Travel agents – do you ask for the sale?

Travel agents – do you ask for the sale?
By admin


Over the years I have become more passionate about buying from people who ask for my business.  Why? Because to me, it is the notion of “asking for the sale” that indicates competence, confidence and expertise.  It informs me that the person I’m dealing with is at the top of their game – in both product and sales ability.

Asking for the sale represents a pivotal moment in the relationship between a travel consultant and a consumer.  When we facilitate sales training we discuss the concept that asking for the sale shifts the ownership of the situation to your client.  They become empowered to say yes to a booking or given the opportunity to provide a reason for saying “no.” In both cases, this results in a valuable experience for the travel consultant —either a converted enquiry or an insight into what else a buyer might need before making the decision to buy.

To the team at Cornerstone People solutions, asking for the sale is a hallmark of a confident, proactive, and professional consultant.  Whilst it is often considered a direct approach it is so much more effective than passing out your business card and saying “Call me if you have any questions”. In our mystery shopping expeditions we encounter all sorts of techniques but the worst (and relatively common) is when the quote is hand written on a ‘with compliments’ slip and the follow up becomes the responsibility of the client.

Asking for the booking is great as it establishes an open, honest point where you are saying “You have a need; I have a solution. Let’s do business together.”

From our experience,  if someone doesn’t ask for the sale, you can usually ascribe it to one of three reasons:

• The consultant lacks confidence in the product solution they are offering.

• The consultant lacks the sales skills about how and when to ask for the sale.

• The consultant doesn’t really care whether or not I buy.

In each case, we quickly lose interest.  Is it too shrewd to prefer doing business with a confident, knowledgeable and caring salesperson?  We don’t think so.

What to do to set yourself up for success?

Here are some things to keep in mind to help you remember the importance of asking for the sale:

• Make sure when you are suggesting your product that you explain the benefits of why you chose a particular product.  For example, “we are suggesting the Movenpick Phuket because you mentioned you liked shopping and it is next door to a market”.  This is a true point of difference as the internet only mentions features and can’t speak to client about the benefits!

• The competition is fierce; if you don’t take the opportunity to secure the sale you are actually encouraging the client to keep shopping around. 

• It is the efficient thing to do.  Asking for the sale is a great time management tool as you can finalise the confirmation, avoiding diarising follow up calls.

Remember, selling is a process of matching the needs of your customer with the benefits of your product. That process isn’t finished until you ask for the sale.

For more hints and tips check out our website.

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