Being a Travel Agent is getting harder & harder, sometimes it’s nice to know what others are doing to get ahead. That’s where Brisbane-based consultant, Mel Bobbermien steps in.
It’s no lie that social media is changing the way we sell and book travel, so why not add in the way it changes your own personal brand. We often forget about our own personal brand while we are so caught up in the day-to-day of our procedures, checklists, queues, emails etc but these few simple steps can make you go from a Travel Agent to a Travel Superstar… And guarantee you a Facebook shout-out.
Documentation is EVERYTHING
Believe it or not, they’ve thought about posting the picture of their documentation for way longer than they’ve thought about their actual holiday. Going to Fiji? Pfft! No, they’re going to #baeretreat #beachsandlove #wanderlust #travel. And yes, you better believe they have the personalised travel accessories from Typo! As soon as they get home, they’ll literally pull every piece of paper out, ever transfer voucher, information sheet & even their invoice – just to get it in a photo for Instagram or Facebook (or it didn’t happen).
Add a hand-written letter
Well, do something different. This is always an excellent choice because it takes 3-4 minutes & they’ll be able to post something thoughtful on Instagram or Facebook reflecting on how great you were. If your cursive writing looks like a toddler has used a crayon for the first time – maybe don’t add a hand-written letter.
Take Photos
Okay, so this is a fine line. Don’t be that creepy person who has their phone hidden to take a creepy photo of the customer because A) That’s illegal and B) It’s CREEPY! But once they’ve paid their deposit, take a photo of them. Maybe ask if you can get in it? Maybe ask if you can get in it with a sign that says, ‘Please tell your friends how great I am?’? Look, I don’t know but this is a sure-fire way to build rapport & get them pumped for their holiday. The best part is, you get the credit for literally everything – it’s a win-win.
Surprises are KEY!
Don’t organise someone to jump out of a box but if you noticed they always bring in a coffee
to their appointments, why not organise some local coffee to be delivered to their hotel when they arrive? Or, flowers, chocolates, wine… anything with a distinctive touch. Every hotel on the planet (except maybe Super 8’s) will do this & you can pay it in advance. Not only is it the key to maintaining life-long customers but you could also have your own hashtag #travelagentgoalz #mytravelagentisbetterthanyours – the list could go on forever.
Call them when they get home
Now, this one seems like a no-brainer but the young novices out there know all too well how overwhelming making the booking is, let alone organising a time to call them when they get home. I can guarantee they will LOVE it. It’s not something they can post a picture of but if they’ve had the time of their life, they want to re-tell it again and again and again… and again.
The best apart about this list is that you could choose one or ALL the above & it could make a huge difference to the customer. Remember, if it didn’t happen on Facebook, it didn’t happen at all.
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