In a world where 93% * of travel shopping cycles start with an online search , is there anything that will help you stay relevant and ready to be part of the big game of tourism?
Yes. Your experience.
His experience makes him a travel professional . You can come to possess and develop some experience, but the best part is that she will help you build your own personal brand.
Here we present 12 solutions that will help you get to the next level of this game:
A niche product, such as business trips, incentive trips for groups, adventure, to celebrate the arrival to retirement, accessible for the disabled or to swim with pigs in the Bahamas, will give you access to markets to which travel agencies can not go online
If you combine popular destinations with new destinations , your travel portfolio will be truly eye-catching. Add unique experiences, cruises and luxury vacations, as well as places that you love. You can even create a luxury holiday apartment.
How well do you know your clientele?
Create all the type profiles that comprise it, such as couples, families, honeymooners or retirees . Think of all the concerns and demands they may have and the destinations they would like to visit.
Your work at the point of sale can become very easy. Go to point 8 (yes, everything is connected!)
Learning and studying about destinations will give you more information that you can use to personalize your products and that is exactly what your customers are willing to pay for.
Create different profiles for your destinations, taking into account the different profiles of your customers and what would best suit them in each of those destinations. In this way, when clients call or come to your office, you will be ready and ready to answer your questions .
New destinations: Read all the material that falls into your hands, whether on local products, flights or suppliers, and contact the tourist offices, online or by other means.
Popular Destinations: Give a new twist to existing destinations, showing what's new in them.
Nowadays, digital marketing is not just an option. YOUR APPROACH TO COMMUNICATION will make a difference. Your digital marketing strategy should include a combination of marketing and social media content.
One of the best investments you can make is to hire a designer to improve your appearance online. All you have to do is sit down and watch how good design can boost your business .
Mark the seasons and identify the times of reservation and travel.
Create a calendar dedicated to your clientele, marking on it holiday times, reservation and travel times, as well as long weekends.
Next, make a calendar of destinations, marking the local holidays and the high and low seasons.
Detect the best combination and match between your clients and the trips you have in your portfolio .
Be on the lookout for travel booking times and, before they start, set up your promotions and add discounts for first-time guests. Also, agree with your suppliers and boost some destinations during your low seasons.
This is the stage in which your potential customers (the ones you created in point 2) are going to be more than useful. Ask lots of questions for your clients, even those that go beyond the obvious. What you are doing is writing your story and setting the stage to add value to your vacation (see point 10). The more you know about your customers, the more you can offer them.
Regardless of how you connect with your customers, think about how you can improve that experience and how you present your promotional material. Videos, for example, are an excellent way to inspire customers .
There are many points in the buying process of your customers that allow you to maximize your income by resorting to up-selling and cross-selling . What do you think of this idea?
Mark in your calendar the dates your clients travel, when they arrive at their destination and when they leave. Take advantage, then, to keep in touch with them, by sending them a message, or even calling them, to see if there are any particular excursions that interest them.
If you want the value you add to be genuine, you must make your product match what the customer wants.
And the comments received are just a way to gather information about what went well or what should be improved: Did you apply up selling or cross selling? The result was fantastic? That good! So, now, use that information well.
Clients love to hear a good story before making a purchase, so tell them one that has a perfect ending.
The random comments you receive will give you invaluable information about your suppliers, hotels, tours, etc. This is your opportunity to change what is necessary or to keep everything as it is. Read more about why information is your new best friend.
The references are the best result that can be obtained by social marketing: if a client had a wonderful experience with you, encourage your customers by proclaiming it to the four winds in social networks while offering a discount for your next vacation.
* Source: Marketo
