Nov 17, 2025
Last week’s Wednesday Webinar welcomed Brent Foerster and the team from Tempest, who shared practical insights on strengthening CRM habits, fine-tuning lead tracking, and using group pace reporting to support smarter decision-making for DMOs.
Brent opened with background on IDSS, Tempest’s CRM platform designed specifically for DMOs. He walked through how the system has evolved—from its origins at Meet Minneapolis to Tempest’s complete rebuild—and how DMOs can use its tools to improve forecasting, communication, and sales efficiency.
A major focus of the session was CRM discipline. Brent encouraged teams to adopt a clear lead hierarchy—prospect, tentative, and definite—to improve reporting accuracy and streamline sales workflows. He also recommended using terms like “turn down” or “regret” for leads that were never truly pursued, helping DMOs keep lost-business data clean and meaningful. And when business is lost, he emphasized the value of gathering actionable reasons, rather than vague categories like “no response,” so communities can better understand trends and opportunities.
The group then dove into group pace methodology, a tool that helps DMOs manage long-booking group business and monitor performance against year-end goals. By visualizing definite and tentative room nights against expected pace, teams can see where they are ahead—or behind—and adjust strategies accordingly. This includes identifying high-priority tentatives, managing concessions, understanding lost business patterns, and collaborating more effectively with hotels.
Brent also highlighted the importance of Same Time Last Year (STLY) reporting, which mirrors how hotels benchmark performance. Tempest’s version includes a three-year view, offering a more balanced historical comparison when budgets or outlier years might otherwise skew results.
The takeaway: A disciplined CRM, paired with clear group pace insights, gives DMOs the clarity they need to strengthen forecasting, communicate with hotel partners, and make more strategic decisions.
Thank you again to Brent and the team at Tempest for sharing their time, as well as everyone who attended!
The slide deck is currently not available, so please check back regularly for updates.
About the NYSTIA Wednesday Webinar Series:
Back by popular demand, NYSTIA is once again hosting a free, weekly virtual workshop series in an informal, "coffee and conversation format. All are welcome to join and send invitations to your friends and colleagues! Each webinar is recorded and archived for post-event access. This season's webinar topics include: the outdoor recreation economy, tech in tourism, generative engine optimization, community branding, digital maturity, sustainable event planning, accessible recreation, & more! Sign Up for Free
Next Week: Zoomed in or Zoomed Out: Destination Strategies in Contrast with Dylan Forsyth from Zartico and Gina Mintzer from the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB. Learn More & Register