Dear Travel Agents/Advisors,

We all know that most people enjoy traveling. I like to believe that ALL people do, but somehow, beyond my comprehension (LOL!), that is not true. We also know that many believe they can NOT afford to travel.

This is what I want to talk about, and no, I am not going to talk about teaching them to become travel agents!

I want to talk to those travel agents who are willing to go after the huge number of people who believe that they cannot afford to travel, and show them how to prioritize their wishes and make their travel dreams come true.

If you are the one of those agents, keep reading, because I can help you with many ideas!

First, we need to convince these types of people that everything is possible IF they wish and plan for it. People can see themselves doing things in the very short future; planning something for 2024 or 2025 seems too away. But, once we turn that thought around, it is already 2023, and those future dates will happen whether we plan for them or not. So, why not plan for something beautiful in their future, and give them something wonderful to look forward to.

Then we can offer some of the solutions for how to make it happen. I have heard many incredible stories from travel agents and/or clients. They have quit a bad habit and saved that money. Or tried eating healthier meals at home instead of eating out and putting the saved money aside. Drinking coffee at home or making it in a coffeemaker in the office instead of paying for the expensive Starbucks, and putting aside that money. Walking places instead of using the car …… Do you get the idea?

When you give travelers these examples of ways to save, and then multiply them by the days until the planned trip, you get a nice amount of money to fund a wish that they turned into a priority.

To that, you can add ideas to a bucket list with your prospective client and get them more engaged with you and what you can offer them.

There is a huge segment of the population who would love to have a travel agent guiding them and holding their hands as they plan to travel. Once you find them and show them what you can offer, they will trust you, recommend you to others, and keep you on file for their next trip.

Cheers

Follow me at:

Instagram @travelwithrosana

Facebook @travelwithrosana

Blog @ http://www.travelwithrosana.com

Dear Travel Agents Advisors,

Have you been following my last 2 blogs? I hope so!

For those who have, we talked about seeing a “picture” from the client’s point of view, and last week I told you my “picture perfect” from the personal taste of a Travel Expert (per se).

Now, how can you put the two together? First, I know I love cruises so I can easily say that I would want to specialize in cruises and land tours (remember that I mentioned this in my last blog?) I also described my personal experience with cruising, so I know a bit. Also, I know that I don’t know enough about other cruises, so right away I know I should sign up to learn more about them. 

I could also prepare a spreadsheet with points that are important to most people comparing cruise details, including:

• restaurants
• dress code
• room service
• entertainment
• kid friendly
• kid’s clubs
• smoking areas
• cabin size
• handicap rooms
• swimming pools

I know some people are very good with spreadsheets, and you can see from my blog that this is not my forte (thank God I have 2 awesome sons, LOL!)

My point is, the more specific comparison your spreadsheet shows in terms of cruise amenities, the better you can assist your client in making their “cruise picture” a total reality, because YOU are the expert and YOU have the tools to do it!  When they ask you why you are recommending this cruise instead of another, you can tell them it is because the only phone call you want to get from them AFTER or even during the cruise, is to book another one! Or you can go over every point, and every pro and con of the cruise you feel is best for them. The choice is yours!

Cheers!

Follow me at:
Facebook @travelwithrosana
Instagram @travelwithrosana
Blogs @ http://www.travelwithrosana.com

Dear Travel Agents/Advisors,

Last week we talked about hair, haircuts and hairdressers, and even compared them to travel experts!

I hope you had the opportunity to think about this while talking to a client or prospective one, trying to see the “picture” they had in their mind, and not just listening to their requests.

As many of you know, I travel quite often (but not as often as I’d like to.) I love cruises and land tours (FAM TRIPS included).

I love to cruise with Celebrity and Azamara. Here are some of the reasons why: I like their itineraries a lot. Before dinner we enjoy a great show in the beautiful theater. Dinner seating every night is at the same table, and the maître d’ shows me the menu for the next night so we can modify it for my allergies. Once I get to our table where others are savoring the delicious bread and butter, I have warm gluten free bread and olive oil waiting for me.

After dinner we go dancing, and once we get back to the room, we prepare our request for a room service breakfast (we like our breakfast in the room for many reasons: portion control, my allergies, and less noise than in the buffet room) all at no extra charge.

It is very important to us that these cruises are not-so kid friendly (trust me on this!) IF they say they have a kid’s program, they probably do a superb job because I never hear kids screaming or crying anywhere. I have nothing against kids, but having adult sons and no grandchildren yet, I like to live my vacations scream free!

I honestly have tried cheaper cruises, but I don’t appreciate being nickel and dimed for extra money to send a sparkling water to my room, or paying extra money for room service, beyond what I have already paid for a package. Some other cruise lines like Celebrity unfortunately don’t fulfill some of our important requirements like a dining room or great shows.

There are some other more expensive cruise lines that we want to try, but they will definitely need to justify the upgrade in pricing for us to go for it.

Do you really know what you like?

Cheers!

Follow me at:
Facebook @travelwithrosana
Instagram @travelwithrosana
Blogs @ http://www.travelwithrosana.com

Dear Travel Agents/Advisors,

Who cuts your hair?

Seriously! This question is for everyone, including men and even the boldest of my followers. We all know that sometimes we make a mistake and get a bad haircut. But, it is just hair and we can wear a cap or even a nice wig and eventually it grows back. But for a while, we need to face the mirror and remember this bad choice we made, if we cut our own hair, or went to someone not well trained.

Now, I will be the devil’s advocate. How many times have you sat at a hair salon with a picture from a magazine, or snapshot you show to the hairdresser wanting the same cut? Yes, you really want your hair to look like that one on the picture.

First, a good hairdresser needs to understand clearly what you want and second, if it is will work for your hair type with the amount of time you want to spend styling it to know if what you want is even possible.

When we explain this using hair as an example, it sounds much simpler than when we explain the same type of considerations about a trip, right?

A travel expert has to know the exact expectations of the prospective client to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings. As an expert YOU know the best cruises, tours, all-inclusives, and what the client wants EVEN when they bring you a picture (especially since usually this picture is inside the client’s head!)

Think about this the next time you are talking to your client. Try to get “the picture” and sell what your client REALLY wants!

Cheers!
Follow me at:
Facebook @travelwithrosana
Instagram @travelwithrosana
Blogs @ http://www.travelwithrosana.com