Suzanne Asbury Personal travel expert, Designer Travel
‘WHATEVER YOU ENJOY DOING MOST SHOULD BE WHAT YOU SPECIALISE IN’
Q. What attracted you to selling honeymoons? A. Honeymoons are special trips that deserve the very best attention and expertise. Around 60% of my sales are for honeymoon couples. Q. Did you start off selling all holidays?
A. Yes, and even after 11 years at Designer Travel, I don’t just specialise in
honeymoons. It took three years or so to become an expert and I get super-excited when working on an enquiry!
Q. What are the benefits? A. A specialism makes you stand out from the crowd and gives you increased confidence when working on an enquiry. Couples will spend more than they would on a ‘normal’ holiday and pass on my details to friends. The icing on the cake is when you hear from a couple years later and they ask you to arrange their first family holiday. Q. How should a new agent choose their specialism? A. Look at your interests, hobbies and what kind of holidays you enjoy working on. Whatever you enjoy doing most should be what you specialise in. Q. Any advice? A. Read as much as you can about the area you want to specialise in, talk to specialist operators and make contacts. Research online, look at social media trends and attend relevant shows.
Ask the experts
KEITH HERMAN chief executive, Trending Travel “Try to embrace social media channels when promoting yourself. You will undoubtedly find new business and, if done correctly, it will be extremely cost-effective. Finding a new customer is the easy bit – keeping them will be the key to your long-term success.”
Maxine Smile Travel and cruise specialist, GoCruise & Travel
‘CRUISE FAM TRIPS ARE FABULOUS – THEY ARE THE BEST WAY TO LEARN ABOUT A CRUISE LINE’
Q. Why do you specialise in cruise? A. Because I absolutely love cruising. My love of cruise started at the age of 19; it really knocked my socks off and still to this day has the same effect. Q. How long have you been a specialist?
A. I purchased the franchise in January 2019 and have always sold a mixture of both cruise and land travel.
Q. Do you have to really enjoy cruises to sell them? A. In my honest opinion, yes! I believe my passion for cruise is infectious. Along with knowledge and experience, it is the major contributing factor to the success I have selling cruises. Q. What are the rewards? A. The financial benefits can be awesome. The fam trips are equally fabulous – they are the best way to learn about a cruise line while having a blast with your fellow brethren. Dedication and a good work ethos will provide you with satisfaction at the end of a working day. Q. Tips for would-be specialists? A. Give VIP customer service. Be enthusiastic and genuine. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from others in the industry. Talk to everyone and anyone about the benefits of cruising and the wonderful experiences your customers will enjoy.
EMMA RODGERS recruitment and training manager, Personal Holiday Advisors “Homeworking is a great opportunity for experienced agents looking for flexibility to suit their lifestyle. It’s important to research a company you are considering joining and make sure it’s the right fit. Look at what the package includes, such as fee support, commission and technology. Be motivated, have a clear plan and vision for your business.”
KELLY COOKES leisure director, The Advantage Travel Partnership, Travel Specialists by Advantage “Know where your customer money (and your commission) is going and be confident that it is 100% secure. The industry has been through a turbulent couple of years and both you and your customers need to be comfortable that you are fully protected. At Advantage, we hold everything in a trust account for complete peace of mind.”
travelweekly.co.uk
28 OCTOBER 2021
57
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