Whether you are an agent in a storefront agency with a large group of travel agents and business development specialists, or whether you are a sole proprietor, you have a team to assemble. You require a full family of sales collateral that carries a consistent look and message. Your logo, your company name, your business cards, your company brochure, your email address, web site, Powerpoint presentations, invoices, print and email advertising, sales letters and stationery are all team members that carry your company’s mission out into the world. Spend some time making sure they are properly suited up to do their job.
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This 365 Marketing and Sales Tip is provided free to the travel agent community by: |
Sales collateral is often developed piece by piece, each in isolation from the next. Ideally, the look, feel and message are unified. It is a good practice to review your collateral on a regular basis for a top-to-bottom inspection.
Lay all of your marketing collateral out in front of you in one place. Make sure that the look and feel is consistent throughout the mix. Your logo, company name and other contact information should be the same on each. If you have a web site, ensure that the address is prominently displayed on every point of contact. Ensure that each piece of collateral conveys a consistent mission or message to your clients.
Now, look for three very important details:
- Does your marketing collateral look professionally produced? Is your logo strong, the typeface and spacing readable? Is is professionally printed or does it look like you “did it yourself” with MS Publisher? Professionals use professionals. “Do it Yourself” is not a message travel consultants want to send to consumers.
- Your marketing collateral must bear out your company’s mission statement consistently. If your mission statement speaks to the wonderful experiences clients will have in their travels with you but your marketing collateral speaks to prices and discounts, you need to get your marketing collateral back into alignment.
- Your collateral should be about your clients, not about you. Client-centric marketing materials should highlight the client experience, not simply list your agency’s features.
If you have a sales staff, familiarize them with each piece of sales material. Cover with them the use of each sales tool. Do not assume that any one point is obvious or does not need to be explained. Understand how each piece interrelates with the next – how the business card carries an email and web site address, how the web site reflects the company mission and how that mission is reflected by the company brochures. Consider how you distribute each piece of collateral to achieve the highest possible use.
Assemble your team of sales collateral and make sure they are dressed for success.
