Travel Agent Professional April 2011 by Travel Agent Professional

Travel Agent Professional April 2011 Issue 6

4 8 14

Guest Editorial â&#x20AC;&#x201C; By Vicki L. Freed, CTC

Are You Planning For Success? By Sherry Laskin

Into The Fire By Scott Koepf

provides a luxurious retreat from the everyday. We want every moment of your clients’ vacation to be exceptional. That’s why we created our exclusive, spa-inspired AquaClass® staterooms. Where guests can retreat to plush linens, down comforters and Frette bathrobes and revel in a private haven featuring a spacious veranda with stunning views.

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For more information, visit CruisingPower.com

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By Vicki L. Freed, CTC Senior Vice President, Sales, Royal Caribbean International

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Are You Planning for Success? By Sherry Laskin Travel Writer, Blogger & Social Media Advisor

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Turing Negatives Into Positives By Les-Lee Roland

Owner of The Package Deal

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Clients for Life: By Mitchell J. Schlesinger

Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity

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All Things In Moderation By Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises

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Into The Fire By Scott Koepf

Ad Index

Vice President of Sales Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center http://www.joinavoya.com/default.cfm?ref=11583 htt Avoya Travel/AVC.......................IBC

p://www.azamaraclubcruises.com Azamara Club Cruises ....................7 Http://www.celebrity.com Celebrity Cruises ........................IFC http://www.leisurepops.com/ Leisure Pops ...........................19, 21

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http://www.royalcaribbean.com/ Royal Caribbean Line ...................BC http://www.trams.com/ TRAMS .........................................15 http://www.myhosttravelagency.com Travel Planners Int’l........................9 http://us.voyagestoantiquity.com/ Voyages to Antiquity ......................3

2011

Guest Editorial — Checking Off Your Bucket List

Travel Agent Professional April 2011 Issue 6

Travel Agent Professional P.O. Box 120202 Staten Island, NY 10312 E-mail: info@travelagentprofessional.com Phone: 718.227.7541

Joel M. Abels

Legend In the Travel Industry April 1927 to January 2007

Ann M. Hoek Publisher/Creative Design Bonnie Walling Editor

Meet Our Editorial Board Mitchell J. Schlesinger Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity www.voyagestoantiquity.com Mary Brutscher Former Host Agency Owner & Travel Educational Instructor cruisefacecruises@yahoo.com Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal Scott Koepf Vice President of Sales Avoya Travel/ America’s Vacation Center www.joinavoya.com/default.cfm?ref=11583 Sherry Laskin, ACC Travel Writer, Blogger & Social Media Advisor www.sherrylaskin.com Sherrie Funk Co-owner & President of Just Cruisin’ Plus www.justcruisinplus.com

Contributions Lee Rosen, CEO Leisure Pops www.leisurepops.com This online magazine is dedicated to the memory of Joel Abels, Travel Trade's editor and publisher. Joel and his life's work may be gone, but with your help it can live on.

Travel Agent Professional has its roots in Home Based Trade, the first magazine of its kind, started by Joel Abels in 2004. Joel and Lenore Abels ran Travel Trade for nearly half a century – it was started by her grandfather, John S. Lewis, and her father, Sidney Lewis, in 1929, and they took the publication over after her grandfather’s passing. Under Joel’s direction, the company grew to be one of the travel agent industry’s leading publications, reaching more than 45,000 agents throughout North America. It spawned a famous series of trade shows and three monthly magazines – Cruise Trade, Tour Trade and Home Based Trade. The Abels also garnered enormous respect – Joel received the Neal Award, called “the Pulitzer Prize of the business press,” for his hard-hitting editorials. On a personal note, after working with Joel for over a decade and staying with him until the end, I grew to truly care for and respect the man. He was like a second father to me. Joel was old school, he stood by his word and believed in his work. There will never be another. While nobody can replace this industry legend, we’re hoping that this new publication, which reunites the original Home Based Trade editorial board, will be able to carry on his passion for travel and those who sell it.

Ann M. Hoek

Joel was the industr y’s and my friend, mentor, and guide. I cannot believe he has left us and he will surely be missed. Joel tirelessly and continuously worked and worked to make things better for the travel agent and the results of his effor ts will be felt by thousands for many, many years to come. — Lee Rosen Reprinted from Jan. 29, 2007 TTN with writer permission

April 2011

VOYAGES TO ANTIQUITY From the wonders of ancient Greece to

the monumental splendor of the Roman Empire, Voyages to Antiquity brings to life the exciting and inspiring history of the Mediterranean aboard Aegean Odyssey. CRUISE-TOUR FARES INCLUDE:

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VOYAGES TO ANTIQUITY Call 1-877-398-1460 Visit www.voyagestoantiquity.com Prices are per person, double occupancy, cat N. Free to $199 Air (and transfers) applicable with cruise-tour purchase only and does not include government taxes, fees and airline fuel surcharges which may change at any time. Stateroom Savings based on double occupancy and vary by category and sailing.All offers are subject to availability, capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time. Ship’s Registry: Malta.

4 Guest Editorial —

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Checking Off Your Bucket List

By Vicki L. Freed, CTC Senior Vice President, Sales Royal Caribbean International

Sharing a photo-opp with a penguin on the shore of Antarctica, check. Watching whales surface from below the chilliest of waters, check. Observing seals sunbathing by the dozens on a huge ice floe, check.

expedition cruise to Antarctica has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, and recently, I finally embarked on a voyage to this remote region of our globe. And wow — it’s truly like no other vacation I’ve ever known. As you explore the icy white scenery of enormous glaciers dotted with wildlife, you have to frequently remind yourself you’re still on the same planet. And what a beautiful planet it is! My family sailed on Silversea’s Prince Albert II, an amazing expedition ship whose 132-passenger size was a sharp contrast to my last cruise experience onboard Royal Caribbean’s incredible, 5,400-passenger Allure of the Seas (though these voyages were two of my best family vacations yet!). I saved up and

April 2011

paid full price (no agent rates or comps here) for my family to sail on this special Antarctica voyage — and it was worth every penny. I’m willing to bet the majority of your clients are saving up to splurge on once-in-a-lifetime vacations on their own bucket lists. Are you capitalizing on these high-commission experiences? Remember: Don’t pigeon-hole your clients based on their past travel habits. A “bucket list” vacation is often unlike any client’s recent travels — maybe unlike anywhere they have ever ventured before. Qualify and re-qualify your clients. Circumstances change from year to year — tastes, family situations, finances, etc — and these changes may give you an

Travel Agent Professional

opportunity to sell new types of experiences. Be a value interpreter. Most fantasy vacations come at a higher price than your average weekend getaway. Even if they’ve saved, some clients could still feel knocked out by the numbers. Stem off sticker shock by interpreting the priceless value of experiences you can plan for your clients. Infuse details and imagery as you work to sell the vacation, and emphasize inclusions where you can. With your help, they can really visualize the unbelievable journey they are about to embark on. Vicki Freed is Royal Caribbean International’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Support & Services. Contact her at AskVicki@rccl.com with your questions, comments or stories.

6 Are You Planning for Success? easy to forget what

Florida. When a client would

cruise for next spring, I’d always

“What season are we in now?”

case you have been too busy to notice, the second quarter of 2011 has begun. Cruise lines have opened deployment into 2012 and some into 2013. I’m totally confused as to what year this is right now, because I’m booking travel for people nearly two years in advance. If the cruise lines are open to booking a year and a half ahead, they have certainly done their homework and business plan. I’m also booking a year and a half ahead, but I’m not so well planned. I’ll go out on a limb here and venture a guess that most of you who are reading this article have not mapped out your marketing plan/business plan for 2012-13 either. When I was a travel manager for a major travel company, I had to prepare two plans: a marketing plan and a business plan. The marketing plan told me where I was going to spend my time and

A C C

stop and think,

L a s k i n ,

say that she wanted to book a

S h e r r y

season it is when you live in

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It’s

Sherry Laskin Travel Writer, Blogger & Social Media Advisor www.sherrylaskin.com

money. The business plan told me how much I could spend on marketing. Since you are responsible for balancing your checkbook, let’s focus today on creating your marketing plan. It doesn’t matter if you are an independent agent with your own agency, work with a host or are in a storefront location working for someone else. Without a well thought-out marketing plan, you have no concrete direction to follow and no way to track and analyze the success or failure of your business. A carefully designed and worked marketing plan is like a roadmap for success. It can help you proceed in the right direction, stay on course and not get lost among the myriad of marketing opportunities that may lead you off the road to success. Just because you are moving forward doesn’t mean you are moving forward in the right direction. (continued on page 8)

April 2011

www.Cruisingpower.com

8 I’ve learned that creating a marketing plan accomplishes three goals:

1 2 3

Assist with identifying which clients are your best prospects Provide a way for you to evaluate your business against the marketplace Track the results so you can learn what works and what is a waste of time (and money.)

Within these three goals, there are five basic steps to create a well-planned and practical marketing plan. I’ve compiled and adapted this information from several courses I’ve taken, articles I’ve read and from presentations by leaders in various industries.

STEP ONE: Positioning Your Product (cruise, tour, vacation rental, etc.) If you have taken any of the CLIA marketing courses, this might sound somewhat familiar. This is a distinction between actually marketing your business and the actions you take for promotion, advertising and public relations. Those three actions are components of a marketing idea, not the actual marketing. Marketing itself is basically made up of the Four Ps: Product, Price, Promotion and Placement. Product: Have the right product for the market to which you plan to sell. Repeat that please. While you cannot pigeon-hole or assume one type of travel is not suitable for a particular demographic, you do have a good idea from your client base what would work and what would not work. Price: Wouldn’t it be great if everyone sold the same product at the same price and people shopped where they received the best service? These days, even your most loyal clients are shopping online and exuberantly point out to you where they found the better price. Then you are supposed to match it. That leaves you to not only find a way to match the price, but also to create a value-added mindset in order to keep your client away from the online discounters. I’ve lost count as to how many times I’ve booked a group and a friend/relative of the group leader has insisted on booking outside of the group because they think they are getting a better deal. Know the prices of your competitors. Be prepared to stand up for your worth, value and expertise. Nothing feels better than (politely) telling a tire-kicker to “call back when you are ready to book.”

April 2011

STEP TWO: Ask for Opinions

Sometimes it pays to ask for opinions. Your friends, family, trusted colleagues or other professionals can be a great source for narrowing your marketing ideas. Ask them who they think your target clients might be (based on what they know of you), if they think you can reach that target demographic, what it is that makes you stand out from the crowd, your strengths and weaknesses and what marketing tactics they think would make your business stand out and be noticed. Sometimes, it takes seeing your business through others’ eyes to truly understand your intent and ability to achieve your goals.

STEP THREE: Listen to Your Clients

No one can give you a better image of your business than your clients. Are you making the welcome home calls? If so, this is the perfect time to ask your clients if their needs were met and what, if anything, you could have done better/different. You might consider composing a brief survey to email to your clients. Keep it short, simple and offer a thank you gift for completing the survey.

STEP FOUR: Get the Lead Out

Now that you have started to more clearly identify your clients and the marketing environment, it’s time to put your thoughts on paper. This doesn’t have to be a formal edict nor written in stone. A successful marketing plan is not static; it is a malleable piece of work able to be modified as needed throughout the year. Points to include in your plan are:

• • • • • •

A summary of your market position (what/whom you intend to target) and goals; What you expect to accomplish in a given time period (this can be a dollar goal, a booking goal, a move to a new travel venue goal – it’s your plan!) Be sure to state the time limit and stick to it as closely as possible; A list of several target markets and complementary products to go with them; Financials — expenses — and how you will allocate; Marketing channels — flyers, E-mail, snail-mailed newsletters, consortium brochures, blog entries, tweets and Facebook posts — and how you will get them to the target clients and then be noticed; Competition — what strategy will you use when confronted with lower-priced competitors?

Travel Agent Professional

(continued on page 10)

10 STEP FIVE: You should know whether your money is being well-spent or wasted on marketing channels that don’t pay off. I’ve spent hundreds of dollars mailing out consortium brochures, cruise line alliance brochures, printing postcards, subscribing to online E-mail blast companies. Ask your new clients how they found you. It’s important to know where they came from so that you can focus your strengths and dollars on ventures that have a high return on investment. Plan a marketing calendar in conjunction with when your customers tend to book travel. When I started my online agency nearly two decades ago, my busiest booking period was Thanksgiving weekend. Families got together and would plan next year’s vacation. Phone calls and emails were off the charts for me from Friday to Sunday. Be sure not to invest most of your marketing dollars during the slow months in the travel industry. Plan ahead for Wave Season and use your resources wisely. Find out when your sales reps get their annual budget. Ask for a piece of the action. It doesn’t help to ask your rep to participate in a cruise night if they have already allocated and/or depleted their marketing funds for the current year. Remember, a successful marketing plan one year may not work in the next year. Analyze the successes and not-so-successful attempts. Re-evaluate and adapt a new marketing plan on a yearly basis. Once you start to put all of this in writing and take the time to systematically re-visit your plan and review your progress, you will find that you are not caught off guard when you realize that you should have been more pro-active.

Your business will thank you for it.

Sherry Laskin is a travel writer, blogger and social media addict as it relates to business awareness and sharing information. Founder of the Vacation Shoppe in 1992, she offers advice and creative ideas for marketing and promotion for travel agents. Sherry is the webinar moderator and a Chapter Director at NACTA.

April 2011

Do you sell AIRLINE TICKETS? Are you a Storefront or Home-based Agency? tĞ ŽīĞƌ Ϯ ƐŽůƵƟŽŶƐ ĨŽƌ ďŽŽŬŝŶŐ Ăŝƌ͕ ĐĂƌ ĂŶĚ ŚŽƚĞů͘͘͘

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sŝƐŝƚ ǁǁǁ͘DǇ,ŽƐƚdƌĂǀĞů ŐĞŶĐǇ͘ĐŽŵ Žƌ Ăůů ϭͲϴϬϬͲϳϯϬͲϲϯϵϮ sŝƐŝƚ ǁwww.myhosttravelagency.com ǁǁ͘DǇ,ŽƐƚdƌĂǀĞů ŐĞŶĐǇ͘ĐŽŵ Žƌ Ăůů ϭͲϴϬϬͲϳϯϬͲϲϯϵϮ

Travel Agent Professional

12 Turing Negatives B y L e s - L e e R o l a n d Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal

Now, let’s be honest. There is a word that we all are skirting around: “No!” It

can also be heard as, “Not interested.” We sometimes are so in fear of hearing this word, we’re afraid to offer something that WE feel may cause someone to say “No.” First, we have to dissect the word. It’s only two letters, not even worth any great points in Scrabble. Yet, anyone in sales finds their confidence going down the drain at the mere utterance of the word. So, how does this intro fit in with all the positive hype of selling cruises, tours, or vacations? Not everyone you approach will give you the sale. But you should learn from every response you get, either good or bad. You must learn how to change a negative into a positive.

April 2011

Into Positives It’s been said that you should never accept “no” until you have heard it three times. A perfect example are telemarketers. We’ve all gotten their phone calls, usually around dinner time — when they assume the decision makers are there together. You try to say you are not interested, and they keep on talking, adding more info, because they have not heard you say the word — three times. This essay is not all doom and gloom. It’s just to help you better understand how to handle the situation, while still maintaining a good relationship with your clients. Also, it’s to give you some examples on how you turn a no into a yes.

Don’t waste your time on people who do not qualify. Take time to plan on who you will contact. Concentrate on the demographics, info that is readily available for you through many sources.

If you qualify your clients and understand their schedules and needs, you won’t set yourself up to hear a “No.”

Price is the number one obstacle in closing the sale. Sometimes, selecting how you quote the price causes people to react differently.

If you walk through a grocery store, you see examples of it everywhere. Cans of soup are advertised as two for one dollar Of course, it just means each can is 50 cents, but people think they are getting a deal by buying two cans. The wording is always important. Justify the rate. You can quote the rate as a total, including all taxes, or you can quote the rate as a daily cost. It’s one area where you can make the decision. Sometimes it just sounds better to say the cruise — including all the food, entertainment, sun and ports — is only $75 a day per person. The cruise lines that bundle wine with meals, shore excursions and gratuities into the price are easy to quote. Tell the client that the rate includes over $600 in extras. Once it is explained, they have a better understanding. I was checking out a rate for air tickets for my clients — Tampa to London. I was actually quoted $524 roundtrip — an incredible deal! I almost thought I would join them. Then the res agent said the taxes were an additional $500 — for a total of $1,024. Now I had a different reaction, but she went on to say, “Everyone has to pay the taxes.” The client said it sounded fair to her and purchased the package. (continued on page 14)

Travel Agent Professional

14 3

Payment plans. Set up a schedule for your clients. It’s more paperwork, but you get the sale. Monthly payments, bimonthly, whatever it takes. Just set the rules, and the penalty for cancellation.

Pay attention to celebrations for your clients. A birthday, a family reunion, retirement, an anniversary. People tend to spend a little more for these occasions. That’s where keeping a good database is paramount to your growing business.

It is to your advantage to contact the client at least six months to a year in advance of the special date to offer a special getaway. Plant the seed. What’s the worst thing the client can say — “No, not this year?”

Ask for business. Ask your clients if they are not interested or able to take advantage of the October rates, do they know anyone who you should contact?

On all your E-mail blasts, or mailers, include the line “Please share this offer with your friends.” You may be surprised how that one line stimulates referrals. And referrals are the best endorsement you can receive. You should also do this with your Web site — ask your clients to send the link to their friends.

And always acknowledge the referring person. Send a thank you note, or a gift card, or a gift certificate for a dollar amount of their next booking. When I sent out a gift card to my client for a referral, she couldn’t wait to send me more people.

Understand that not everyone will just throw their credit card at you and say “sign me up.” Be prepared for a 10% positive response. When you reach that goal, try for 20%, and keep growing.

Most important, never show anger or disgust that they didn’t book. There may be situations that are not visible to you. You have to learn to keep positive and let the client know that you are always there for future vacation plans.

Get endorsements. Ask your clients for comments you can use on your Web site about their trips. Ask for pictures. So when someone says they are not sure about visiting a certain country, you can use your clients’ feedback.

Lastly, when you hear the “No” word three times, just let it go. If you could not turn a negative into a positive, just tell your client that you will keep them in the loop about other opportunities, and don’t give up on them.

Sticks and Stones may break your bones, but “NO” will never hurt you. April 2011

www.sabretravelinetwork.com/tmu

16 Clients for Life: By

Managing the

Mitchell J.

Think about your own motivations when you buy…any-

Schlesinger

thing. For clothes, it is how stylish you feel you look or appear to others, or those of you in Green Bay…warmth. For insurance, it is security, and peace of mind; for toys, the pleasure in the eyes of children; for a computer; a way to connect to the rest of the world – and, importantly, conduct business. The use of the word “commodity” to convey a non-brand distinct thing is not accurate. We don’t buy “things,” we buy ideas, personal feelings, happiness, self satisfaction, respect and solutions to challenges. Mitchell J. Schlesinger Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity m.schlesinger@voyagestoantiquity.com

1 2 3

Capturing “Clients for Life” starts with understanding the basics of consumer behavior, which provides a fuller understanding of each of your client’s individual motivations. So let’s focus on how this works:

Clients come to you with their own motivation for travel and the expected result. The key is that they purchase based on emotions and then justify with logic. To be successful, you must listen very closely to what they want and then match the right product to fulfill their expectation. You need to create an emotional connection with each client so that they perceive you understand what it is they are seeking. Remember, they buy for their own reasons…not yours. Selling them a vacation that fulfills their personal emotional desires directly impacts their ability to logically justify that they made the right choice….of both the travel package…and YOU. Customer perceptions of you and your service are crucial. They must feel that there is significant value in your relationship. It starts with their trust that you will be invested enough in the relationship to recommend the travel that best fulfills their expectations, which creates the perception that their purchase had significant value. It continues with your communicating with them on an ongoing basis and the acid test, how you handle “challenges.” And part of this perception must be their sensation that they are your most important client!

April 2011

Customer Relationship 4

And speaking of service, how each and every member of your agency team comes across establishes a service benchmark for the agency. This is a reflection that every contact is a judged experience highlighted by: Physical appearance: Attractiveness counts; Attitude: Accommodation, understanding, responsiveness; Phone etiquette: Attitude can be heard as well as witnessed; Responsiveness: “How important am I?”

Learn from mistakes and criticisms — this is CRUCIAL. You can’t ignore what a client is telling you. It is their perception and their reality. And whatever it is, it provides a platform for you to communicate your appreciation, thank them for their honesty and create the perception that you are addressing their input.

An intrinsic part of managing the customer relationship is communication. There is a distinct difference between how this is handled by clients who are becoming customers for the first time and those who have purchased previously: With new customers, it is the process of establishing the relationship, learning about what they really want and providing a high quality initial level of service and product recommendation. It is important to reinforce how the recommendation reflects the input they provided by pointing out the features of the travel and how each segment fulfills the “wants” they expressed.

Travel Agent Professional

For existing clients, this is taken to a completely next level, including what you already know and augmenting it: Communication must be consistent in order for clients to feel engaged by your agency; You must constantly update your profile for each client with demographic and psychographic trends and changes; Clients must be asked repeatedly, “How are we doing? How can we provide better service? What new ideas do you have for future travel?”; Send information on new travel destinations and products and ask for their reactions; Send communication of a personal nature to show how engaged you are.

• • • • •

Creating and managing client relationships by understanding consumer behavior is crucial for you and your team members. The reaction to the service you provide will be judged and evaluated by your clients based on key factors: Credibility Communication Attractiveness Reliability Responsiveness Empathy

• • • • • •

Arranging the first letter of these factors spells the word CARE. Show your clients how much you CARE and increase the number of clients you retain for life.

18 A l l T h i n g s I n

http://issuu.com/action/page?page=1

Moderation

Rusty Pickett,

“All things in moderation.” It’s an old saying that can be overrated, but can also be necessar y.

ECC

recently had my hip replaced due to significant arthritis — leftovers from years of varsity athletics and long distance running. Prior to the surgery, I was probably working 50-60 hours per week in my office.

Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com

Much of my time was spent on the important things — such as bookings, packages, payments and invoices. However, I also spent a significant amount of time on smaller things, like filing, Web research and even cleaning the office on occasion (my office is a converted two-car garage).

During the work day, I spent little time in my home, other than taking 15 minutes for lunch. I’d come home for dinner at about 6 p.m. I worked at least half a day on Saturday and Sunday and was always checking E-mail and voice mail during the weekend afternoons. After 11 years in the business, I had gained a reputation for prompt service, most times of the day.

After the surgery, I couldn’t go to the office much for almost two months. I can still only sit for about half my normal workday. With limited time, but prioritizing effectively, as I was confined to recuperation in my easy chair or in the hospital bed that we rented, I learned that my business would still survive, prompt and effective service does not necessarily equate to instantaneous service and that you can still provide exceptional service within reason.

My overzealous work ethic had, in fact, become an issue at home. I haven’t played golf in two years – a sport that I really like. My bride and I had promised to take Wednesday afternoons off so we could go do something together. These dates never materialized. I only put my boat in the water about four times each of the past two summers.

I am regaining my life with my family, and, in fact am enjoying myself more in the macroscopic picture. Bookings have been made, payments processed, and invoices sent out. I am looking forward to hitting the driving range again once I am physically able. I am even taking Sunday off!

I was always afraid that I couldn’t provide the exceptional service that I had the reputation for. My work had become an obsession — and, perhaps, even an escape. Not a healthy situation.

The bottom line: virtually all of my clients have a great life and appreciate my service. I guess I can too. Moderation might be a better idea than I thought it was!

April 2011

Leisure Pops: A New Application from an Old Friend Lee Rosen President, Leisure Pops

What is Leisure Pops?

eisure Pops is a point-of-

sale, merchandizing software application that runs on an agent’s desktop and helps travel agents to sell more preferred suppliers, more add-on products and more upgrades. Leisure Pops runs in the background on an Agent's

The Power of Pops

• Sell more preferred suppliers. • Sell more add-on products. • Earn more commissions. • Better service your clients.

desktop and then “Pops” or reminds an agent via a pop up message of opportunities to better serve their client — as well as make more commissions. For more information go to www.leisurepops.com

Into The Fire

By Scott Koepf

a grizzled old veteran of the travel industry I am often asked by the new young whippersnappers joining our business a simple question. As we know, there are not enough youngsters joining our industry, which is probably related to the fact that the vision of a grizzled old veteran keeps them away, but that is fodder for another day.

Scott Koepf Vice President of Sales Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center www.JoinAvoya.com/default.cfm?ref=11 583

The question they ask, after some tactful inquires as to the cause of my grizzledness, is “What do I need to do to be successful in this business?” Over the years, I have crafted eloquent and elaborate answers that I was sure would end up in a famous quotes book. But I now think I have overcomplicated the answer. It is not intense study of product knowledge, an intimate knowledge of the sales process, inside secrets to closing the sale, marketing and social media expertise or a winning personality. Now mind you, all of those are immensely valuable and worthy of pursuit but the key ingredient, the one thing I need to tell youngsters to focus on, is Courage! Now, the cynical among you will chime in with an “Amen Brother” as you reel off the problems and challenges that we face in this business on a daily basis. I can hear the rally cry about the competition, the lower commissions, and squeezing customers and how courageous we are for battling those foes. Sorry to burst your bubble, but I am singing a different tune. Wait, did someone say sing? Why yes I did (and you thought I was kidding when I said I was grizzled)! As both of my loyal readers know, I always use a song from musical theatre to make a point. So the courage that I think every travel retailer needs is best described by this song from the musical The Scarlet Pimpernel, with a few minor adjustments to the lyrics: (continued on page 22)

April 2011

www.leisurepops.com

22 David walked in to the valley with a stone clutched in his hand He was only a boy but he knew someone must take a stand There will always be a valley, always mountains one must scale There will always be perilous waters which someone must sail! Against {rebaters}, with {Noncommissionables} {Direct Sellers}, {High Airfare} Let us {sell}, let us {sell travel} with a story to tell Into {the close}, Into Danger With {customers} that {keep us up} at night Don’t give in, don’t give up, but give thanks for the glorious fight! You can tremble, you can fear it, but keep your fighting spirit alive, {agents} Let the shiver of it sting you, fling into battle, spring to your feet, {agents} Never hold back your {close} for a moment Never doubt that your courage will grow Hold your head even higher and into the fire we go Into Fire, Onward Ho! What sets apart the most successful travel retailers is simply the courage to move forward no matter what the circumstances. Competition will always be a part of our industry, price focused consumers are a fact of life, world events will always present challenges and rejection comes with the package as we are in sales after all. Complaining about these facts or blaming results on them is not only unproductive but cowardly. Harsh words, I know, but the great examples in our business know these issues are ‘the fire’ that needs to be entered and do so courageously!

It is not only going into the fire that makes the best outperform all others, it is the fact that they, themselves are on fire! The great evangelist Jonathon Wesley was asked why so many people would come to see him and he said “When you set yourself on fire, people come to watch you burn!” It won’t happen with spontaneous combustion, it will happen because you decide to persevere through the challenges and set yourself on fire with enthusiasm! You need courage each time you talk to a customer and as the lyrics say

Don’t give in, don’t give up, but give thanks for the glorious fight! Be thankful for the opportunity to plan the vacation of a lifetime and provide a level of service that will exceed all expectations and no matter how tough it might seem… Never hold back your {close} for a moment Never doubt that your courage will grow Hold your head even higher and into the fire we go Into Fire, Onward Ho!

April 2011

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