There are lessons to be learned every day if you pay attention.

I spent the last week in Cancun, Mexico. While there, a sales representative at our hotel, Dreams Riviera, invited us to a presentation at one of the best hotels in Cancun, Hyatt’s new all-inclusive, ‘Secrets,’ which opened in May 2022.

All-inclusive resorts in Mexico are among the world’s best and are a growing market. To get a foothold in the market, Hyatt acquired Apple Leisure Group (ALG), including its resort management branch, AM Resorts – which operates 36 resorts in Mexico – for $2.7 billion.

We arrived at the hotel, and the sales rep clearly explained what would happen: we would have a buffet lunch, and during lunch, he would ask us a series of questions about our work and lifestyle, and then we would have a tour.

He said, “after listening to you, I would create a bespoke package that would align with your needs and remove the features you don’t want.”

I liked how he framed what would happen, as it meant no wasted time, and I felt like he was spending time getting to know us.

For lunch, I had the New York steak, which had been cooked in a water oven – it was the best steak I’ve had in a long time. In the main, the lunch was fantastic.

At the end of lunch, he presented their offer and did something I found interesting and thought to share.

On an A4 page, in 3 columns, he contrasted three options customers consider when travelling. Hotels – Timeshare and their offer the “Hyatt First Incentive Program.’

For each option listed, he outlined their features and then contrasted them with Hyatt’s, explaining why their service was better. This approach was different because he presented the contrast first, clarified our understanding, took us on tour and then showed their packaged offers.

In meetings, I would clarify what my prospective client wanted, display my options, and then try to close the sale or get an agreement on the next steps or a summary proposal.

Everything at Secrets is luxury, and at the end of the presentation and the impressive tour, I was ready to buy – it was just down to numbers.

We didn’t buy in the end. But the lesson I learned was how my presentations could be better. Many service professionals could improve their sales conversations by displaying a contrasting framework, closing more sales and increasing revenue.

Most of all, you can learn something new in the least expected places. Providing a contrast framework for your services can go a long way in helping clients see the value of what you offer.