What seems now like ages ago, it was travel agents that dominated travel bookings. There was no such thing as booking a trip online, and even when online travel bookings were first introduced in the mid 90’s, the idea of paying for a vacation online sounded almost as ludicrous as passenger flights to Mars. Unfortunately, travel agents failed to act quickly enough, and before you knew it, half the business they use to get were devoured by a handful of Internet Booking Engines, almost making the travel agent career completely obsolete.
Even though online bookings have been so dominant over the past decade and a half, the more savvy agents that learned to capitalize on the limitations of internet booking engines, have managed to stay in business and still do very well. If you are a travel agent that struggles to find customers or consistently lose clients to online booking websites, this guide will help you unlock the formula to beating the internet and generate more business.
Get A Killer Website
If you are going to take business away from Internet Booking Engines, you have to go where those customers are, and that means having a strong presence online. People that shop online like accessibility and convenient information and you need to be able to provide that to get their attention. A lot of agents will say that they already have a website. Based on my experience dealing with many travel agents and helping them with their online branding, I will say that 80% of travel agents do not have a website. If you are talking about that generic booking link provided to you by your host agency, that is the same as every agent belonging to that host agency, then you do not understand what a website is. You can’t take clients away from Expedia with a website that looks like a shitty (Pardon My French) version of Expedia.
Your online presence needs to represent who you are. If you are a wedding specialist, when visitors land on your website, they must feel like they are ready to get married. Your brand must jump out at your site visitors the minute they land on the page. Before reading any cheesy website write up, site visitors must be able to identify exactly what you do.
Major booking engines do not have the luxury of being too specific with their design and branding because they have to appeal to such a wide variety of customer type. So they instead stay very neutral and focus on search. As an and independent travel agent, catering to a particular niche, you get to isolate your online marketing to appeal to your niche. If your site resembles exactly what a customer is looking for, that customer will automatically get drawn to you and will naturally want to learn more about what you know and how you can help them.
Your website must have a clear call and visible call to action to ensure that contacting you is very easy. A simple inquiry form requesting only the necessary mandatory information should always be visible from any page of the site.
Lightening Fast Follow Up
The only way to satisfy impatient online shoppers is to be quick and efficient in your response and follow up process. The Internet is never closed so you are already at a disadvantage. Do not further diminish your chances by taking ages to acknowledge a request submitted by a potential customer. Once that inquiry comes in, get on the phone right away and create a relationship with that client. Create a system that allows you to conveniently receive and respond to leads submitted through your website, via social media, email or phone. Some customers may call you outside of the regular hours you operate. It is important that you have a voicemail professionally setup on a dedicated business line, with your website information and email address, and a timeframe in which they can expect to hear from you. Set up auto-responders on your site that customers receive in their inbox to let them know that you have received their inquiry and a time they can expect your call.
Arm Yourself With Accurate Knowledge
The internet is congested with an overwhelming number of sources claiming to provide the most accurate information and reviews about the different travel products available to be purchased. Consumers very often find themselves confused as to what to believe. When these confused clients come to you for information, you should be ready with the answers they need. You do not need to know everything off the top of your head, but what you do not know, you need to find out to ensure that you are the one that provides clarity for that client, helping them come to the best decision for their travel preferences. Without knowledge, you are no better than the internet. The best way to ensure that you are always giving the best value and the most accurate information to potential clients is by sticking to selling only the products that you are proficient in selling. Travel agents that try to sell everything to everyone will end up finding it hard to earn any repeat business. Refer the leads that you get for travelers looking to sell a product that you have no knowledge in. Focus on mastering the products in your niche and be the go-to resource for trustworthy and up-to-date product information.
Sell On Value Not Price
The easiest way to lose an online shopper is by trying to compete on price. By telling them, you can guarantee them the best price you a pretty much giving them the green light to shop around and price compare. Major online booking engines have the buying power to force high commissions from vendors and then offer significant discounts to consumers. They can work on small margins due to their volume. You can’t. Instead of promising the best price sell potential customers on the value you provide in other ways such as saving them time on research, personalizing their itinerary for a better experience, providing them with accurate and unbiased and up-to-date product information, excellent customer service, complimentary service add-ons and then you close with the fear factor. Remind them that anything can go wrong when traveling to a foreign country, and when unexpected misfortunes show up, their agent will be there to help them through any situation. Show posture by saying things like “If it’s a discount you are looking for, that is not what I offer. My job is to help clients create the best possible vacation experience.” Be willing to walk away from the business and customers will respect and value what you offer way more.
Be An Expert Marketer
The one skill every business owner must learn is how to properly market and promote their business. If you want to be better than the internet, you need to be visible. You could offer the best service in the world and know more than every other agent about a particular product, but if you do not tell anyone, then none of that matters. If you are not sure how to market your brand, then it is time for you to start learning.
Check Out This 7 Chapter Guide On How To Generate Leads Online.
Ultimate visibility and accessibility is the key to getting more customers to learn about your services, so your goal is to master that. Learn how to use online marketing tools such as social media, Search Engine Optimization SEO, video marketing, blogs and anywhere else you can present your business in front of people using the internet. Get offline by going to trade shows, networking events, social gatherings and seminars. Create relationships with other non-competitive businesses that attract the type of customers that you are looking for. It has never been easier than it is today to get your message out there to potential buyers. Start marketing your travel business now so people can learn about who you are.
