Whether you’re new to travel, you’ve decided to go it alone or you’re an experienced seller, it’s always good to take a few minutes to access your techniques and see where you can improve.
Recognising that many agents can’t afford to invest in costly training programmes, especially at the moment, experienced seller and trainer Fi Morrison-Arnthal has co-founded Progressive Travel Training, which offers a series of affordable, soft-skill training courses covering everything from how to sell to presenting to resolving complaints.
Travel Gossip asked Fi to share her top 5 tips for selling travel in the wake of the pandemic.
#1 Ask yourself, would you book with you?
Also, how often do you evaluate your last enquiry that didn’t lead to a booking? Every lost and converted booking should be assessed, replicating what went well. Improve those things that are within your control.
#2 Remember things have changed
The pandemic has led to dramatic changes to your potential and existing customers’ needs and wants. Their communication styles have changed to, so you’re going to have to evolve what you used to do in order to achieve the same or more. You’ll have to provide what is known as a value-based service before, during and after travel to create brand equity.
#3 It’s good to talk
Email consultation means you are only using 7% of effective communication skills. Why would you make all of your discussions via email when you can use more effective methods? Using the phone increases your opportunity to hook the customer by a further 38%. Transferring your sales process to Zoom or Facetime uses 100% effective communication and is far more likely to create a trusting relationship, which will generate more conversions.
#4 Don’t be robotic
It’s all too easy to simply ask basic, old-fashioned, open transactional questions, such as how many, when, where, how long, how much, but that’s not having a conversation and getting to know the customer’s needs. You need to adopt a consultative selling approach to really get to know what they want and convert their enquiry into a booking.
#5 Hook the customer
You need to get the customer to trust you so they stop shopping around. How do you do this. Well the sales process isn’t just about asking questions and providing a quote, it’s about your entire service. Provide additional destination information, reviews from previous customers and or colleagues, videos and links, introduce extras that will enhance their enjoyment and they’ll feel they’re in experienced hands.
For more detailed selling advice, including details of free courses on travel blog writing, migrating to home working and stress manangement, go to progressivetraveltraining.com
