Anticipation is a mental trigger that also influences and supports the buying decision. I suppose the perfect examples of “anticipation” involve Christmas, summer vacations, and even certain birthdays or anniversary celebrations. Now that I think of it, I suppose the granddaddy of them all is your retirement party. (I cannot readily identify with this group since I am one of the fortunate ones who is planning on working for many years to come, regardless of age. But that is just me.)
It has been my experience that the majority of employees begin counting the weeks, days, hours, and minutes to their retirement party at about the age of 40. (Some begin the countdown while stepping down from the stage having received their college or high school diploma.) This is a very sad commentary.
Counting the days down to a certain date has always been exciting. Especially when the “prize” at the end of the countdown involves a European River Cruise, a trip to Disney World, or tickets to your favorite entertainer. The excitement accelerates to peak levels as the time draws near.
Anticipation is a legitimate mental trigger. More often than not, the joy experienced in anticipating an event outweighs the fun of the actual event itself. (I can honestly say that this will not happen when it comes to travel. In fact, the opposite is more often the norm. You expect a fantastic experience and thanks to a hundred little “touches” along the way, your memories prove to be more than you could have ever imagined.)
The savvy travel professional acknowledges the power of anticipation and does everything in their power to “fuel the fire” with regular reminders, teasers, and destination “nickel knowledge.” They introduce a countdown to blast-off, which heightens the excitement and adds to the trip by design.
Don’t underestimate the incredible power of anticipation.
Mike Marchev freely shares his experiences, strategies and observations with travel professionals in an effort to keep them on top of their game. For a complimentary copy of his 12-Word Marketing Plan send him an email at mike@mikemarchev.com.
Mike’s daily column is made possible by AmaWaterways.
