Stop Promoting Luxury — Do This Instead

Last week, I attended a sold-out dinner with 70 top advisors, hosted by Ponant and Paul Gauguin Cruises. I took a quick poll of the enthusiastic crowd and asked: Who are your clients booking these prestigious brands?​

• “My clients ask for it! They’re always looking to embrace the world, not just visit it,” said advisor Jan Umbach. “They’ve become very knowledgeable about expedition cruising.”​

• “My well-heeled clients are looking for experiences they can put on their coffee table,” added Dean Nelson. “They want the photos, the story, and bragging rights.”​

What struck me about these comments—and the Ponant’s Photo Ambassadors’ Cindy Miller’s mesmerizing presentation—was just how powerfully I was drawn into the stories she shared. When we paint pictures of remarkable experiences, people imagine themselves there. During the break, our table full of longtime industry friends started planning our own Girlfriend Getaway in the Arctic!​

Luxury Is Not the Message—Transformation Is!

The mistake we often make when shifting toward higher-end travel is putting too much emphasis on the word luxury. It is one of the most overused words in the travel industry—so overused it becomes meaningless.​

“When everyone claims luxury, the term stops differentiating anything.

 It becomes a commodity label rather than a unique promise of quality.”— Skift​

Today’s discerning traveller seeks personal growth, meaningful experiences and most of all, a better world that they belong in.  As Tara-Nicholle Kirke, Behavior Change Expert​ states: “People don’t buy products. They buy better versions of themselves.” 

Luxury doesn’t always point to that better version—but your service must!

Here are three powerful ways to attract and lead your ideal, affluent, world-exploring customers—so they don’t just find you once, but return again and again!

1. Be the Guru, Not the Hero

“The customer is the hero, not your brand.”— Donald Miller​

Your client’s journey is not about you, or the product you are excited to share - it’s about the client. When you position yourself as the trusted expert and guide who listens and curates once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the customer feels seen, heard, and validated.​

2. Tell the Story, Not the Price

Value is not expressed in shipboard credits or free WIFI. Amenities don’t inspire action—stories do. Start sharing what's possible in vivid ways that peak the imagination.

• From roaming polar bears on giant ice flows to the polar plunge off the aft of the ship

• Imagine giant King penguins protecting their adorable fuzzy offspring

• Plant your flag on a Pole-to-Pole expedition to the northernmost point in the Arctic

• See whales breaching so close you can feel spray on your face

Those are the details that people emotionally connect to. Studies show that emotionally connected customers have a *306% higher lifetime value and are 30% more likely to convert than satisfied customers. *Harvard BusinessReview

3. Build a Community, Not Just a Mailing List

Do you look at your customer list and wish it was different? It is easy to think, oh, I do not have those travellers. Instead, get excited about your future explorers and help them make the bold decision to try new things. Share stories of like-minded travellers among your community –even if you borrow them from other sources. Suppliers have a wealth of stories at their fingertips.

Before long your customers will be leaping and planting flags!

Whether your niche is Thrill-seeking Adventurers or Mindfulness Retreaters, emphasize the experiences that bind them to one another.​

“People like us do things like this.”— Seth Godin, This Is Marketing​

By fostering a community built on shared experiences and helpful advice, you not only deepen client loyalty—you also cultivate a network of engaged followers who truly value being part of your influence.

If you're ready to shift your team's influence toward attracting high-value, experiential travellers, let’s connect! I partner with agency owners to help their advisor teams engage deeply, perform at a higher level, and build lifetime customer relationships