Travel Agent Professional April 2011

Travel AgentProfessional

April 2011Issue 6

4 Guest Editorial –By Vicki L. Freed, CTC

8 Are You PlanningFor Success?By Sherry Laskin

14 Into The FireBy Scott Koepf

©2011 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Malta and Ecuador. 11022869 • 03/2011

provides a luxurious retreat from the everyday.

We want every moment of your clients’ vacation

to be exceptional. That’s why we created our

exclusive, spa-inspired AquaClass® staterooms.

Where guests can retreat to plush linens, down

comforters and Frette bathrobes and revel in a

private haven featuring a spacious veranda with

stunning views.

And, you’ll never compromise your clients’ love

of fine dining. Each menu is crafted by our James

Beard nominated chef. As an AquaClass® guest,

your clients will enjoy exclusive access to our

signature restaurant—Blu.

Book your clients’ Europe escape with the

youngest fleet to sail its historic waters in 2011.

Extend your clients’ European vacation with a

Celebrity European Cruisetour.

Book your clients’ flights to Europe with ChoiceAir®.

For more information, visit CruisingPower.com

http://issuu.com/action/page?page=18






1

Travel Agent Professional TAP

2011

Ad In

dex

64 Guest Editorial — Checking Off Your Bucket ListBy Vicki L. Freed, CTC

Senior Vice President, Sales, Royal Caribbean International

66 Are You Planning for Success?By Sherry Laskin

Travel Writer, Blogger & Social Media Advisor

12 Turing Negatives Into PositivesBy Les-Lee Roland

Owner of The Package Deal

16 Clients for Life: By Mitchell J. Schlesinger

Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity

18 All Things In ModerationBy Rusty Pickett, ECC

Shellback Cruises

20 Into The FireBy Scott Koepf

Vice President of Sales Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center

April

http://www.joinavoya.com/default.cfm?ref=11583http://www.azamaraclubcruises.comHttp://www.celebrity.comhttp://www.leisurepops.com/

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/http://www.trams.com/ http://www.myhosttravelagency.comhttp://us.voyagestoantiquity.com/

Avoya Travel/AVC.......................IBCAzamara Club Cruises ....................7Celebrity Cruises ........................IFCLeisure Pops ...........................19, 21

Royal Caribbean Line ...................BCTRAMS .........................................15Travel Planners Int’l........................9 Voyages to Antiquity ......................3

Joel was the industry’s and my friend, mentor, and guide. I

cannot believe he has left us and he will surely be missed.

Joel tirelessly and continuously worked and worked to make

things better for the travel agent and the results of his effor ts

will be felt by thousands for many, many years to come.— Lee Rosen

Reprinted from Jan. 29, 2007 TTN with writer permission

Travel AgentProfessional

April 2011 Issue 6

April 2011

Travel Agent Professional has its roots in Home Based Trade, the firstmagazine of its kind, started by Joel Abels in 2004. Joel and Lenore Abelsran Travel Trade for nearly half a century – it was started by her grandfa-ther, John S. Lewis, and her father, Sidney Lewis, in 1929, and they took thepublication over after her grandfather’s passing.

Under Joel’s direction, the company grew to be one of the travel agentindustry’s leading publications, reaching more than 45,000 agents throughoutNorth America. It spawned a famous series of trade shows and threemonthly magazines – Cruise Trade, Tour Trade and Home Based Trade.

The Abels also garnered enormous respect – Joel received the NealAward, called “the Pulitzer Prize of the business press,” for his hard-hittingeditorials.

On a personal note, after working with Joel for over a decade and stayingwith him until the end, I grew to truly care for and respect the man. He waslike a second father to me. Joel was old school, he stood by his word andbelieved in his work. There will never be another.

While nobody can replace this industry legend, we’re hoping that this newpublication, which reunites the original Home Based Trade editorial board,will be able to carry on his passion for travel and those who sell it.

Ann M. Hoek

Travel Agent ProfessionalP.O. Box 120202

Staten Island, NY 10312E-mail:

[email protected]:

718.227.7541

Ann M. HoekPublisher/Creative Design

Bonnie WallingEditor

Meet Our Editorial BoardMitchell J. Schlesinger

Vice President, Sales & MarketingVoyages to Antiquity

www.voyagestoantiquity.com

Mary BrutscherFormer Host Agency Owner & Travel Educational [email protected]

Rusty Pickett, ECCShellback Cruises

www.shellbackcruises.com

Les-Lee RolandOwner of The Package Deal

Scott KoepfVice President of Sales

Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center

www.joinavoya.com/default.cfm?ref=11583

Sherry Laskin, ACCTravel Writer, Blogger & Social Media Advisorwww.sherrylaskin.com

Sherrie FunkCo-owner & President of

Just Cruisin’ Pluswww.justcruisinplus.com

ContributionsLee Rosen, CEOLeisure Pops

www.leisurepops.com

This online magazine is dedicated to the memory of Joel Abels, Travel Trade's editor and publisher. Joel and his life's work may be gone, but with your help it can live on.

Joel M. Abels Legend In the Travel Industry

April 1927 to January 2007

VOYAGES TOANTIQUITY

VOYAGES TOANTIQUITY

Call 1-877-398-1460Visit www.voyagestoantiquity.com

Enjoy the comfort, service and space of boutique-style, small shipcruising aboard Aegean Odyssey

Discover the art, history and cultures of the

ancient worldCRUISE-TOURS FOR FALL 2011

BOOK EARLY & SAVE!STATEROOM SAVINGS

UP TO $1,500varies by departure and category

FREE TO $199 AIR ADD-ONSfrom over 60 North American gateways including

transfers and porterage

Ask about special single savings

Prices are per person, double occupancy, cat N. Free to $199 Air (and transfers) applicable with cruise-tourpurchase only and does not include government taxes, fees and airline fuel surcharges which may change

at any time. Stateroom Savings based on double occupancy and vary by category and sailing.All offers aresubject to availability, capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time. Ship’s Registry: Malta.

From the wonders of ancient Greece to the monumental splendor of the RomanEmpire, Voyages to Antiquity brings to lifethe exciting and inspiring history of theMediterranean aboard Aegean Odyssey.

CRUISE-TOUR FARES INCLUDE:• SHORE EXCURSIONS• GRATUITIES• EXPERT LECTURE PROGRAM• WINE WITH DINNER

NEW FOR 2011• CRUISE-TOURS WITH INCLUDED PRE- AND/OR POST-CRUISE HOTEL STAYS• 7 -12 NIGHT CRUISE ONLY SAILINGS FOR THOSE

WITH LIMITED TIME

ATHENS, SICILY & THE MYSTERY OF POMPEIIDeparts: August 25 & October 102-night hotel stay in Athens and12-night cruise ATHENS to ROME from $3,950pp

MEDITERRANEAN ISLES & CROATIAN COASTDeparts: September 62-night hotel stay in Rome and12-night cruise ROME to VENICEfrom $3,950pp

DALMATIA & ANCIENT GREECEDeparts: September 2010-night cruise VENICE to ATHENSand 2-night hotel stay in Athens from $3,795pp

ORDER OUR 2011 BROCHURE

TODAY

April 2011


4

Guest Editorial —

Checking Off Your

Bucket List

By Vicki L. Freed, CTC

Senior Vice President, Sales

Royal Caribbean International

An expedition cruise to Antarctica has been

on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, and

recently, I finally embarked on a voyage to this

remote region of our globe. And wow — it’s truly

like no other vacation I’ve ever known. As you

explore the icy white scenery of enormous glaciers

dotted with wildlife, you have to frequently remind

yourself you’re still on the same planet. And what a

beautiful planet it is!

My family sailed on Silversea’s Prince Albert II, an

amazing expedition ship whose 132-passenger size

was a sharp contrast to my last cruise experience

onboard Royal Caribbean’s incredible, 5,400-passen-

ger Allure of the Seas (though these voyages were

two of my best family vacations yet!). I saved up and

Sharing a photo-opp with a pen-guin on the shore of Antarctica,

check.

Watching whales surface frombelow the chilliest of waters, check.

Observing seals sunbathing by thedozens on a huge ice floe, check.

Travel Agent Professional

paid full price (no agent rates or comps here) for

my family to sail on this special Antarctica voyage

— and it was worth every penny.

I’m willing to bet the majority of your clients are

saving up to splurge on once-in-a-lifetime vacations

on their own bucket lists. Are you capitalizing on

these high-commission experiences? Remember:

Don’t pigeon-hole your clients based ontheir past travel habits. A “bucket list” vacationis often unlike any client’s recent travels — maybe

unlike anywhere they have ever ventured before.

Qualify and re-qualify your clients. Circumstanceschange from year to year — tastes, family situations,

finances, etc — and these changes may give you an

opportunity to sell new types of experiences.

Be a value interpreter. Most fantasy vacationscome at a higher price than your average weekend

getaway. Even if they’ve saved, some clients could

still feel knocked out by the numbers. Stem off

sticker shock by interpreting the priceless value of

experiences you can plan for your clients. Infuse

details and imagery as you work to sell the vaca-

tion, and emphasize inclusions where you can.

With your help, they can really visualize the unbe-

lievable journey they are about to embark on.

Vicki Freed is Royal Caribbean International’s Senior

Vice President of Sales and Trade Support & Services.

Contact her at [email protected] with your questions,

comments or stories.

5

April 2011

It’s easy to forget whatseason it is when you live in

Florida. When a client would

say that she wanted to book a

cruise for next spring, I’d always

stop and think,

“What season are we in

now?”

In case you have been too busy to notice, the

second quarter of 2011 has begun. Cruise lines

have opened deployment into 2012 and some into

2013. I’m totally confused as to what year this is

right now, because I’m booking travel for people

nearly two years in advance.

If the cruise lines are open to booking a year and a

half ahead, they have certainly done their homework

and business plan. I’m also booking a year and a half

ahead, but I’m not so well planned. I’ll go out on a

limb here and venture a guess that most of you who

are reading this article have not mapped out your

marketing plan/business plan for 2012-13 either.

When I was a travel manager for a major travel

company, I had to prepare two plans: a marketing

plan and a business plan. The marketing plan told

me where I was going to spend my time and

money. The business plan told me how much I

could spend on marketing. Since you are responsi-

ble for balancing your checkbook, let’s focus today

on creating your marketing plan.

It doesn’t matter if you are an independent agent

with your own agency, work with a host or are in a

storefront location working for someone else.

Without a well thought-out marketing plan, you have

no concrete direction to follow and no way to track

and analyze the success or failure of your business. A

carefully designed and worked marketing plan is like

a roadmap for success. It can help you proceed in

the right direction, stay on course and not get lost

among the myriad of marketing opportunities that

may lead you off the road to success.

Just because you are moving forward doesn’t mean

you are moving forward in the right direction.

6

Sherry LaskinTravel Writer, Blogger & Social Media Advisor

www.sherrylaskin.com

Are You Planning for Success?

By

S

he

rr

y

La

sk

in

,

AC

C

(continued on page 8)

www.Cruisingpower.com

8

April 2011

I’ve learned that creating a marketing plan accomplishes three goals:

1Assist with identifying which clients are your best prospects

2 Provide a way for you to evaluate your business against the marketplace

3 Track the results so you can learn what works and what is a waste of time (and money.)

Within these three goals, there are five basic steps to create a well-planned and practical marketing

plan. I’ve compiled and adapted this information from several courses I’ve taken, articles I’ve read

and from presentations by leaders in various industries.

STEP ONE: Positioning Your Product (cruise, tour, vacation rental, etc.)If you have taken any of the CLIA marketing courses, this might sound somewhat familiar.

This is a distinction between actually marketing your business and the actions you take for

promotion, advertising and public relations. Those three actions are components of a mar-

keting idea, not the actual marketing. Marketing itself is basically made up of the Four Ps:

Product, Price, Promotion and Placement.

Product: Have the right product for the market to which you plan to sell. Repeat thatplease. While you cannot pigeon-hole or assume one type of travel is not suitable for a

particular demographic, you do have a good idea from your client base what would work

and what would not work.

Price: Wouldn’t it be great if everyone sold the same product at the same price andpeople shopped where they received the best service? These days, even your most loyal

clients are shopping online and exuberantly point out to you where they found the bet-

ter price. Then you are supposed to match it. That leaves you to not only find a way to

match the price, but also to create a value-added mindset in order to keep your client

away from the online discounters.

I’ve lost count as to how many times I’ve booked a group and a friend/relative of the

group leader has insisted on booking outside of the group because they think they are

getting a better deal. Know the prices of your competitors. Be prepared to stand up for

your worth, value and expertise. Nothing feels better than (politely) telling a tire-kicker

to “call back when you are ready to book.”


STEP THREE: Listen to Your ClientsNo one can give you a better image of your busi-

ness than your clients. Are you making the wel-

come home calls? If so, this is the perfect time to

ask your clients if their needs were met and what,

if anything, you could have done better/different.

You might consider composing a brief survey to

email to your clients. Keep it short, simple and

offer a thank you gift for completing the survey.

9STEP TWO: Ask for OpinionsSometimes it pays to ask for opinions. Your

friends, family, trusted colleagues or other pro-

fessionals can be a great source for narrowing

your marketing ideas. Ask them who they

think your target clients might be (based on

what they know of you), if they think you can

reach that target demographic, what it is that

makes you stand out from the crowd, your

strengths and weaknesses and what marketing

tactics they think would make your business

stand out and be noticed. Sometimes, it takes

seeing your business through others’ eyes to

truly understand your intent and ability to

achieve your goals.

STEP FOUR: Get the Lead OutNow that you have started to more clearly identify your clients and the marketing environment, it’s timeto put your thoughts on paper. This doesn’t have to be a formal edict nor written in stone. A successfulmarketing plan is not static; it is a malleable piece of work able to be modified as needed throughoutthe year. Points to include in your plan are:

• A summary of your market position (what/whom you intend to target) and goals;• What you expect to accomplish in a given time period (this can be a dollar goal, a booking goal, amove to a new travel venue goal – it’s your plan!) Be sure to state the time limit and stick to it as

closely as possible;

• A list of several target markets and complementary products to go with them;• Financials — expenses — and how you will allocate;

• Marketing channels — flyers, E-mail, snail-mailed newsletters, consortium brochures, blog entries,tweets and Facebook posts — and how you will get them to the target clients and then be noticed;

• Competition — what strategy will you use when confronted with lower-priced competitors?


10

April 2011

STEP FIVE: You should know whether your money is being well-spent or wasted on marketing chan-

nels that don’t pay off. I’ve spent hundreds of dollars mailing out consortium brochures,

cruise line alliance brochures, printing postcards, subscribing to online E-mail blast compa-

nies.

Ask your new clients how they found you. It’s important to know where they came from

so that you can focus your strengths and dollars on ventures that have a high return on

investment.

Plan a marketing calendar in conjunction with when your customers tend to book travel.

When I started my online agency nearly two decades ago, my busiest booking period was

Thanksgiving weekend. Families got together and would plan next year’s vacation. Phone

calls and emails were off the charts for me from Friday to Sunday.

Be sure not to invest most of your marketing dollars during the slow months in the travel

industry. Plan ahead for Wave Season and use your resources wisely.

Find out when your sales reps get their annual budget. Ask for a piece of the action. It

doesn’t help to ask your rep to participate in a cruise night if they have already allocated

and/or depleted their marketing funds for the current year.

Remember, a successful marketing plan one year may not work in the next year. Analyze

the successes and not-so-successful attempts. Re-evaluate and adapt a new marketing plan

on a yearly basis.

Once you start to put all of this in writing and take the time to systematically re-visit

your plan and review your progress, you will find that you are not caught off guard when

you realize that you should have been more pro-active.

Your business will thank you for it.

Sherry Laskin is a travel writer, blogger and social media addict as it relates to business awareness and sharing

information. Founder of the Vacation Shoppe in 1992, she offers advice and creative ideas for marketing and pro-

motion for travel agents. Sherry is the webinar moderator and a Chapter Director at NACTA.

Do you sell AIRLINE TICKETS?Are you a Storefront or Home-based Agency?

Your technology partner


www.myhosttravelagency.com

By

L

es

-L

ee

R

ol

an

d

Les-Lee RolandOwner of The Package Deal

12Turing Negatives

April 2011

Now, let’s behonest. There is aword that we allare skirtingaround: “No!”

It can also be heard as, “Not interested.” We sometimes areso in fear of hearing this word, we’re afraid to offer something

that WE feel may cause someone to say “No.”

First, we have to dissect the word. It’s only two letters, not

even worth any great points in Scrabble. Yet, anyone in sales

finds their confidence going down the drain at the mere utter-

ance of the word.

So, how does this intro fit in with all the positive hype of selling

cruises, tours, or vacations? Not everyone you approach will

give you the sale. But you should learn from every response

you get, either good or bad. You must learn how to change a

negative into a positive.


It’s been said that you should never accept “no”

until you have heard it three times. A perfect

example are telemarketers. We’ve all gotten their

phone calls, usually around dinner time — when

they assume the decision makers are there togeth-

er. You try to say you are not interested, and they

keep on talking, adding more info, because they

have not heard you say the word — three times.

This essay is not all doom and gloom. It’s just to

help you better understand how to handle the sit-

uation, while still maintaining a good relationship

with your clients. Also, it’s to give you some exam-

ples on how you turn a no into a yes.

1 Don’t waste your time on peoplewho do not qualify. Take time to planon who you will contact. Concentrate on

the demographics, info that is readily

available for you through many sources.

If you qualify your clients and understand their

schedules and needs, you won’t set yourself up to

hear a “No.”

2 Price is the number one obstacle inclosing the sale. Sometimes, selectinghow you quote the price causes people

to react differently.

If you walk through a grocery store, you see

examples of it everywhere. Cans of soup are

advertised as two for one dollar Of course, it just

means each can is 50 cents, but people think they

are getting a deal by buying two cans. The wording

is always important.

Justify the rate. You can quote the rate as a total,

including all taxes, or you can quote the rate as a

daily cost. It’s one area where you can make the

decision. Sometimes it just sounds better to say

the cruise — including all the food, entertainment,

sun and ports — is only $75 a day per person.

The cruise lines that bundle wine with meals,

shore excursions and gratuities into the price are

easy to quote. Tell the client that the rate includes

over $600 in extras. Once it is explained, they

have a better understanding.

I was checking out a rate for air tickets for my

clients — Tampa to London. I was actually quoted

$524 roundtrip — an incredible deal! I almost

thought I would join them. Then the res agent said

the taxes were an additional $500 — for a total of

$1,024. Now I had a different reaction, but she

went on to say, “Everyone has to pay the taxes.”

The client said it sounded fair to her and pur-

chased the package.

Into Positives

13


14

April 2011

3 Payment plans. Set up a schedule foryour clients. It’s more paperwork, but

you get the sale. Monthly payments,

bimonthly, whatever it takes. Just set the

rules, and the penalty for cancellation.

4 Pay attention to celebrations foryour clients. A birthday, a family reunion,retirement, an anniversary. People tend to

spend a little more for these occasions.

That’s where keeping a good database is

paramount to your growing business.

It is to your advantage to contact the client at

least six months to a year in advance of the spe-

cial date to offer a special getaway. Plant the seed.

What’s the worst thing the client can say — “No,

not this year?”

5 Ask for business. Ask your clients ifthey are not interested or able to take

advantage of the October rates, do they

know anyone who you should contact?

6 On all your E-mail blasts, or mailers,include the line “Please share this offer

with your friends.” You may be surprised

how that one line stimulates referrals.

And referrals are the best endorsement

you can receive. You should also do this

with your Web site — ask your clients

to send the link to their friends.

And always acknowledge the referring person. Send

a thank you note, or a gift card, or a gift certificate

for a dollar amount of their next booking. When I

sent out a gift card to my client for a referral, she

couldn’t wait to send me more people.

7 Understand that not everyone will justthrow their credit card at you and say

“sign me up.” Be prepared for a 10% pos-

itive response. When you reach that goal,

try for 20%, and keep growing.

Most important, never show anger or disgust that

they didn’t book. There may be situations that are

not visible to you. You have to learn to keep posi-

tive and let the client know that you are always

there for future vacation plans.

8 Get endorsements. Ask your clientsfor comments you can use on your Web

site about their trips. Ask for pictures. So

when someone says they are not sure

about visiting a certain country, you can

use your clients’ feedback.

Lastly, when you hear the “No” word three times,

just let it go. If you could not turn a negative into

a positive, just tell your client that you will keep

them in the loop about other opportunities, and

don’t give up on them.

Sticks and Stonesmay break yourbones, but “NO”

will never hurt you.

www.sabretravelinetwork.com/tmu

16

By

M

it

ch

el

l

J.

S

ch

le

si

ng

er

April 2011

1 Clients come to you with their own motivation for travel and the expected result. The key

is that they purchase based on emotions and then justify with logic. To be successful, you

must listen very closely to what they want and then match the right product to fulfill their

expectation.

2 You need to create an emotional connection with each client so that they perceive you

understand what it is they are seeking. Remember, they buy for their own reasons…not

yours. Selling them a vacation that fulfills their personal emotional desires directly impacts

their ability to logically justify that they made the right choice….of both the travel pack-

age…and YOU.

3 Customer perceptions of you and your service are crucial. They must feel that there is sig-

nificant value in your relationship. It starts with their trust that you will be invested enough

in the relationship to recommend the travel that best fulfills their expectations, which cre-

ates the perception that their purchase had significant value. It continues with your commu-

nicating with them on an ongoing basis and the acid test, how you handle “challenges.” And

part of this perception must be their sensation that they are your most important client!

Clients for Life:

Managing the Think about your own motivations when you buy…any-

thing. For clothes, it is how stylish you feel you look or appear to

others, or those of you in Green Bay…warmth. For insurance, it

is security, and peace of mind; for toys, the pleasure in the eyes of

children; for a computer; a way to connect to the rest of the

world – and, importantly, conduct business. The use of the word

“commodity” to convey a non-brand distinct thing is not accu-

rate. We don’t buy “things,” we buy ideas, personal feelings, hap-

piness, self satisfaction, respect and solutions to challenges.

Capturing “Clients for Life” starts with understanding the basics

of consumer behavior, which provides a fuller understanding of

each of your client’s individual motivations. So let’s focus on

how this works:

Mitchell J. SchlesingerVice President, Sales & MarketingVoyages to [email protected]

17


Customer Relationship4 And speaking of service, how each and every

member of your agency team comes across

establishes a service benchmark for the

agency. This is a reflection that every contact

is a judged experience highlighted by:

Physical appearance: Attractiveness counts;Attitude: Accommodation, understanding,responsiveness;

Phone etiquette: Attitude can be heard as wellas witnessed;

Responsiveness: “How important am I?”

5 Learn from mistakes and criticisms —

this is CRUCIAL. You can’t ignore what a

client is telling you. It is their perception

and their reality. And whatever it is, it

provides a platform for you to communi-

cate your appreciation, thank them for

their honesty and create the perception

that you are addressing their input.

An intrinsic part of managing the customer rela-

tionship is communication. There is a distinct dif-

ference between how this is handled by clients

who are becoming customers for the first time

and those who have purchased previously:

With new customers, it is the process of estab-

lishing the relationship, learning about what they

really want and providing a high quality initial level

of service and product recommendation. It is

important to reinforce how the recommendation

reflects the input they provided by pointing out

the features of the travel and how each segment

fulfills the “wants” they expressed.

For existing clients, this is taken to a completely

next level, including what you already know and

augmenting it:

• Communication must be consistent inorder for clients to feel engaged by your

agency;

• You must constantly update your profilefor each client with demographic and psy-

chographic trends and changes;

• Clients must be asked repeatedly, “Howare we doing? How can we provide better

service? What new ideas do you have for

future travel?”;

• Send information on new travel destina-tions and products and ask for their reac-

tions;

• Send communication of a personal natureto show how engaged you are.

Creating and managing client relationships by

understanding consumer behavior is crucial for

you and your team members. The reaction to the

service you provide will be judged and evaluated

by your clients based on key factors:

• Credibility• Communication• Attractiveness• Reliability• Responsiveness• EmpathyArranging the first letter of these factors spells

the word CARE. Show your clients how muchyou CARE and increase the number of clients you

retain for life.

April 2011

“All things in moderation.” It’s an oldsaying that can be overrated, but can

also be necessar y.

I recently had my hip replaced due to significant arthritis — left-overs from years of varsity athletics and long distance running.

Prior to the surgery, I was probably working 50-60 hours per

week in my office.

Much of my time was spent on the important things — such as

bookings, packages, payments and invoices. However, I also spent a

significant amount of time on smaller things, like filing, Web

research and even cleaning the office on occasion (my office is a

converted two-car garage).


18

By

R

us

ty

P

ic

ke

tt

,

EC

C

All Things In

Moderation

Rusty Pickett, ECCShellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com

During the work day, I spent little time in my home,

other than taking 15 minutes for lunch. I’d come

home for dinner at about 6 p.m. I worked at least

half a day on Saturday and Sunday and was always

checking E-mail and voice mail during the weekend

afternoons. After 11 years in the business, I had

gained a reputation for prompt service, most times

of the day.

My overzealous work ethic had, in fact, become an

issue at home. I haven’t played golf in two years – a

sport that I really like. My bride and I had promised

to take Wednesday afternoons off so we could go

do something together. These dates never material-

ized. I only put my boat in the water about four

times each of the past two summers.

I was always afraid that I couldn’t provide the

exceptional service that I had the reputation for. My

work had become an obsession — and, perhaps,

even an escape. Not a healthy situation.

After the surgery, I couldn’t go to the office much

for almost two months. I can still only sit for about

half my normal workday. With limited time, but pri-

oritizing effectively, as I was confined to recupera-

tion in my easy chair or in the hospital bed that we

rented, I learned that my business would still sur-

vive, prompt and effective service does not neces-

sarily equate to instantaneous service and that you

can still provide exceptional service within reason.

I am regaining my life with my family, and, in fact am

enjoying myself more in the macroscopic picture.

Bookings have been made, payments processed, and

invoices sent out. I am looking forward to hitting

the driving range again once I am physically able. I

am even taking Sunday off!

The bottom line: virtually all of my clients have agreat life and appreciate my service. I guess I can

too. Moderation might be a better idea than I

thought it was!

What is LeisurePops?Leisure Pops is a point-of-

sale, merchandizing software

application that runs on an

agent’s desktop and helps

travel agents to sell more

preferred suppliers, more

add-on products and more

upgrades.

Leisure Pops runs in the

background on an Agent's

desktop and then “Pops” or

reminds an agent via a pop

up message of opportunities

to better serve their client

— as well as make more

commissions.

Lee RosenPresident, Leisure Pops

Leisure Pops: A New Application from an Old Friend

For more information go to www.leisurepops.com

• Sell more preferred suppliers.

• Sell more add-on products.

• Earn more commissions.

• Better service your clients.

The Power of Pops

By

S

co

tt

K

oe

pf

April 2011

Scott KoepfVice President of Sales

Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center

www.JoinAvoya.com/default.cfm?ref=11583

As a grizzled old veteran of the travel industry I am

often asked by the new young whippersnappers joining our

business a simple question. As we know, there are not enough

youngsters joining our industry, which is probably related to the

fact that the vision of a grizzled old veteran keeps them away,

but that is fodder for another day.

The question they ask, after some tactful inquires as to the

cause of my grizzledness, is “What do I need to do to be suc-

cessful in this business?” Over the years, I have crafted eloquent

and elaborate answers that I was sure would end up in a

famous quotes book. But I now think I have overcomplicated

the answer. It is not intense study of product knowledge, an inti-

mate knowledge of the sales process, inside secrets to closing

the sale, marketing and social media expertise or a winning per-

sonality. Now mind you, all of those are immensely valuable and

worthy of pursuit but the key ingredient, the one thing I need

to tell youngsters to focus on, is Courage!

Now, the cynical among you will chime in with an “Amen

Brother” as you reel off the problems and challenges that we

face in this business on a daily basis. I can hear the rally cry

about the competition, the lower commissions, and squeezing

customers and how courageous we are for battling those foes.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I am singing a different tune.

Wait, did someone say sing? Why yes I did (and you thought I

was kidding when I said I was grizzled)! As both of my loyal

readers know, I always use a song from musical theatre to make

a point. So the courage that I think every travel retailer needs is

best described by this song from the musical The Scarlet

Pimpernel, with a few minor adjustments to the lyrics:


Into The Fire20

www.leisurepops.com

22David walked in to the valley with a stone clutched in his hand

He was only a boy but he knew someone must take a stand

There will always be a valley, always mountains one must scale

There will always be perilous waters which someone must sail!

Against {rebaters}, with {Noncommissionables}

{Direct Sellers}, {High Airfare}

Let us {sell}, let us {sell travel} with a story to tell

Into {the close}, Into Danger

With {customers} that {keep us up} at night

Don’t give in, don’t give up, but give thanks for the glorious fight!

You can tremble, you can fear it, but keep your fighting spirit alive, {agents}

Let the shiver of it sting you, fling into battle, spring to your feet, {agents}

Never hold back your {close} for a moment

Never doubt that your courage will grow

Hold your head even higher and into the fire we go

Into Fire, Onward Ho!

April 2011

What sets apart the most successful travel retailers

is simply the courage to move forward no matter

what the circumstances. Competition will always be

a part of our industry, price focused consumers are a

fact of life, world events will always present chal-

lenges and rejection comes with the package as we

are in sales after all. Complaining about these facts or

blaming results on them is not only unproductive but

cowardly. Harsh words, I know, but the great exam-

ples in our business know these issues are ‘the fire’

that needs to be entered and do so courageously!

It is not only going into the fire that makes the

best outperform all others, it is the fact that they,

themselves are on fire! The great evangelist

Jonathon Wesley was asked why so many people

would come to see him and he said “When you

set yourself on fire, people come to watch you

burn!” It won’t happen with spontaneous combus-

tion, it will happen because you decide to perse-

vere through the challenges and set yourself on

fire with enthusiasm! You need courage each time

you talk to a customer and as the lyrics say

Don’t give in, don’t give up, but give thanks for the glorious fight!

Be thankful for the opportunity to plan the vacation of a lifetime and provide a level of service that will

exceed all expectations and no matter how tough it might seem…

Never hold back your {close} for a momentNever doubt that your courage will grow

Hold your head even higher and into the fire we goInto Fire, Onward Ho!

CST# 2016664-10 | Fla. Seller of Travel Ref. No ST36781

Ready to Grow Your Travel Business?

888-426-6184www.JoinAvoya.com

We are committed to helping independent travel agencies live a lifestyle of success and are looking for passionate experts that sell cruises, tours, and vacation packages, and who run their businesses with Integrity and ProfessionalismTM.

• O� ered 24/7, Live Leads enable travel professionals to focus on selling to new and repeat customers, earning top tier commissions, and living a lifestyle of success.

• Live Leads are sent via the phone, Internet, and now text message to only one Independent A� liate per lead based on their expertise and performance.

• Choose what you want your agency to sell, specialize in what you’re good at selling, and have the freedom to focus on your clients – we’ll take care of the rest.

Our home-based Independent A�liates earn income levels that are often double, even triple, the industry average. With our Live Leads program, the grass really is greener!

Live Leads™ Program

Then, now, always: The Royal AdvantageSM

Throughout our 40-year history, Royal Caribbean International® has continually pushed the limits of what’s possible at sea to deliver the vacation of a lifetime, every time. We call it the Royal AdvantageSM

—our drive to provide the best, most innovative ships, features, destinations and personalized service to our guests. In 2011, the Royal Advantage will be more apparent than ever. That’s when Royal Caribbean will begin enhancements to expand our most popular innovations to select ships.

More to see, more to do, more to love. LIBERTY of the SEAS® Starting January 30, 2011 OASIS of the SEAS® Starting February 26, 2011 FREEDOM of the SEAS® Starting March 27, 2011 RADIANCE of the SEAS® Beginning of summer 2011 SPLENDOUR of the SEAS® Beginning of fall 2011

To learn more details on Royal Advantage 2011 enhancements, visit:www.RoyalCaribbean.com/RoyalAdvantage or www.CruisingPower.com

©20

11 R

oyal

Car

ibb

ean

Cru

ises

Ltd

. Shi

ps

reg

istr

y: T

he B

aham

as.

ROYAL ADVANTAGESM

DELIVERING MORE WOWS TO MORE SHIPS IN 2011

, moro seee tMorCaribbean will begin enhanc

ts. In 20o our guestvide the besoo pre t—our drivt sea tsible as pos’twha

oughout our 40-hrT, alwww, alwhen, noT

o loe t, moro doe t, morxpand our moso eements tCaribbean will begin enhanc

antage will be mordval Ayo11, the Rts. In 20avt innot, mosvide the bes

tion of a lifacaer the vo delivt sea tal Caribbean Intyo, Rorytear hisyoughout our 40-

dval Ayohe Rs: Tya, alw

ev lo ovt popular innoxpand our mos

ent than ee apparantage will be mortinaes, destureae ships, ftiva

ery timev, eetimetion of a liftional® has cernaal Caribbean Int

SMantagedv

o select ships.tions tavt popular innoyos when R’tha. Tervent than e

ed servictions and personaliztinadval Ayoe call it the R. Wery time

ontinually pushed the limits oftional® has c

al ye ed servic

SMantagedvontinually pushed the limits of

, moro seee tMor S the e off theLIBERTY AE S the e off theSISAAOOA

theoff theFREEDOM thoff theNCE ADIARRA

alCaribbeyyalCaribbean..Rooyww.Rowwe details on Ro learn morTTo learn mor

ofPLENDOUR S

o loe t, moro doe t, mortarting January 30 SS®AAS®E S

ebruary 26, 20tarting F SS®AAch 2tarting MarSS®AAS®E S e e

Beginning of summer 20S® AAS® E S he e

antage dvvantage or walAyyalAom/RooycalCaribbean.antage 20dval Ayoe details on R

Beginning of fS®AAE S the e ff the

.ev lo ov11, 20tarting January 3011ebruary 26, 20

11, 207ch 211Beginning of summer 20

c.err.wweroCruisingP.ww.wantage or wements, visit:11 enhancantage 20

11all 20Beginning of f

omc

Documents

Travel Agent Professional April 2011