Are You The BETTER Choice?

Have you wondered why some advisers seem to be more successful than others?  They are on stage, year after year, receiving top sales awards, while you sit in the audience wishing it was you.  I know, I was once that person in the audience.

Many of us are good travel advisers, some are even great.  So why is it that those often achieving the greatest success are not the most experienced or most qualified?

They succeed, not because they are the best, but because they have positioned themselves to be a better choice. They communicate the benefits of using their services to prospects more effectively than their more qualified competitors.

I don’t know about you, but I have grown weary of trade publications constantly extolling the virtues of using the services of a professional travel adviser.  Not a week goes by that we are not reminding ourselves of this.  I read a recent trade article entitled, “Ten Reasons to Use a Travel Agent in 2019” and there are many more like it. 

Additionally, there are Facebook groups that serve a similar purpose.  Regular posts include the overused meme “Stay Calm and Call a Travel Agent”.  It is interesting to watch their members pontificate and verbally high five each other.

I love the passion and to be clear, I don’t disagree with the message.  It’s the audience. We tend to do a lot more preaching to the choir, than to the parishioners.

The most important question we must answer is “Why” a prospect should book with us.  With the advent of technology and other booking channels, the public has largely forgotten why they needed a good travel professional in the first place. 

Assuming the “reasons” are still valid, shouldn’t we share this message to consumers with the same ferocity that we share it with each other? 

Prospects have many booking channels to choose from.  If they can’t come up with a good reason to book with a travel professional, then it is our responsibility to educate them. In most cases, they will be better off – they just don’t know it.

Take one of the Top Ten lists, grab three reasons that fit best for your business, then customize it to reflect your expertise and services.  Include them in your newsletter, on your website, back of business cards, anywhere your prospect looks for your services.

If we are to make a difference, we must communicate with those who matter most.  Next time, instead of telling each other how good we are, let’s spend it reminding our prospects “why” we are the better choice. 

 PS - While supplies last, join the Wealthy Travel Agent Power Players Club and receive your own personalized copy of my best selling book, "Get Your S.H.I.P. Together - The Wealthy Travel Agent Guide to Sales" FREE.   Click here for details.  (Limited to new members in U.S. and Canada only).

Dan Chappelle is a sales performance coach, professional business advisor, and best-selling author.  His training and consulting firm help develop sales focused business leaders and entrepreneurs in the travel and tourism industry. His book, Get Your S.H.I.P. Together: The Wealthy Travel Agent Guide to Sales is available on Amazon.com.

For information on the Wealthy Travel Agent Academy’s business building programs, visit: www.DanChappelle.com

©2019 Dan Chappelle, CCI Inc.