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Travel Agent Professional March 2011 Issue 3 4 An Interview With Scott... By Mary Brutscher 8 Client for Life... By Mitchell J. Schlesinger 14 Why Are You In This Business? By Rusty Pickett

Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

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TAP is one of the only magazine for the Home Based Trade Agent.... With stories written by industry leaders like Rusty Pickett, ECCShellback Cruises, Scott Koepf, VP of Sales Avoya Travel/American Express, Mitchell J. Schlesinger, VP Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity, Paull Tickner, Creator of Special Interest Britain and Les-Lee Roland, Owner of The Package Deal... also up to date info on today Host Agencies.

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Page 1: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

Travel AgentProfessional

March 2011Issue 3

4 An Interview With Scott...By Mary Brutscher

8 Client for Life...By Mitchell J. Schlesinger

14 Why Are You In This Business?By Rusty Pickett

Page 2: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

©2011 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Malta and Ecuador. 11022868 • 03/2011

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Page 3: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

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Travel Agent Professional TAP

2011

Ad In

dex

64 Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation CenterAn Interview With Scott Koepf

By Mary Brutscher

Former Host Agency Owner & Travel Educational Instructor

68 Malt Shop Memories CruiseBy Les-Lee Roland

Owner of The Package Deal

10 Clients for Life: The Three “Rs”By Mitchell J. Schlesinger

Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity

14 Why Are You In This Business?By Rusty Pickett, ECC

Shellback Cruises

18 Razzle DazzleBy Scott Koepf

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

March

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Page 4: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

It was through JoelÕs perseverance, insight and love for the

travel agent community and a relationship to the industry as a

whole that has enabled all of us to succeed and prosper as entre-

preneurs in the travel industry.

— Sherry KennedyReprinted from Feb. 2007 Home Based Trade with writer permission

Travel AgentProfessional

March 2011 Issue 3

January 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 Neal Award,called “the Pulitzer Prize of the business press,” for his hard-hitting editori-als.

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:

mailto:[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 Instructor

mailto:[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

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

Page 5: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

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Page 6: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

March 2011

Mary Brutscher: Scott, you’ve been a name in thetravel industry for quite awhile now, are well

respected among your peers and travel agents

throughout the country and you have provided

some great insight into the sales aspect of the indus-

try to new agents and veterans alike. With that in

mind , please provide us with some insight into s and

why you think it could increase an agent’s sales.

Scott Koepf: After 25 years in the industry, I’velearned that there are two businesses that travel

professionals get themselves into — the marketing

business and the selling business. Marketing is

becoming increasingly more difficult for smaller

agencies to compete with larger agencies, and

more expensive than ever before.

It is difficult for travel professionals to remain com-

petitive and continue to find new clients, and with-

out customers, agencies cannot continue to sell

travel. Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center is a

perfect balance, offering independent agencies the

ability to outsource their marketing, as well as

other aspects of their business, so that the travel

professional can focus on building their sales based

on the specialties they want to sell.

MB: What sets Avoya Travel apart from its com-petition? What are the benefits of affiliating with

Avoya Travel?

Scott: Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Centeroffers a turnkey marketing solution unlike anything

in the industry that enables travel professionals to

do what they do best – sell travel.

There is a statistic out there that 65% of all travel

business starts with Internet research. This means

that consumers are going online to search for

their vacation, so not only do they have more

Mary Brutschermailto:[email protected]

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Forthis month’s host focus, I spoke to Scott

Koepf, travel industry veteran (and not a bad singer either!)

who is currently the vice president of sales for Avoya

Travel/America’s Vacation Center.

Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center

An Interview With Scott Koepf

Page 7: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

5

Travel Agent Professional

options and resources available, they are also more

educated on products, pricing, and deals.

Today, it is almost impossible for independent

agencies to compete in this online marketplace and

have their websites be found by consumers. Avoya

Travel/America’s Vacation Center is unique

because travel professionals can benefit from

world-class, competitive marketing without incur-

ring the cost, or spending the time.

We also provide every independent agency with a

private label Web site, which shares the content with

and looks just like our AvoyaTravel.com site, except it

displays the travel professional’s contact information.

Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center offers

many benefits in addition to our turnkey marketing,

which sets us apart from our competition. One

example of benefits is the fact that Avoya

Travel/America’s Vacation Center has been affiliated

with the American Express Travel Representative

Network for over 20 years, which offers many ben-

efits to our independent agencies and their cus-

tomers, including being able to offer clients the

option to purchase their vacation using their

American Express Membership Rewards Points!

Additionally, Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation

Center’s network of independent agencies also

have access to our award-winning, patent-pending

Agent Power™ technology to operate their busi-

ness more efficiently.

The integrated Web-based program offers our

Independent Affiliates improved CRM resources,

on-demand supplier and business trainings, Internal

social media to help independent affiliates connect

with each other, easy commission tracking, and

more. Commissions are paid to our network via

automatic deposit on a weekly basis and we are

the only host agency in the industry to pay weekly.

MB: Prompt payment of commission has always beena major concern for travel agents and many have

faced difficulties collecting commissions owed them.

It’s fantastic to know that those commissions are paid

not only promptly, but on a weekly basis as well!

What do you perceive as the agent’s biggest obsta-

cle with today’s economy and how can Avoya

Travel help agents overcome these obstacles?

Scott: The biggest obstacle today for travel pro-fessionals is finding new customers. Good travel

agencies have repeat and referral clients, however

most agencies need more customers to continue

to grow and prosper.

Every agency needs new leads; however, it is com-

petitive and expensive, both in time and money, to

find these new customers. Avoya Travel/America’s

Vacation Center helps entrepreneurs overcome

this obstacle with its turnkey marketing, which

allows travel agencies to gain the time and money

back that they would have spent themselves on

marketing so they can spend it working leads and

closing sales to ultimately make more money.

MB: I like that you use the word entrepreneurs torefer to these agents because that is exactly what

they are. This is a business venture (and adventure)

just like with any other industry and has its share

of stumbling blocks and issues to overcome.

I’ve asked other hosting programs abut one particular

issue that continues to be a major concern: When

agents affiliate with a host who is out of their area,(continued on page 6)

Page 8: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

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March 2011

they fear they will miss out on local events, such as

supplier training functions, ship inspections and so

forth. How would you address these worries?

Scott: Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Centerhas hundreds of Independent

Affiliates located all over the United States and

beyond. We haven’t found this to be a concern in our

network because we have support staff specifically

assigned to working with our preferred suppliers.

Our strong relationships with these suppliers enable

us to make training, FAMs, ship inspections, special

supplier events, and more available to our network of

Independent Affiliates on a continuous basis.

MB: Does Avoya Travel offer marketing programsfor their agents?

Scott: This is a good question and most host agencies

would answer it with a yes. Many host agencies would

also explain how the programs offered help travel

professionals reach their own databases and market

to this list of customers. With these models, ultimate-

ly the travel professional still has to find the customer.

Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center has an

opportunity l ike no one else! While our

Independent Affiliates may have their own book of

business, it isn’t necessary because we also offer

new clients through our Live Leads™ program.

MB: Some agents have tightened their belts evenmore these days and some may consider Avoya

Travel and other large hosting programs beyond

their reach. How would you answer these agents?

Scott: Our business model is based on Shared Successand not on charging multiple fees for using various

aspects of our program. Avoya Travel/America’s

Vacation Center has one initial flat-rate start-up fee,

which is very reasonable. We have a Shared Success

model of doing business and are not fee-based. Avoya

Travel/America’s Vacation Center is looking for entre-

preneurial-minded professionals who want to run their

own travel business. We’re not interested in hobbyists

and travel agents that aren’t serious about selling vaca-

tions. For dedicated travel professionals, when they affili-

ate their independent agencies with Avoya

Travel/America’s Vacation Center, the time and money

they save in marketing and building their client data-base

is unmatched – largely because of our investment in

marketing for Live Leads™, which are new customers.

MB: Does Avoya Travel accept new agents and ifnot, how would a prospective agent qualify, such

as time requirement or travel school?

Scott: Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center’scurrent model isn’t designed for new travel agents.

In our existing model, we’d like to have experi-

enced travel professionals with a proven sales his-

tory because we have customers today ready to

be connected with our Independent Affiliates, and

we need them to be ready to close sales.

Scott KoepfVice President of Sales

Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center

www.JoinAvoya.com

Page 9: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

Travel Agent Professional

G R E E K I S L E S H O LY L A N D

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Page 10: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

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Les-Lee RolandOwner of The Package Deal

8 Malt Shop

March 2011

Baby Boomers are the largesttarget audience you can reach today. For agents

who are looking for a niche market, this one

should be at the top of your list.

When you think of Baby Boomers, it doesn’t mat-

ter which part of the country they reside, there is

one common denominator that is shared —

MUSIC! Besides making the hula hoop and coon-

skin Davy Crockett hats the biggest fads of the

50s, they also bought more 45s than any genera-

tion. (For those too young to remember, 45s were

records, not guns).

Chubby Checker taught an entire generation how to

Twist. The Beach Boys introduced surfing to mid

America, And groups like the Fireflies, the Devotions,

the Del Rays, and Little Anthony and the Imperials

were as popular then as Lady Gaga is today. And the

words Doo-Wop still make people smile!

And how about Elvis? His music is even more

popular today than when his hips were gyrating.

So take this love of music and reach out to the

many baby boomers around you, and introduce

them to the Malt Shop Memories Cruise.

What makes this sailing different from the few

theme cruises we’ve heard about before? This

cruise is the only full ship charter devoted tothis genre of music. The Carnival Inspiration will

sail from Tampa, Oct 27-31, stopping at Grand

Bahama. It is the only cruise that will have The

Beach Boys, Chubby Checker, Little Anthony and

the Imperials, Jay Black, Shirley Alston Reeves, Lou

Christie, among other groups and entertainers

who will be appearing throughout the cruise.

Onboard events will include an Elvis Tribute

Artist Contest hosted by Shawn Klush, who is an

imitator of the King himself. All will be competing

for a $2,500 prize, plus additional perks.

So let’s review how this is a bonus for travel

agents. This full ship charter is totally commis-

sionable, except for the port charges/fees/gratu-

Page 11: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

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Travel Agent Professional

ities. The shows are all included in the cruise rate,

unlike other theme cruises. Everyone on board is

there for the entertainment, and there is more

offered on this cruise than any other.

There will be daytime shows as well as the main

evening entertainment in the theater, plus dance

contests and theme parties, such as a prom, a

beach party and a sock hop. Clients can see the

complete lineup via a dedicated Web page.

The public cannot book this with Carnival- it has

to be booked through a travel agent or the Web

site. There even is a payment plan you can offer.

Plus, if you book your clients now, they get to

choose a bonus- choices ranging from a ship-

board credit, a 4 CD gift, front row seats for a

performance, and Meet and Greet sessions with

Chubby Checker or other performers.

How to find ideal candidates for this perfect group

booking opportunity? Agents should check their

database – start first with the Baby Boomers.

Look around in your area for young retirement

communities. Contact high school reunion com-

mittees. Tie in a promotion with local merchants

who cater to the same genre.

This entire event is run by Jazz Cruises, a full ship

charter company dedicated to music. They know

how to treat your clients to the party of their lives.

For the past ten years, both their Smooth Jazz and

their Straight Up Jazz cruises have been sold out

with people coming from all over the world.

Agents can visit the website , www.malt-

shopcruise.com or call Timeless Destinations

at 305-651-3636 or e-mail info@timelessdestina-

tions.com and register to sell this “Experience of a

Lifetime.”

Memories Cruise

Page 12: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

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

DatabaseEverything you know about your clients’ travel history, personal preferences, hobbies,

demographics, psychographics, etc. makes your relationship with them seem that

much more connected. Find the technology right for you to build a CRM model for

each of your clients.

Managing the Client Relationship

Every point of contact with you and/or your team is a judged evaluation by your

clients. If there are team members, they must be properly trained to understand pre-

cisely the importance of each and every client in terms of purchasing their own travel

and, more importantly, their value as an unofficial member of the agency’s sales team

by virtue of their referrals.

Conveying the importance of understanding consumer behavior is crucial in manag-

ing the customer relationship and having clients build trust that you are providing

them with travel recommendations based on what you know about them demo-

graphically and psychographically.

Clients for Life:

The Successful Customer

The Three “Rs”

Buildings are not constructed without a founda-tion. Neither are successful customer service action plans

that enable you to capture “Clients for Life.” The com-

plete foundation consists of the combination of the infor-

mation presented in previous ar ticles. Fur ther develop-

ment of the action plan needs these key elements

PLUS the 3 “R”s.

Page 13: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

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Travel Agent Professional

Implementing the 3 Rs

Service Action Plan Needs

(continued on page 12)

Recognition

As part of managing the customer relationship,

recognition is highlighted by the critical aspects con-

tributing to the process of retaining client loyalty.

Engagement: Your opportunity to create a “con-nected relationship” with your clients and provide

a personalized level of service far superior to any-

thing they can receive from online or mega agen-

cies. Travel sellers ask all the time; “what can I do

to compete with these big agencies?”

You can insure that you establish a service standard

that cannot be duplicated and by creating a con-

nected relationship only you can provide personal-

ized travel recommendations that come from your

knowing more about your clients than anyone else.

Part of the team: Invite loyal clients to speak on

your behalf at cruise nights and agency sales

events. Also, use their pictures and testimonials on

your Web site after they return from the trip. It

personalizes your agency and strengthens the

relationship with your clients.

Communications: Think in terms of the amountand the style of communication your clients (and you)

receive from airline or hotel programs they may

belong to. While the communication is personally

directed, it contains no real personal connection. They

are also receiving direct mail and/or E-mail communi-

cations directly from suppliers. Make sure that as part

of managing their travel over time, your communication

does the best job of recognizing them and includes

recommended travel based on previous history and

personal preferences and aspirations.

Page 14: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

March 2011

ReferralsIn an earlier article I referred to client loyalty as a

legal pyramid scheme and that implementing an

effective referral program can be the catalyst for

aggressively generating new clients. Measuring the

value of a client includes their own travel PLUS the

number of referrals they provide to your agency.

The repeat travel metric is a function of how often they

book travel with you, how much they spend and if the

spend level increases with each trip, the percentage;

The referral metric is a measurement over time of

the number of clients they refer annually and the cal-

culation of the travel spending from the new clients;

This value recognition is an important distinction for

clients providing you with significant referral business

in conjunction with their own travel activity.

An effective referral program should be the result of

two scenarios:

1. With the combination of superior service andtravel experiences that have fully met and/or

exceeded expectations, clients are compelled to tell

others about their trip and your agency. Clients love

to tell family and friends about memorable vacations.

2. You harness these positive reactions with areward program addressed below.

Rewards

A successful rewards program should be implemented

with two targets in mind:

Clients: An effective referral reward program forexisting clients should be simple, tangible and cumula-

tive. It should also be scaled to reflect the expenditures

of the products being purchased by referred traveler.

As an example, providing a $25 referral fee per guest is

fine when the new client purchases a travel product

under $1,000 per person, however the rewards should

scale up as the spending increases. When an existing

luxury client refers a new client who books a $10,000

trip, the reward should give your client the perception

that you truly value their support.

Team Members: In order to ensure that your cus-tomer service action plan succeeds, it must also reward

agency team members for providing the level of cus-

tomer service that meets and exceeds the standards

YOU set. An age old truism for managing teams is this:

tell them and they will listen, show them and they will

look, involve them and they will understand. Remember,

you must involve your team so that they fully under-

stand the customer service standard and remind them

that they are always an ambassador for the agency.

Most importantly, rewards can modify and reinforce

behavior and a variety of recognition components make

for powerful rewards. Reward incentives for teams and

team members should be based on and structured with

several elements, including:

• Comments from clients;

• Recommendations from other team members;

• Your own observations;

• Bonuses for bookings, scaled by expenditure;

• Agency productivity weekly, monthly, quarterly etc.;

• Service recognition that includes a PR release to a

local newspaper and in a newsletter you send to clients;

• “On the spot” mini-rewards (i.e.; gift cards) for

individual service performance;

• “Surprise” team awards (lunches or dinners

together) for positive results;

• Individual rewards for sales and service over des-

ignated periods of time.

So, to sum up: Successfully implementing a customerservice action plan that retains clients for life requires

treating customers as lifetime partners and ensuring

that team members fully understand the customer

service standards and implementing the 3 R’s.

12

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March 2011

When was the last time you seri-

ously sat down and contemplated why you

are in this business? I think if you do this

periodically, you find yourself becoming a

better agent, providing better service to

your customers. Here are some random

thoughts on possible answers.

• “I love to travel.” This is probably true for most of us.But does that mean you can transfer your excitement to

a client or run a business? Why do you love to travel –

simply to get away from home and relieve whatever

stress you are under (a vacation), or to expand your

knowledge and understanding of another culture, its peo-

ple and geographic location? If you are able to observe

and absorb, you will likely be able to effectively pass this

information to a client needing your advice.

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Why Are You In This

Business?

Rusty Pickett, ECCShellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com

(continued on page 16)

Page 17: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011
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March 2011

• “I want to run my own business.” Certainly anoble cause, but what makes you think you actually

can run a small business? What education, experi-

ence and knowledge of basic business practices and

accounting/taxes do you have? What about the legal

aspects of running a business? How are you going

to get this information? What are the attributes of

someone in this business that makes an agent suc-

cessful? How many of these attributes do you have?

• OK, you figured out you can run your own

business. “What are going to do with your busi-

ness?” Although I am not a big believer that a one

person home-based business needs a written for-

mal business plan, it may be helpful depending on

your past experience, you need to have some idea

of what you want to do — a simple strategic plan

— niche market, honeymoons, cruise only, affinity

groups, religious tours etc.

Like all effective strategic plans, yours isn’t carved

in granite, but rather a fluid ‘document’ that will

change as you gain experience in the business.

Probably the biggest issue facing the business is

where are you going to get your clients? They

don’t just materialize out of thin air.

If you talk to most successful home based agents,

they will tell you that most new clients come from

word of mouth recommendations. This is not a

fast process, and you need to accept this fact. I

met a new agent at a trade show that was learning

the ropes, that stated that his business plan was

based on the goal of selling $500,000 in gross sales

his first year in business. I responded that I wished

him well, and if he achieved that goal he would be

the first new agent to do this!

• “I want /need to make money to supplementour family income.” Certainly a great reason —

and a goal of any business — is to make money for

the stakeholders. But this reasoning can be dan-

gerous also, as it can influence your decision mak-

ing. If this is your primary business goal, then you

will likely find yourself making supplier decisions

based more on your potential earnings than the

effective qualification of your client.

A better way to approach this problem is to put

your business in the best position possible for

increasing income/commission through the

thoughtful choice of a host agency and/or consor-

tium, and then match the client with the supplier

without regard to the commission earned. By defi-

nition, you have maximized your income.

Whether you are new to the industry or a veter-

an, since our industry is always changing, it is

important to take time to rethink why you are

doing what you do.

Whether you are new to the industry or a veteran, sinceour industry is always changing, it is important to take time

to rethink why you are doing what you do.‘ ’

Page 19: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

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

Page 20: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

Razzle Dazzle18

By

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tt

K

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pf

March 2011

Scott KoepfVice President of Sales

Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center

www.JoinAvoya.com

In my continuing quest to make musical theatre

the classroom for sales success in retail travel, I hope these

lessons will make their way into your daily routines and

change your life in unimaginable ways. Now, you might say

that I am the master of hyperbole but actually that leads me

to the point of this month’s dissertation!

You are a part of the most exciting industry in the world (well,

actually, your business is the world!). You have the privilege to

help customer’s dreams come true. You provide the avenue to

romance, adventure, relaxation, exploration, education, interac-

tion, renewal and a thousand other results. Travel is fun.

While I am a realist and I know how hard you work, your

clients only want to know that you are the right choice to

bring them what their heart desires. And how do your

clients know you are the right choice? The answer is actually

much simpler than we would like.

(continued on page 16)

Page 21: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011
Page 22: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

20I would love to tell you that it is because of your

exceptional product knowledge and the fact that

you have been certified by 48 suppliers and have

specialist certificates from 112 countries. But I

can’t. I could tell you that your success is deter-

mined by the 400 hours of sales training you

have attended and that the top ten closing tech-

niques are tattooed on your fingers. Sadly, I can’t

tell you that either. Then I should be able to tell

you that it will be your extraordinary customer

service and the love and affection that you

shower upon your customers that will be the

reason your customers will know you are the

right choice. Uh, wrong again. I cannot tell you

that because it is simply not true.

Product knowledge, sales ability and customer ser-

vice are all very important and will be imperative

for keeping customers for the long term. However

the sad truth is that customers are going to decide

if they want to do business with you in the first few

minutes they interact with you. Your knowledge,

skills and service cannot be displayed in the time

that the customer is deciding to work with you.

So what is it then that you need to do to have the

chance to use that well-honed product knowl-

edge, that polished sales approach and that loyalty

inducing service? Simple.

Give ‘em the old Razzle Dazzle,Razzle Dazzle ‘em

Give ‘em act with lots of flash in itAnd the reaction will be passionate

If you are familiar with Chicago the musical you

know this song is sung by the infamous Billy Flynn

and that the song goes on to extoll the virtues of

“fooling, flim-flaming and generally hornswaggling”

people. Rest assured, I do not recommend that in

any way — especially in our business, which is nat-

urally exciting and thrilling.

The problem is that after more than a quarter

century in this business, I have seen or heard too

few travel agents who “wow” customers in the

first two minutes of the first contact. You know

the clichés about how fast first impressions occur

— I can promise you they are not just clichés!

When you answer the phone or say hello, you

have to think like Billy Flynn. This is your show,

you are the star and you need to shine!

Razzle your customers by the tone and excitement

in your voice. Dazzle them with an introductory

sentence that is unique and embodies what you sell

— romance, adventure and all of the others noted

above. Flash may be considered inauthentic but if

you believe in yourself and the positive impact you

will have on your customers’ lives, then Razzle,

Dazzle and Flash will be the difference between you

and the rest of your competitors who have forgot-

ten what it is they are really selling!

As the lyric says, “The reaction will be passionate.”

Can you think of a better result you would desire

from your first two sentences with a customer? We

often hear how important it is to be passionate in

this business and for this business. I am here to tell

you that that is only the price of admission, the real

indication of your ability and your income potential

is if you can create passion in other people!

Think feathers, think soft shoe, think showtime

and then Razzle Dazzle your customers and not

only will the reaction be passionate but your

income will soar. If you don’t then you will be just

like Mr. Cellophane, but that’s another article!

March 2011

Page 23: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

New, quality Live Leads (delivered exclusively to you!)

Backing of American Express(the most recognizable travel brand in the world)

Exclusive, cutting-edge technology (voted #1 by top cruise and tour companies!)

High commission levels (paid weekly!)

And so VERY much more...

©2011 Avoya Travel / America’s Vacation Center. All rights reserved. America’s Vacation Center, Avoya, Avoya Travel, Agent Power, America’s Vacation Center University(AVCU), and Live Leads, among others, are registered and unregistered trademarks and/or service marks of Avoya Travel / America’s Vacation Center in the United Statesand other countries. Other parties’ trademarks or service marks are the property of the respective owners. CST# 2016664-10 | Fla. Seller of Travel Ref. No. ST3

“Since joining Avoya Travel / America’s Vacation Center, I have seen my commissions increase by over 450% withtheir New Clients from Live Leads™!”

CALL NOW! (888) 426-6184 or visit us at JoinAvoya.com

“Virtually all of my clients are from Avoya Travel / America’s Vacation Center. They do all the marketing and send the NewClients straight to me, and I get to watch my income rise!”

“There’s simply no better opportunityto increase your income than with Avoya Travel / America’s VacationCenter. No other host agency offersyou New Clients from Live Leads™, and our Independent Affiliates are proven to make more money!”

Scott KoepfVice President of SalesAvoya Travel / America’s Vacation Center

MAKE MORE MONEY with New Clients from Live Leads™!

MAKE MORE MONEY with New Clients from Live Leads™!

MAKE MORE MONEY with New Clients from Live Leads™!

MAKE MORE MONEY with New Clients from Live Leads™!

MAKE MORE MONEY with New Clients from Live Leads™!

AVOYA TRAVEL BENEFITS:New, qualit

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Page 24: Travel Agent Professional Mar 2011

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

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