Ahoy Travel Advisors
We all love the idea of leads falling from the sky!
You will never have to fish again!
It sounds like a dreamy situation until reality bursts our bubble.
The leads dry up, the emails stop coming in, and suddenly, your sales momentum grinds to a halt.
I get it.
Who doesn’t love getting a lead for an expedition or a river cruise? Those are amazing, they happen, and you should love them and treat them right!
The reality is those unicorns are few and far between.
Most often, leads that come into an agency funnel are no better and often not as “ideal” as the ones we create ourselves.
The downside of waiting for leads, as a steady habit, goes deep into the heart of your fulfillment.
When you decide who your ideal customer is and relentlessly pursue a database full of people you love working with, it changes everything.
Choosing your customer and changing your life is more than a catchy headline. If "the purpose of every business is to create and keep customers" (Drucker), choosing our customers is the most critical thing we do.
When you work with people you enjoy, proactively staying in contact with them becomes one of the best parts of the job!
In my book, Flying Colours, I describe how choosing customers is a decision to thrive, not just survive.
"Don't settle for what you know.
Sell what you love and what you want to be known for."
Here are some tips on a customer-centric approach to your travel business:
Choose your ideal customer based on what you love to sell.
Follow your purpose and find customers who share your travel point of view.
Make it about them, not you! Instead of: “I specialize in authentic travel experiences.” Make it customer-centric: “I specialize in customers who enjoy authentic experiences.”
Do your homework! Find out what your ideal customer craves in their life that you can provide through an extraordinary travel experience.
Build or refine your list to 250 to 500 customers you are constantly in touch with.
Be consistent! It’s incredible what ten emails and three phone calls a day can do for your business!
Spend more time talking to people – I mean actually having a conversation! Not email, text, posting or DMs. You are not polishing and fine-tuning your work to avoid picking up the phone.
A warm conversation is where most sales happen before, during, and after a transaction.
Enjoy the journey!
PS If you want fresh ideas to spark inspiration or a complete transformation, I have two books to help you grow!
1. Order 10X My Travel Business Here. 10X My Travel Business
