“Accidents happen” is a reminder we have all heard at one time or another. And, yes, they do – often times at the most inconvenient time.
Yesterday, I received an alarming phone call from a member of my Inner Circle sharing the sad facts that their agency just received word of a $200K cancellation from a group scheduled in late spring. That is 200,000 dollars.
I like to refer to this as a gut-wrenching blow to one’s solar plexes. I am afraid this won’t be the last email I receive like this in the months to follow. There are no words to soothe the pain, nor would I attempt to put a positive spin on predicaments like this.
But my choice was to demonstrate the sound of the infamous “death pause,” where the line goes silent, or I could offer a third-party candid opinion. I opted for choice “B.”
I reminded the caller that they did not get to where they are today by accident. I reminded them that this piece of business was not a fluke that fell out of the sky without any marketing or sales acumen on their part. I reminded them that they are not finished with this travel thing by a long shot.
Some motivational hot shot (not me) once said, “You‘re not done until you quit. An over-weight baseball catcher, who once wore pin stripes, said it a different way when he muttered: “It ain’t over til its over.”
And so, I will mention to you the words I shared with my recent caller.: “You are not finished by a long shot.” You may be faced with a few obstacles, moats, barriers, various sized fires, and more than a few disgruntled people, but until your clock runs out or you personally decide to head for the showers, you are still in the game.
The clock is still ticking, and that is the good news. Every second, minute and hour that passes gets you closer to the end of this crisis. You did not get this far by accident.
Don’t quit now.
Mike Marchev is always looking for a few more proactive travel professionals to join his Sales and Marketing Club. Send for details.
