At the heart of every business is what many call a “customer value proposition.”  Simply put, what value do you offer the customer?  Can you answer, without hesitation, the question, “Why should I use your services?” At countless trade shows and presentations, I’ve witnessed too many agents stumble over this important question.  Your value proposition should be a matter of muscle memory, not a pop quiz.

To assist you with developing your own answer, let’s consider three very important issues. Read the rest of this entry »

Your clients are afraid of paying too much for their vacation. The internet has turned us into a nation of cynics: we know the price of everything but the value of nothing. As a travel counselor, it is important for you to shift your clients to a focus on value rather than an obsession with price. By applying some of the principles of inspiration that we have been discussing this week, you can assist your clients to better understand the value of their vacation travel and how in every well planned instance it is worth far more than the price paid.

The conversion from price to value can only be made in a relationship built on confidence and trust, the same values to which you aspire in your practice. A skilled travel counselor will ask questions about the upcoming trip: how the destination was chosen, who will be traveling, what the goals of the trip might be, what type and quality of accommodations are desired. Leave the concept of price and budget Read the rest of this entry »

Words matter. It is hard to overstate the power of words in shaping our perceptions of reality.  Consider the amazing impact language has on our psyche. Our innate understanding of the influence of language is built into our minds in creative ways: why do we call magic a “spell” and our attempt to re-shape another’s beliefs as “dis-spelling?” What type of spell do you cast when you speak to your clients?  How do you shape their understanding of the reality you seek to share? Read the rest of this entry »

The following is Part Six of the series “The 7 Characteristics of Top Travel Agents“

Top travel agents understand that value and cost are two very different things. Cost is only a component of value. Too often, however, travel agents let the cost of a travel package become the centerpiece of their presentation. Recognize that clients will always attempt to drive immediately to the “bottom line.” Don’t let them take you there. If the value is present, cost is always a secondary consideration. Years after the client returns home from a journey, it is the experience of the travel, not the cost, that they will remember. Top travel agents will not deprive their clients of the best travel experience the client can afford.

It is also true that a “good value” means different things to different people. A top of the line luxury product is a good value Read the rest of this entry »

One of the most important aspects of being a travel consultant is the task of uncovering value – just the right trip for a particular client. It is here that a good travel agent shines – product knowledge and customer understanding are brought together in an intelligent strategy to achieve the best possible value. The concept of value is much more rich Read the rest of this entry »

Clients will try to drive to the bottom line every time…”What does it cost?” The savvy travel consultant will steer the client in another direction, pointing to value as the more important consideration. Price is a component of value, but too many treat it as the centerpiece.

It is always possible to get something “cheaper”, but what will be given up in Read the rest of this entry »