10 tips + 10 weeks = 100 New Methods to Grow Groups–Week 4, Break the bad habits | Travel Research Online

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10 tips + 10 weeks = 100 New Methods to Grow Groups–Week 4, Break the bad habits

Bad business habits are preventing you from getting more groups and making more money. As we cruise into the fourth week of my REBOOT GROUPS TOP 100 LIST, I want to give you some more food for thought with another 10 bad habits that you may need to break.

JC Penny said, “The best way to stop a bad habit is to never begin it.” As a seasoned travel professional, it may be too late for that. You have adapted certain business strategies that were valid at one time. Because the marketplace has changed so radically, so must your old-school business practices.

stuartbootcampI say the best way to stop a bad habit is to replace it. Here are 10 more popular bad habits to break. (Become a boot camp member and I give you the replacements).

  1. You are not maximizing supplier support and co-op dollars. Break the habit of leaving powerful support and resources on the table. Learn what to ask for and how to source excellent support that increases sales and decreases costs.
  2. You are drowning in customer service calls. I show you exactly how to put hours back into your day by implementing simple new efficiency rules. Being successful with groups requires you to run the business rather than allowing the business to run you (ragged). Hint: deal with groups as groups!
  3. You rarely escort or host your group departures. If you don’t escort complex groups, random things will go terribly wrong because you were not there to stop them. If you do escort, and you do it for free, you are being taken advantage of. It is time to reverse this forever, fulfill your duties, and get paid for your talents.
  4. You give out TC’s and incentives before the trip departs. This bad habit is financially risky. Late cancellations may wipe-out the supplier incentives you were banking on.
  5. You skip past the reconciling (or finalizing) stage of group management. Are you surprised to learn after the trip that guests cancelled, made changes, no-showed, or booked direct? Discover this before and save enormous stress and loss of profits.
  6. You don’t give corporate group business serious consideration. Imagine getting paid by one client, one check, and handed a list of travelers?
  7. Your business has not grown exponentially from repeats and referrals. Why build your business one person at a time when you can build it one group at a time? Commit to mastering groups – don’t be afraid to niche!
  8. You remain convinced that the Internet and direct sellers are stealing all your groups. Not true. This bad habit (blaming them versus taking responsibility for your actions) is unfounded. Only travel professionals can deliver extraordinary, multi-dimensional group experiences. Believe in yourself!
  9. You rarely take full control of the booking window. Failure to specifically state when the sale begins and ends destroys any sense of urgency. Reverse this bad habit by asking for the business within a defined window.
  10. You rush to publish rates and then begin your promotions. This is the bass-ackwards approach. It has the highest stress and failure rate. Now that I have invented the Group Launch Sequence, you can quit doing these old-school, ineffective launch promotions. Boot camp members get the full steps that help you sell more, sell up, and sell out.

The #1 strategy for breaking bad habits and building a bigger, better group business is membership in group boot camp. Start your group revolution today!

Let’s start a conversation about breaking bad habits that are preventing you from selling more, selling up and selling out. Email me or post on Facebook. The best way to stop a bad habit is to replace it!

Stuart Cohen is an international speaker, trainer, keynoter, health coach, solopreneur, business coach, travel fiend and the founder of resortforaday.com—the world’s largest seller of hotel day passes. His boundless passion is inspiring others to achieve higher levels of success and happiness. Audiences love his fun, refreshing and lively training workshops. Learn more about Stuart and his bootcamp at stuartlloydcohen.com.

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