How Accessible Are You?
Your clients have your office number, your email address and your cell phone number. They know your office hours and how to get in touch with you after the doors have closed. But how accessible are you? Is there any possibility that your clients feel they are actually bothering you when they want to research a bit of travel? Web site designers go to great lengths to make travel web sites “accessible”: easy to understand, use and navigate. But what about your own interface with clients? Is your entire travel practice easy to understand, use and navigate? Are you emotionally and psychologically available to existing and potential clients?
|
Conversations with consumers often reveal a reluctance to approach travel agents. Inexperienced travelers actually feel hesitant to use a travel advisor and often prefer to go direct or to the internet so as to not “waste the travel agent’s time.” Such travelers feel that they incur an obligation when using a travel agent, a debt of time invested by the agent, and therefore avoid going to an agent at all. Younger consumers will often say it is “easier” just to do it themselves. Logically, the smaller the travel purchase, the more commodity-like the travel, the more probable the consumer is to attempt to “do it on their own.” As younger consumers enter the travel market, the inclination to go online for their travel needs is likely to be much greater than in the past.
The media, and sometimes agents themselves, contribute to the image of the busy, overworked and harried travel agent. Portrayals of agents as frantically busy or under pressure do not contribute to accessibility. These preconceived notions are barriers to use. Good marketing strategy will involve tactics designed to improve your accessibility to the public. Project an inviting image, filled with openness and care for the individual client.
Younger consumers will often say it is “easier” just to do it themselves. Logically, the smaller the travel purchase, the more commodity-like the travel, the more probable the consumer is to attempt to “do it on their own.” As younger consumers enter the travel market, the inclination to go online for their travel needs is likely to be much greater than in the past. Make a decision on how you will handle small inquiries as they come your way, and remember today's request for a point to point domestic flight might be tomorrow's inquiry about an around the world cruise.
Empower your clients – educate and train your clients. Explain the research process and the resources you have at hand. Familiarize them with your continuing education and your industry associations. Most of all, empower them to contact you with any travel issue, large or small, even questions about which they are curious that have no bearing on a particular booking, or that lone hotel booking on which you know you will never receive a commission. Because every client contact brings you closer to the client, closer to the next cruise or major travel excursion.
The public’s perception of your accessibility is shaped by how often they see your brand and the brand image you project. If the elements of your branding indicate a luxury travel niche, many consumers will be drawn to it and some portion of the market will find it unapproachable. If your branding efforts emphasize family travel, with images of children and families enjoying vacations together, then you will very likely attract that demographic. There is nothing wrong with either approach, but it is vital the brand you intend to project is indeed the brand that is reflected in your marketing efforts.
Your company name, logo, and contact information need to be “front and center” in each marketing effort you undertake. These are the key graphical elements by which your marketplace will identify and reach out to you. Reproduce these elements consistently in each and every point of contact where appropriate. The familiarity you thereby create is an important component to the sense of accessibility people will have of your company – they will feel as though they already know you, who you are, and what you do.
Likewise, your public relations efforts in your community should be geared to creating a fundamental familiarity with your branding and market position. The more “present” you are in your community, the more networking you undertake, the more events you sponsor or for which you volunteer, the better known will be your brand. The friendlier your persona, the more approachable you are and the degree to which you can engage your clients on an emotional level, the more approachable and accessible you will be perceived.
Remind your clients that you are there. How often do you reach out and touch each and every client in a personal way? How about a phone call, a hand written letter, or a lunch? Not to sell anything, but just to say “hello!” Want clients to think of you as accessible? Begin by first approaching them. People do business with people. They want to engage with people they like, appreciate, and trust. If your company has a flat, dull persona, it is not likely consumers will perceive it as approachable. Clients want to do business with a personality. They want to know the people in charge of their plans, running the company, and protecting their interests. Your marketing should be charged with personality.
The energy required for marketing in this manner is considerable. Being in business requires a dynamic yet focused awareness of the impact of one’s brand on the public. For a travel consultant engaged in very personal one-on-one services, this means a personal investment in time and energy. Because, as a travel advisor, you are your own brand.
Easy Does It
The media, and sometimes agents themselves, contribute to the image of the busy, overworked and harried travel agent. Portrayals of agents as frantically busy or under pressure do not contribute to accessibility. These preconceived notions are barriers to use. Good marketing strategy will involve tactics designed to improve your accessibility to the public. Project an inviting image, filled with openness and care for the individual client.
Younger consumers will often say it is “easier” just to do it themselves. Logically, the smaller the travel purchase, the more commodity-like the travel, the more probable the consumer is to attempt to “do it on their own.” As younger consumers enter the travel market, the inclination to go online for their travel needs is likely to be much greater than in the past. Make a decision on how you will handle small inquiries as they come your way, and remember today's request for a point to point domestic flight might be tomorrow's inquiry about an around the world cruise.
Empower your clients – educate and train your clients. Explain the research process and the resources you have at hand. Familiarize them with your continuing education and your industry associations. Most of all, empower them to contact you with any travel issue, large or small, even questions about which they are curious that have no bearing on a particular booking, or that lone hotel booking on which you know you will never receive a commission. Because every client contact brings you closer to the client, closer to the next cruise or major travel excursion.
The public’s perception of your accessibility is shaped by how often they see your brand and the brand image you project. If the elements of your branding indicate a luxury travel niche, many consumers will be drawn to it and some portion of the market will find it unapproachable. If your branding efforts emphasize family travel, with images of children and families enjoying vacations together, then you will very likely attract that demographic. There is nothing wrong with either approach, but it is vital the brand you intend to project is indeed the brand that is reflected in your marketing efforts.
Your company name, logo, and contact information need to be “front and center” in each marketing effort you undertake. These are the key graphical elements by which your marketplace will identify and reach out to you. Reproduce these elements consistently in each and every point of contact where appropriate. The familiarity you thereby create is an important component to the sense of accessibility people will have of your company – they will feel as though they already know you, who you are, and what you do.
Likewise, your public relations efforts in your community should be geared to creating a fundamental familiarity with your branding and market position. The more “present” you are in your community, the more networking you undertake, the more events you sponsor or for which you volunteer, the better known will be your brand. The friendlier your persona, the more approachable you are and the degree to which you can engage your clients on an emotional level, the more approachable and accessible you will be perceived.
Remind your clients that you are there. How often do you reach out and touch each and every client in a personal way? How about a phone call, a hand written letter, or a lunch? Not to sell anything, but just to say “hello!” Want clients to think of you as accessible? Begin by first approaching them. People do business with people. They want to engage with people they like, appreciate, and trust. If your company has a flat, dull persona, it is not likely consumers will perceive it as approachable. Clients want to do business with a personality. They want to know the people in charge of their plans, running the company, and protecting their interests. Your marketing should be charged with personality.
The energy required for marketing in this manner is considerable. Being in business requires a dynamic yet focused awareness of the impact of one’s brand on the public. For a travel consultant engaged in very personal one-on-one services, this means a personal investment in time and energy. Because, as a travel advisor, you are your own brand.
Easy Does It
How easy is it to do business with you? We sometimes miss how baffled a client may feel when first launching out on their vacation planning. First, they have to know you exist, a result of how well you have executed your marketing plan. But let’s start somewhat further down the road. Let’s say the client knows you exist – they must now be motivated to use you as opposed to using another agency or booking themselves online.
Most of us gravitate to the path of least resistance; this includes your clients. After all, their computer is right there on the desk. They don’t have to speak with anyone when they use their computer or pay a research fee. They don’t have to feel any pressure “to buy” and they don’t have to feel embarrassed if their budget doesn’t meet what they feel is your threshold for “interesting.” |
Once clients are over these largely psychological barriers, however, the actual obstacles to doing business with your travel practice begins. How many ways do we confound and hinder? They have to know how to contact you. They have to speak with you. They have to accurately communicate their desires to you. You have to disappear long enough to research their plan and get back to you. They have to be able to reach you during their travels. When they return, they have to engage your procedures to process problems and complaints if any have arisen.
Being easy to do business with is what will keep your travel practice top of mind when a client decides to travel. Every point of contact, from your business card to your website, has to not only delight the customer, but must also be accessible and easy to use. Into every business creeps small impediments to communication and engagement, sometimes enough to inhibit a client’s sense of being heard and, in extreme cases, enough to disrupt the relationship.
Here is why being easy to work with is so important: when a client is engaged in a relationship with your company, the client is an annuity. The longer a client is with you, the more money that client passes your way each year, and typically in ever-increasing amounts. The more clients you retain, the stronger the base of your business.
Most clients understand the fungible nature of the components of travel – a destination, airline tickets, hotel rooms, and rental cars. What makes the difference is the ease with which you answer their inquiries, resolve their problems, and creatively organize their travels. These intangibles, not the components, make the difference and separate you from the hoards of other companies vying for their business.
Given the ease with which clients can “buy travel”, it has never been more important to ensure the accessibility of your own offerings, to set yourself apart from the undifferentiated mass of travel retailers. Here are a few of the items on which you might focus:
- Setting yourself apart
- Being accessible
- Being creative
- Being fast
- Responding to complaints
- Staying top-of-mind
Ironically, being easy to do business with is hard. It takes planning and constant attention to detail. Continually honing your internal processes and your client contacts, however, is an absolute necessity. Your client has thousands of choices and you are only one of the possibilities. Making yourself accessible and responsive is a big part of making yourself successful.
Exercise:
Strive to improve the general personality and warmth of your practice. Look at all of your elements of first impression and make sure that the appearance of your office, your clothing and, most importantly, your demeanor, are inviting and relaxed. Go positive in all of your marketing messages. Don’t criticize other travel distribution channels, which invites an argument over competing features and benefits. Instead, accentuate your own positive attributes, the benefits of human interaction, of local accountability, and of client advocacy. Educate the public. Many consumers simply do not understand travel agents. Incorporate an explanation of your services into your marketing literature. Write articles and newsletters and find opportunities to speak to groups about what you do. Get out in front of the marketing curve!
Strive to improve the general personality and warmth of your practice. Look at all of your elements of first impression and make sure that the appearance of your office, your clothing and, most importantly, your demeanor, are inviting and relaxed. Go positive in all of your marketing messages. Don’t criticize other travel distribution channels, which invites an argument over competing features and benefits. Instead, accentuate your own positive attributes, the benefits of human interaction, of local accountability, and of client advocacy. Educate the public. Many consumers simply do not understand travel agents. Incorporate an explanation of your services into your marketing literature. Write articles and newsletters and find opportunities to speak to groups about what you do. Get out in front of the marketing curve!