This is the third instalment of our three-part, Open Jaw U series on sales. The opportunity to sell unfolds at every step in the customer journey, from Customer Attraction, to Customer Service, to today's focus: Customer Retention.
Customer Retention
Your client comes back from their vacation, and you welcome them home with a warm phone call. You ask them for all the glorious, and not so glorious details. You line up your discovery question perfectly:
Describe what your next vacation would look like?
Where are you going next?
Can I get started on researching some options?
WAIT! It’s been two years since you’ve had one of those conversations! How do you sell through customer retention when you don’t have customers travelling?
You need to rekindle the flame.
Here are three ways to light a fire again as part of your revised customer retention strategy for the post-pandemic era.
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Connect with clients in a personalized and relevant way!
Let them know you’re excited about travel again and why. It’s no secret that the industry has been on a long pause.
Clients have questions about who is still in the game and who they can speak to. Let them know why you started and why you stay! Your passion and commitment matter!
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Ask questions.
Use a survey to probe into your customers’ mindset. Use a simple survey such as Survey Monkey (it's FREE for 10 questions or less), or send an email.
Here are a few sample questions to get you started:
- Where is the first, second, and third place you’ll go when you’re ready to travel again?
- What do you miss most about travel?
- What was your best travel experience?
- Do you have a photo you are willing to share? (Make a mini flyer or postcard for them and send it back to them!)
- Why is travel important to you?
- What kind of new experiences are you hoping to try?
- What do you value most in a travel advisor?
- When will you travel next?
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Create an impact!
Use every visual, virtual, and viral thing you can think of to inspire your clients. Clients need to be engaged through their senses.
In addition, high-impact messages are easy to share with a friend! Here are a few ideas:
- Create a weekly video with updates on the most recent good news in travel or fun facts about geography, history, or culture - pick a passion topic and share!
- Use high-impact videos from your core partners that show actual travel experiences – right now!
- Share photos of past trips you can’t wait to get back to!
- Share photos of people “like them” who are already traveling - no commercials, just real people!
- Co-host an event with an expert you admire.
What high-impact ideas are working for you?
‘Sales’ is so much more than taking a credit card. It’s about opening the doors of opportunity through the entire customer journey: Customer Attraction, Customer Service, Customer Retention.
YOU are the experience. You've got this!
