Planning trips is inspiring. Leading trips is exhilarating. But selling trips? That part can be a hassle.
You may not think of yourself as a salesperson. You’re a community builder, a travel curator or a dream fulfiller. But fundamental to the concept of affinity travel is persuading people to give you money in exchange for coming on your trips. That transaction is critical to the whole endeavor.
Selling likely isn’t your favorite part of the work you do, but it doesn’t have to the worst part, either. Here are five core concepts that will help you and your team sell travel — and feel good about doing it.
Sales is Service
If you find the idea of selling things off-putting, it’s likely because you’ve had an experience with a pushy, manipulative or unhelpful salesperson in the past. That doesn’t mean selling is bad — it just means those people were doing it wrong. When properly viewed, selling is just a way to serve people. You’re helping your customers find travel experiences that will meet their needs and desires, whether those entail bucket list experiences, building friendships on the road or avoiding the hassle of planning trips for themselves.
Everyone is Sales
Many businesses divide their internal organizations into groups like “sales,” “service” and “operations.” These arbitrary divisions mask an important truth, though: Everyone in your organization is selling, no matter what their job duties entail. Every time a customer interacts with your company or brand, they are forming or changing their impressions of you. That means the work done by support, operations and service staffers can have just as much impact on customers’ buying decisions as a formal sales conversation.
Business is Personal
Your travel customers have no shortage of places they can go to book trips, from apps and websites to the travel agents in their Facebook feeds. The reason they choose to spend their travel dollars with you is likely that they know you and trust you. It’s a business decision, but it’s also personal. That means they expect to be treated not only as a paying customer, but also as a valued friend. And the more effort you invest in that friendship, the more likely the business relationship will grow as well.
Referrals are Gold
There are plenty of ways you can market your travel opportunities. But your top tool as a travel seller will always be word of mouth. When someone goes on one of your trips, has a great time and then comes back and tells their friends, that testimonial is more valuable than any marketing dollar you could spend. Someone who reaches out to you on a friend’s recommendation is already primed to buy. Prioritize servicing these referrals above all else — and give your customers strong incentives to invite friends to join your program.
Cash is King
Every professional salesperson has come across a potential client who talks a big game but never pulls the trigger. Regardless of what you do, they’re unlikely to ever convert from window shoppers to paid customers. So, when people ask questions or express interest in a trip you’re offering, take it as a positive sign but not a foregone conclusion. Never calculate your trip expenses based on promises and never reserve space for someone who hasn’t yet paid a deposit. In sales, the only thing that really counts is money in the bank.
