Bird: Yes.
but I've also empowered the team to,
they, that they can ask questions.
And so for them, they are very
protective of me, and my time.
But on the other end, if they really
see that this is a true guest, it's,
the answer is usually, "Here's his card.
Let me see if he's available."
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Right
Chris Bird: because that's better.
let's just talk about it, right?
very, very often if somebody comes
to get me, they already have the
story, meaning the associate, on
what, where I need to meet the guest.
that's very helpful.
So whether it's to praise the team
or, talk about things we can do
better, or if it is sales, usually I
know what I'm walking into, which is
fantastic, makes it easier to be present
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Great.
And then in your particular role, so
you're empowering your teams, but I
believe the general manager in some
sense is also responsible for the
high-profile relationships and also
generating business for the hotel.
And I think that's one thing that
I would love to talk to you about
because I think most people when they
think of the hotel, a hotel, they just
think guest rooms and public areas.
they don't think about it as a business
vehicle that has to go out and make money
and has to go out and get new business.
So I would love to learn a little bit
about, your role in the sales process,
and how are you bringing new business
and creative business into the hotel?
Chris Bird: So there's a couple of
different ways to do it, but one is
you have to get out into the community.
And I'm very fortunate that I walked
into a property four and a half
years ago that has a long history
since 1989, and has a phenomenal
following and a phenomenal reputation.
The ownership from the founders
to, their children who own it now,
have always been very generous w-
with the town, with the community.
as aâ¦
This is off tangent a little bit, but
as a general manager, one of the things
that's such a luxury for me is I have
a full s- full property generator.
So if the property loses power,
we're right on the shore, I don't
have to deal with not having power.
But it wasn't put in so
the GM had an easier job.
It was so the town had a place
to go during these storms.
Superstorm Sandy, we were two days
down, and then our restaurant wasâ¦
I'm sorry, a day and a half down, and
our restaurant was fully open, hotel was
open, because we had the backup generator.
And so it's just being creative
and making sure people know
that you are that resource.
Again, I think it's that service.
How can I help you?
How can I help the chamber?
How can I help the lodging association?
How can I help the town?
How can I support this event?
Creating events that are for our guests,
but are also for the town i- is humongous.
Promoting other events, restaurants that
have nothing to do with our business,
is a way to generate longer stays, and
again, get that guest who's more involved,
engaged, and interested in Saybrook Point.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
That, so that's so cool because I feel
like in that example you just shared,
there's a lot of elements to it.
One is having the business, which is
the hotel, be a pillar of the community,
Chris Bird: Correct
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
part of the community.
I like the, the point, of promoting other
restaurants because that does help you
if people extend their stay because they
wanna experience more of Old Saybrook.
So it's that give and take.
It's helping the restaurant,
but it's also helping you.
So there's a B2B element here Chris.
Chris Bird: Yes
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
And then the B2C with the guests too,
and I think that's the other thing
that I find really compelling about
the hotel business, the business
of a hotel, is there's a big break
of B2B business and B2C business.
So maybe we could talk
about that a little bit too.
tell us a little bit about the B2B
business that you are prospecting
for, and then let's get into,
into the individual guests.
Chris Bird: Yeah, some of the B2B
businesses actually, and we're just
finishing up a beautiful renovation
and spending quite a bit of money,
and one of the, the big pieces is
we're seeing those vendors that we're
spending money are coming here, and
they're spending their money, right?
it's that appreciation, and that's
something that is about that partnership.
We had a, just an impromptu, we
need to do some construction.
So an excavation company came out.
It was arranged by a different,
partner of ours, and the next day, the
excavation company calls me and says,
"I wanna have my holiday party there."
out of the blue,
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Cool
" Chris Bird: Give me business.
I wanna give you business."
And that's how we operate.
We expect that and look for that and
again, go back and look to how can we help
our vendors, get out in the community.
So again, ra- rising
tides raises all ships.
If everybody's looking for a way
to make that stay, that experience,
that spa visit, that restaurant
visit, better and more enjoyable
than, the better every- everyone is.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
I like that angle too, Chris, because
I've always been on the vendor side.
I've always been selling into, developer
or brand, property direct, and sometimes
you can get a little insecure from the
vendor side that you're, like bothering
the person or the relationship isn't
Chris Bird: Yes
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
as strong as it is.
And so for pe- and, I've gotten through
that because I've saved the day many
times at hotels, so now I, now I know
my value a little bit more, and it helps
me when I approach people because I know
my value before they know my value, and
that has helped me be more confident
in, in reaching out cold or, or trying
to sell into someone like yourself.
But what I like about what you said is
it is a true partnership because whether
you're the client, whether you're the
buyer, whether you're the seller, you need
each other to propel business forward.
And so I like that your examples
of partnership with the vendor, I
think just m- might help empower
some people to feel a little bit more
confident in reaching out and/or how
they show up in their partnership.
Chris Bird: Yeah, it's again,
it's making yourself available.
It's, it's not shutting that, that door.
It is being open to the sales,
that are coming through.
perfect example for me, I probably get 10
emails a month and 12 phone calls a month
about a new property management software.
I'm not interested.
I'm not gonna buy it.
But it doesn't mean that I
have to hang up on somebody.
I just let them know,
"Hey, we've invested a lot.
We're very happy, and please send
me an email, and I'm happy to
reach out if I need it," right?
So you, again, you have to put yourself
on the other side and what would you and
how would you want others to treat you.
And you have to leave that hope
for them eventually, but let
them know that they've heard you.
Otherwise, they're gonna keep calling.
If they're great salespeople,
they're gonna keep calling you.
Yeah.
So it's like- That's- Right.
So make sure they know that
you're just, I'm not gonna,
I'm not gonna make the change."
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Yeah
Chris Bird: and acknowledge that
they're there if you do need it.
And that's important.
And there's nothing wrong with
having four, five, six different
depths of vendors behind you, right?
If this one's too busy, you've, you
haven't burnt a bridge over here.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
That's such a good point
too, like diversifying.
you can't put all your eggs in one
basket because you might, you never
know what might happen to that
vendor or what might happen toâ¦
technology might change, and all
of a sudden AI goes mainstream and
everything is turned on its head.
So you just- or there's
a pandemic, God forbid.
you just never know what's gonna happen.
And so I think that that's a great
point of being open to receiving.
And there's been times I had, Frank
Gehry, world famous architect, he
recently passed away, but I was trying
to sell to Frank Gehry's office, and
it, you can imagine that is Fort Knox.
And I met the person, I gave my little
spiel, and he said, "No, we're the
des- the construction's too far gone.
It's fully baked.
We don't need you."
And he said, "But feel
free to send me an email."
So I did.
Fast-forward a couple months, got an
email back, and they just basically
wanted me to assure them that the third
party, not, my competitor, would work.
And I said, I can't, that's,
I can't guarantee that.
It's not my product.
But, let me know if you need any help."
Fast-forward another couple
months, they got into construction.
They had some severe limitations.
They came back and said, "Can you fix it?"
And we did, and I got an entire museum
with our product in it because of just
the politeness between both parties
and the respect between both parties.
Chris Bird: Yeah.
That's what it takes.
We, again, we all need each other.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Have you ever been, you don't have
to name names, but have you ever
been, like, offended by an outreach?
Has anyone done a really bad job that you
would say, is a big no-no and don't do?
Chris Bird: I think
when, you know, it'sâ¦
No, I mean, there's, there's times
when people want to, when you s- my
biggest thing is send me an email,
then I have all the information,
then I can read it on my time.
The hard part is when they push
that phone sales, that blind call
phone sales further that time.
That's where it's like, please
be respectful of my time.
I wa- And so I just say, "Hey,
I'm gonna do this on my time, and
the easiest way to do that is if
you'll, you will send me an email."
Nine times out of 10, you can tell,
and they will say, "Great, is there
a time I can follow up with you?"
Perfect.
Absolutely.
Right?
Give me a month and a half to look at it,
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Yeah
Chris Bird: give me a day, or give
me four days, or, And there's that
time when you're just hook, line,
and sinker right there on the phone,
and you just keep going because
it is something that's a, a need.
It's just, again, it's just knowing,
meeting people where they're at.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Yeah, I like that.
and listening.
I think active listening is a skill
people can struggle with, and it's a
skill we all need to practice because
that's what's gonna change the game.
That's gonna differentiate
you if you can listen.
And I think one thing that's been
interesting, too, in our conversations
was I wanna dive a little bit deeper
onto the vendor piece because from the
hotel standpoint, and it, this applies
to a lot of different industries,
there is nothing wrong with asking
your vendors to spend money with you
if it's an appropriate partnership.
So can you talk a little bit about,
maybe give us some examples or some
starting points if someone's listening
to this and they haven't really thought
to go chase their vendors for business?
Chris Bird: Yeah.
What we, what I've done is I've done
the soft sell where at the end of
the year, I will just run the 1099
report, who we're sending checks to
for the year, and then just send a
letter and say, "It's been great.
We really appreciate the partnership.
Please let us know if there's
anything we can do in the way of
gift cards," or, try to give them a
lot of different options because not
every business does it fit, right?
It may not beâ¦
they may be driving two and a half
hours, from their location to be
here, and that's not a great fit.
but giving gift cards to their staff to
come down and spend the day at the spa
or spend the night here is a great fit.
Others, it's a holiday party, and people
understand that, and they respond to
it, and they appreciate the connection.
youâ¦
We know who our top, payees are,
and, it's, it is that partnership.
I had somebody approach me the other day,
and I was ready to bring in their product.
and it was one of the, oneâ¦
a new bourbon, a new spirit.
And the salesperson said, "The owner
said that they will be here within two
weeks to spend $300 in your restaurant."
And I said, that's great.
That's how we like to work."
That wasn't the reason I was already
saying yes, but that person understands
the value of, showing up and doing it.
And I'll be honest with you,
we leverage our vendors toâ¦
We created this event called Oysters at
the Point, and we leverage our vendors
to donate to a nonprofit, the Rockfall
Foundation, and we've raised over $65,000
in the last three years for the Rockfall
Foundation because we've gone to them and
said, "Hey, this is a cause we support.
We wanna have this wonderful
oyster festival, and we want you
to come and pour or, showcase your
items to this great public that
we have and the group of guests."
And it's been fantastic.
And so again, that's just where
they understand that, yes, it's,
it is that relationship building.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
and that example is a win-win-win
because it's a win for the hotel
because you were able to execute a
great event and donate to a cause.
It's a win for the, the nonprofit,
and then it's a win for the vendor
because they still get exposed to
your guests who are at that event.
And I think that's one thing that
I, I find really inspiring about
the hospitality industry is you
have to be creative to get business.
I'm sure a lot of people listening
aren't thinking about the hotel
having to go generate inbound.
sometimes I think we just don't
give it that much thought i-
if we're not in that world.
And the other thing I, I've learned from
you in the past is this concept of being
there for the families, too, and this
concept of social, what do you call it?
Social events?
Chris Bird: Yeah, I knew that's
where you're going, right?
So it's having that,
that, pipeline, right?
you're doing somebody's 65th birthday,
and somebody who's very involved
in it is turning 60 in a year.
So in eight months you call and
say, "Hey, we had such a great
time celebrating so-and-so.
Are you looking to do something
similar for so-and-so's 60th?"
And I can't tell you how much
business has come from that.
one of the things, and it's not, it'sâ¦
And we've talked about this.
This is a tough piece of business
because we are honored to
have the celebration of life.
You can't celebrate getting that kind
of business because of what it's about.
But at the same time, we know that
we've grown our reputation as a
business that can really handle it and
be sensitive and execute very well.
And so that word of
mouth has really spread.
So you got it on both ends, right?
you get the wedding shower, the
wedding, the baby shower, the
and then the christening, right?
So in a matter of three years, you see
the same people, five, six times, but
then it's also the offshoot of the family
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
And so there's a couple things I
want to, I want to pull from that.
The first is, listening.
you justâ¦
We were just talking about listening,
and you're saying, okay, a s-
you know, 59-year-old is planning
their partner's 65th birthday, but
they're gonna turn 60 next year.
So you guys, your team has their ear to
the ground to realize, oh, your little
flags wave to say this person might want
to come celebrate their thing here, too.
How do you keep track?
May I ask how you track that?
Do you track it, or are
there notes, like CRMs?
Chris Bird: Yeah.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
How do you track it?
Chris Bird: Yeah, through the CRM, through
our pr- our, property management system.
So one of the nice things is your event
may be over, but I can still put a flag
out that's connected to your event.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Mmmm.
Chris Bird: In the
future, like a follow-up.
So instead of, I mean, in addition
to similar, you do the same
thing for your bride and grooms.
you're reaching out to them
as their anniversary comes up.
And so it's the same thing, but you put in
the notes that, it's Deanna's 60th after.
But it's sitting in Jerry's, profile, so
you remember the connection super easy.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
That's clever.
Chris Bird: And then it, it springs
it, and then again, then you're
approaching it as a non-cold
call because you remember them.
And it's, you are cold
calling, but you're not.
You're checking in with somebody
and continuing the relationship
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
And there's, there's a lot of industries
that, that can do similar things.
I met a realtor, I had a realtor on
the show, and she has a home-iversary.
So every year when the person's
home-iversary comes up, she sends a
little gift basket with a couple cards
because she knows their network, their
neighbors might be needing a realtor.
Even if they don't need one because
they just bought their home a year
ago, that doesn't mean that the
network wouldn't send them business.
And I think that's what's cool is you
guys are just building out your web of
connectivity on potential prospects.
Chris Bird: Right.
and again, it's out of the blue for some
of them, and they just so appreciate it.
and the fun part is when y- you call
and it's like, "Oh, we were just there
for dinner three days ago," right?
How, what a coincidence.
And, yeah, so it's great.
It's great just having those
connections and keeping them going.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Well, I think when you, because
I know people get insecure about
reaching out and asking for business.
that's a big theme I hear is people
are uncomfortable asking for business.
But when I think about that example,
and I've been on the receiving end
of it, I plan a lot of events for
my business, and I did an event last
year at a rooftop in Laguna Beach.
And she emailed me earlier this
year and said, "Hey, Sara, it
was so fun having you last year.
Do you have anything coming up this year?"
and I didn't wanna research other venues.
I didn't, I hate doing all that research.
So I just said, "You know what?
Yeah.
Are you free this day?"
And she closed, a $5,000 deal
because she'd made it easy for me.
And so your example of, "Hey, Diana,
you wanna have your 60th here?"
"You know what?
We haven't thought about it yet.
Yeah, let me press the easy button
and work with the Saybrook team."
So I think that it, your example
is, it's so not asking for business.
It's more of, inviting them to,
inviting them to experience it,
and also you're being thoughtful.
And so I think I really like this
example because it distills a lot of
the fear that I think salespeople feel
when they're reaching out to people.
Chris Bird: Yeah, I think so too, but
it also shows a competence, right?
We know that, if they're calling because
they were in tune to what you were doing,
and they want business, and we always
want people to want our business, right?
it's the, you flip it around, right?
how many times has somebody said, "Oh,
I don't think they want my business"?
Well, okay, well, it's obvious that
she wanted your business, so she
called you and, and that feels good.
And then you go right back into the other
parts where, "Oh yeah, that way I don't
have to think," "I know they executed
well, and why would I go somewhere else?"
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Easy button and being intentional.
And, and you're right, I think there's a
lot to be said about communicating that
you want someone's business, because
where we put our money, and this is for
anyone, B2B, B2C, where we spend our money
matters, and you want to spend your money
on people who will appreciate it, not
people who don't, who just won't care.
That's why when you buy something
small on Etsy, it feels nice, because
you get a handwritten card from the,
Chris Bird: Yeah.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Guy or gal who started the online
shop with their handmade things.
So it's kind of cool that, that
you guys can do that on such a big
scale, because you are running a
big enterprise, operation a lot of
different things you got going on.
Chris Bird: And you want
them to grow, right?
I want the electrician that has
one helper at a time and maybe
one apprentice, and then we go
and do this room re- renovation.
He's got eight guys with him,
and I'm just like, "Yes!"
Right?
Like,
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
That's cool, yea.
Chris Bird: This is one-person shop,
and all of a sudden, he's had a lot of
success because he's been phenomenal to us
and the other businesses the family has.
And, now he's got a team and
that work, and that feels good.
I had no part in it, but it's
so cool to see that, they thrive
and their business gets bigger.
And then selfishly, their business
getting bigger makes it easier because
now that electrician is in Maine,
I've got two or three people that
he can send where three weeks ago
I didn't have anybody else, right?
He would be like, "I'll
get there when I can."
So
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
That's such a good point.
Chris Bird: Yeah
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Their business growing allows you to
be better service, and so it's that,
flywheel that you help one another.
And I think that's such a good
reframe, Chris, because it isâ¦
I, this whole conversation to
me is "Oh, crap, I gotta go
call these people because Iâ¦
They, they want me to grow too,
and they wanna hear from me too."
And so it's less scary
when you frame it that way.
And I think also showing that you're
living in alignment with your values of
being a part of the community that adds
value to your i- immediate community.
Chris Bird: If you're not a
steward of what you're doing,
and, I- I'm a capitalist.
Businesses are m- built to make money.
But if you ignore everything else or
most everything else, you just don't
have the same success, and it's very
difficult to motivate a team and motivate
a vendor and to take care and motivate
a guest to spend their money with you.
And so everything doesn't have
to be altruistic, but at the same
time, you've gotta care and you've
gotta show that you wanna give back.
and that's what we do, and whether
that's financially or with time or
with the decisions that we make.
One of our biggest things here is our
ordering is ABC, anywhere but China.
The human rights pieces are near
and dear to our ownership, and
we source wherever else we can.
And whether you agree with it or not,
it's still a stance that you know is the
value of this property and this ownership.
And so if you align with
it, it's even better.
If you don't, then you decide
that is that a deal breaker?
but it probably isn't for most, right?
And nobody's asking you to do it at home.
you know, it, it's a balance,
but it really is having thatâ¦
I really think I go back to, that
CEO and what do you do every day.
And you walk around and you just take
care of people and you instill the value
of what they do and how important it is
to the experience and how important it
is to their coworkers and how important
it is to the guests and the vendors.
And yeah, it's just a vicious
circle that goes better
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
They all help each other.
Chris Bird: And better
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
you, I think one of the things that, you
know, that you've said and I'm hearing
loud and clear is empowering your people
and how ⦠What are some of the things
that you do, for the listeners, that
you do as a leader, not a manager of
people, but as a leader to help empower
them and their leadership skills?
what are some of the ways that
you can, that you equip your teams
that would be valuable for us
to learn from and piggyback on?
Chris Bird: Yeah, I think one of the
biggest ones for me is, back coming up w-
in the '90s as a leader manager, right?
Back then it was the one-minute manager.
Everybody's a manager, and then
you realize, oh wait, no, you're
not a manager, you're a leader.
But, open door.
Anybody can walk into your office,
and as much as I hate to admit it,
that is not easy for every associate.
It doesn't matter what the relationship.
There's a feeling of walking
into the GM's office, right?
The principal's office ifâ¦
And while I hate that
stigma, I understand it.
And so one of my philosophies is an
open floor policy, and what that means
is that I need to go to the associate.
I need to walk behind the front
desk and see what I can do to
support them and be there for them.
And then when there's a gap, I
can say, "Hey, what do you need?
How's it going?
Anything working great for you?
Anything we need to do different?"
it's knowing what they need in their
life and, again, meeting them where
they're at, that you can do that.
I open it up when ever, we, I, we
hire somebody, I meet with them and
I let them know I want, we want any
feedback you have on the training.
Everybody gets trained differently.
Everybody learns differently.
I'm open to the feedback.
Doesn't mean, it doesn't mean it's
a way we have to do it forever,
but it means that, "Hey, Sara, that
would've worked better for you?
Thank you.
Now we know that works better for you."
or it's, "This is disheveled," right?
Maybe somebody hasn't looked at it
in three years because we haven't,
we've just been training as we go.
it just, all those pieces.
You have to go to the associate.
You have to run at the guest to fix
any situation, and you have to run
at the associate to make sure that
they are having their needs met.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Man, oh, you've said so many
good things right there, Chris.
open floor versus
open door, that I think is a
language shift we can all use now.
And, and the concept of, yeah,
the phone goes both ways, And
Chris Bird: Yeah.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
when i heard leaders say
Chris Bird: Oh, yeah.
Perfect
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
They never called me."
It's like, well, you could
call them and just check in.
make that easier.
So I love that, the open floor policy.
And then giving yourself the ability
to receive feedback can be hard
for leaders too, and so I like
that you're offering that upfront.
Do you have people come back
with you with feedback and ideas?
Chris Bird: Yeah, constantly.
And, a lot of times it's l- it comes to
the manager and then they'll say, "Hey, so
and so brought up this because you said."
I'm like, "Okay, great," right?
they can bring it right to me.
They can go to their leader.
They can just do it on their own.
Whatever, whatever works best for them.
I'm trying to get back, you said something
that maybe the calling both ways.
I'm not sure if Iâ¦
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Phone goes both ways.
Yeah,
Chris Bird: yeah.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Open floor.
I love open floor.
Chris Bird: Oh, that's what it is.
It's meeting them where they're at.
It may be not the phone.
It may be the email.
It may be it's learning.
If you call me a couple of times in
the middle of the day and I've asked
you to send me an email, th- then
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Totally.
Yeah.
Chris Bird: Understand you want to
reach out to me by email because
that's how I need to be reached, right?
I'm that person when they say,
"Can I follow up with you?"
Absolutely, please.
I want that follow-up.
so it's having those and learning that
relationship and how each person interacts
and speaks and wants to be sold to.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Oh my gosh, yeah, and that's internally
because you're talking about your
associates reaching out to you,
Chris Bird: Yeah.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
But also for vendors reaching out.
Chris Bird: Correct
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
I think that's something we allâ¦
that's a great takeaway is
communicate how the other person
wants to be communicated with.
Because I won't answer a Teams chat,
but I will answer a text message
if you need something, you know?
And so making sure that you're
communicating in the way that's
gonna get the response and make
the other person's job easier.
You also said something that seemed
really powerful that we could take away
is this concept of running at the guest.
Is that, if there's a problem
or you need to greet someone,
can you explain what that means?
Chris Bird: Yeah, it's don't
hide from the situation.
we're not perfect.
Some p- actually, we had a guest
last week that was a little bitâ¦
I won't say a little bit.
They were inappropriate, and the
team was just up in arms over this
person swearing out her window.
And so I called her up, and
sh- she's like, "You're right."
I'm like, "Okay."
She's like, "My husband just
passed away, and I'mâ¦"
And so again, it's like, okay, great.
Now you forgive the person,
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Yeah
Chris Bird: but you don't have to forgive.
It's still inappropriate,
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Right
Chris Bird: but you have that empathy.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
You're gonna give a little grace.
Chris Bird: Right, instead
of just calling her up and,
"Absolutely, we don't do that here.
This is, you knowâ¦
"hey, just to let you know, this is what
we need," and letting her tell the story.
So it's the same thing with an associate.
You get somebody who's
disgruntled or needs something.
it's kinda funny.
You never have enough martini
glasses or enough teaspoons.
the other day it was soup bowls.
I said to Jack, "How's everything?
Do you need anything?"
He goes, "Well, I mentioned it
a while ago, but I still only
have, like, 15 soup bowls."
I'm like, "Okay.
Well, they're on order.
They take-"
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
I am gonna solve this problem.
Chris Bird: Yeah.
"They take six weeks, so they're on
order, but nobody could say "Hey Jack
they are going to be here in six weeks.
" No big deal.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Yeah.
Chris Bird: He brought it up.
Somebody did something about it.
And then I was able to close the loop.
And be like, ok, it's, let's count
them down, four more weeks, let's
get those soup bowls for you.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Well, I think, y- yeah, your examples
are just ⦠I think that's what's so
interesting about the GM role, though,
is you can have a guest cussing out
a window, you can have a soup bowl
shortage, you can be, have somebody
trying to sell you batteries on the phone.
Chris Bird: Yeah
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Your days are very different.
And I think your concept of emailing,
too, and meeting, meeting the buyer
where they're at or the person or
the prospect where they're at, I have
interviewed a lot of general managers,
and a lot of times there's been times
where they just no-show the Zoom call.
But I know their role enough to know that
there's probably an emergency happening on
Chris Bird: Right.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
on the floor.
Chris Bird: Absolutely.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
And every single time it was, "Oh my gosh,
we had to call 911 for an elderly guest.
I'm sorry I missed it.
Oh my gosh."
you know, and I, and I get it because I
know who I'm trying to communicate with,
so I give them grace and we reschedule the
call or we just do a walking phone call.
So you have to flex, and I think
that's such a good example.
The other thing y- you had mentioned about
the open floor policy that I wanted to
ask you about was, sure that when you're
going to the guest or you're going to
the associate, how are you, making sure
that you're not doing the work for them?
Chris Bird: Oh, wow.
That's a really good question.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Yeah.
because you're the tool, but I
don't because I, I get into that
too, where I just jump into solving
the problem and doing it for them.
And then do you have any, coaching
that you do that we could learn from?
Chris Bird: Yeah, I think some of
that's gonna be on the fly, right,
in the immediate, "Let me show you
where it is," or, "Here's another
way to find that information," and
then you're just training them.
When it comes to truly doing the
job for them, I would prefer to take
it, say, out of the guest area and
really go through a training, and then
you're really training them, right?
Just because somebody's gone
through 10 days of training
doesn't mean they're ready, right?
I spent, two hours yesterday with our
newest serving staff, and we train
our staff how to serve, and we don't
train our staff how to table manage.
And I train the staff how to table manage,
and those are two very different pieces.
So it's drawing it out of them.
Any time I do training, and
you know when we've been
together, it's very interactive.
I don't, I don't just
give everybody the answer.
I want people involved and engaged
and ask those probing questions.
and so I think that's a,
that's another way to do it.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
There, yeah, there's so much,
there's so much to learn that
no one's ever gonna know it all.
And so I think we all need to
give ourselves a little bit of,
grace to not know stuff, but be
Chris Bird: Yes
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
open and willing to learn.
And I think, I feel so energized
and inspired every time I talk to
you, so I'm so grateful that we're
having this conversation, and I wanna
ask you, as we're getting close to
wrapping up, if most of the people
listening aren't running a hotel,
Chris Bird: Right
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
And so I'd love to ask you, but they're,
but most of them are trying to grow their
business, whether they're self-employed
or whether they work for an organization.
The good salespeople, the good
professionals think like an owner.
They're running it like their
department, their business.
So what like, what parting
words would you leave us with?
if we had to take one page out
of your book on how you operate,
what would you want it to be?
Chris Bird: The one word
is integrity, right?
Again, it's like you
said, it's that ownership.
do it right.
Meet people where they're at.
if I understand how vendors, how people
come and say, "Okay, I wanna give you,
I wanna give you the worst possible
so that I can look like a hero."
And it's And I understand that.
For me, that doesn't work.
I wanna be as efficient as possible,
and so I want you to tell me what
my first date and my last date are.
And so again, it's meeting me where
I'm at, but have that integrity,
stick behind it, do the follow-up
and do what you're supposed to do.
But also don't be afraid for that
person who is so busy to say,
"Hey, we were gonna follow up.
Where are we at?"
And that, again, we talk
about it, it can be hard in
prospecting to do that next one.
"Oh, I don't wanna bother Chris.
It's a new, it's a new account.
My boss really wants
me to get this account.
I- Last thing I wanna doâ¦
Hey, I'm busy.
I'm not perfect."
hit again, say, "Yep.
I am absolutely working on it.
Let me, let me do that for you."
So those are some of the pieces.
Run it like it's your business.
Run it with your integrity.
Care about those that you're, that are
around you because they are what is
gonna make your business grow, is your
customers and your ability to connect
with those customers and service those
customers, because they're gonna talk, and
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Yeah.
Chris Bird: that's what helps.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Well, and you, so you just said
the word service those customers,
and, and obviously the customers
include your internal team.
Chris Bird: Yeah
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
you can share with us, we're
talking about sales, but we're
Chris Bird: Right.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
also really talking about
service, and do you have any type
of, delineation or difference?
Chris Bird: So I think of sales
where it's goal-oriented, right?
A lot of times, and again, that comes
from my financial background too, is
here's the goal, here's what it is.
I'm gonna go out and I'm gonna do
feature, and I'm gonna do benefit.
So the other day our sales team
was busy, of course, and so
somebody wanted a tour, and I said,
"Listen, I don't do a sales tour.
I love to show off the property."
Right?
And so we just strolled and talked,
and my passion comes through, and I
tell them the history and such, and
they're interested, and then I said,
"Okay, now I get two sales points."
Right?
Now, that was the difference.
All I was doing was connecting with them.
But then there were two things I wanted
them to leave with, and one was that
anybody who comes here and experiences
our banquet food is blown away.
They feel like it's restaurant food,
and we get that comment consistently.
And I said, And the other one that I will
tell you from a sales is the other thing
that I get from people, whether they're in
the industry or not, they can tell me how
great everything is, but they end it with,
"It's your team that makes it great."
A lot of owners can put a lot of
money in, make things fantastic.
It takes the heart and soul of the
team that makes the experience there.
And so those were my two selling points.
Outside of that, I
didn't sell them at all.
I just interacted with them.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Yeah, and I think that's what, of
the things you talk about the passion
shining through, people can tell.
and I think your comment on the sales
is goal-oriented and, dollar-oriented.
When I first started my business, I
was coming from sales roles, and I
was like, "I'm gonna make $250,000."
You know, I had these
little goals for myself.
But when I, I changed it and I said,
"I'm gonna help 10 teams this year.
Chris Bird: Yes.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®: And
that shifted how I showed up because it's
not the dollars always follow if you do
the integrity, just like you're saying.
Sell aligning with values, selling
the way the person, you know, serving
the way the person wants to be
communicated with and sold to, and
then the rest of it becomes easy.
And I think we have a tendency
to overcomplicate things.
And what you're saying of just care
about the people around you, show up
and add value, solve problems fast,
be transparent and honest, I think
that those are all lessons that anyone
can take away with who's listening.
So I wanna thank you
so much for your time.
If people wanna come stay at the property
or experience the Saybrook Point Resort
and Marina, where can they find it?
Where can they find you?
Chris Bird: Yeah, we're on the
shoreline in Connecticut, as you said,
where, the river meets the sound.
And as we mentioned, I'm on the
website, Chris Bird, under, contact
us, so can reach out directly to me.
Phenomenal dining here, as well
as a spa, as you mentioned.
Terrific marina, lot of awards
throughout, the, the property's
many, many years here, and we just
love to serve, and I think it shows.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
Well, I will make sure to link everything
in the show notes, and hopefully I will
make my way to Connecticut hopefully
this year, or if not, early next year.
I can't wait to see the space and meet
you and see you again and see the team.
Chris Bird: That'd be wonderful.
I look forward to it.
Sara Murray - PROSPECTING ON PURPOSE®:
All right.
Thanks so much for joining us, Chris
Chris Bird: Thanks so much..
Sara Murray - Prospecting On Purpose:
Thank you so much for listening to
the Prospecting on Purpose podcast.
If you loved what you heard today,
subscribe to the podcast and
please rate and leave a review.
For more info on me or if you'd
like to work together, feel free
to go to my website, saramurray.com
On social media, I'm usually
hanging out @saramurraysales.
Thanks again for joining me,
and I'll see you next time.