How do you keep your agency’s phones ringing and clients traveling?
Begin at the root of all travel, the booking experience.
Ever watch the Home Shopping Network? Notice how beautifully the
host dangles the jewelry, making it sparkle like diamonds while
explaining how it feels like butter on your wrist?
This piece of jewelry goes from something you didn’t need to an
item you can no longer live without. This company sells to
millions, luxuries rather than necessities, by making the product
appealing and utterly irresistible.
So, in this desperate day in the travel industry, why are so
many potential customers walking into agencies apologizing for
inconveniencing these lackluster agents?
Sure there is always going to be the customer who takes more
time than the commission is worth. But big deal that customer is
still word of mouth. When the Home Shopping Network introduces a
$20 product, the host presents it as she would a $1,000 product.
Why?
It is much easier to sell a $20 product and before you know it,
this low-ticket item has produced several thousand dollars in
sales.
Why should selling travel be any different?
Perhaps agents and agencies should forget about commissions
completely and make believe that they are working in a nonprofit
organization that they love and believe in.
Get rid of the lacklusters, they’re only chasing clients out
your door. Throw out the metal desks (they are cold) and replace
the hard ejection seats with a cozy couch. Recycle the plastic boom
box and bring in the old record player singing to the tune of Frank
Sinatra.
Professionalism does not have to be cold and uninviting. That is
a huge mistake that the few remaining agencies make today.
Give the customers something they can’t get from the dot-coms.
Give them luxury before they even set foot on the plane.
