Three Wishes – Simply Sales with Scott

The Three Wishes Every Travel Advisor Should Make—And How to Grant Them

Contributed By: Scott Koepf, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)– Cruise Planners

A new musical based on an old movie which is based on a much older story has opened on Broadway. Aladdin is a great tale of overcoming the odds and making wishes come true. The fable is not so far removed from the life of a travel advisor. The Magic Lamp, or more specifically, the Genie, grants three wishes to Aladdin. But it is what he learns on his journey, not the three wishes, that allows him to achieve his goals. So to that end, there are three wishes I think every Travel Professional needs to make and more importantly live out. Surprisingly (not really, if you have read this column over the years!) each of the three are best represented by a song from the musical!

Three Wishes - Simply Sales with Scott

Just like the opening sequence in the show, Travel Advisors, like Aladdin, must be nimble, smart and prepared to stay one step ahead. In the case of Advisors it should be one step in front of the competition as compared to Aladdin who was staying one step ahead of the law. As the (slightly adjusted) lyrics make clear:

One jump ahead of the slowpokes

One skip ahead of my doom

Next time (I’ll ask before I assume)

One jump ahead of the (online guys)

One hit ahead of the flock

I think I’ll (see my clients waving from the dock)

It may feel like you are running with a monkey on your back, darting this way and that to stay on top of your business but as your competition gets bigger and more aggressive it is imperative that you do stay one jump ahead. This is done through scheduled preparation. How much time each day do you dedicate to Sales Techniques, Marketing Skills, Product Knowledge and working on your business instead of in your business? Make your wish to become unique and indispensable come true by taking time each day to build your ‘reason to buy from you’.

The second wish is for those who contact you to trust you. Sounds easy but all successful sales will occur because a level of trust has been established. The truth is that most consumers today do not know that Travel Advisors even exist or what they do. Yet most advisors rely on providing good service as the primary reason to do business with them, and yet they don’t explain what this means. Therefore, to make this wish come true, you have to craft a script describing what your ‘good service’ is and deliver the message very early in your conversation. The Genie wasted no time to express exactly what role he was going to play for Aladdin (his new customer). Like your customers, Aladdin was a bit overwhelmed and confused by this big blue guy so the Genie immediately cleared up what his relationship would be, as you should, with the following song:

Mister Aladdin, sir
What will your pleasure be?
Let me take your order
Jot it down
You ain’t never had a friend like me
No no no

Life is your restaurant
And I’m your maitre d’
C’mon whisper what it is you want
You ain’t never had a friend like me

Yes sir, we pride ourselves on service
You’re the boss
The king, the shah
Say what you wish
It’s yours! True dish
How about a little more Baklava?

Have some of column “A”
Try all of column “B”
I’m in the mood to help you dude
You ain’t never had a friend like me

Mister Aladdin, sir, have a wish or two or three
I’m on the job, you big nabob
You ain’t never had a friend, never had a friend You ain’t never (never!)
Had a Friend, like me!
Never had a friend like me!

The Genie did not wait to show Aladdin what he would do or that he could be trusted. He simply told Alladin that he would be a friend like he had never experienced before! In our competitive business environment you don’t have the luxury of waiting to prove how good you are after the sale is made. You have to sing to them right away and tell them that ‘they ain’t never had a (travel advisor) friend like you!’

Once you have established trust with your customer, then you can close the sale with the song made for travel advisors. While I do not expect all of you to actually sing this to your clients (although maybe a few of you…), this is your opportunity to ‘romance the sale’ and leave them thrilled with anticipation, just like the lyrics promise:

I can show you the world

Shining, shimmering, splendid

Tell me, (customer name),

Now when did you last let your heart decide?

I can open your eyes

Take you wonder by wonder

Over, sideways and under

On a magic (travel) ride

A whole new world

A new fantastic point of view

No one to tell (you) no or where to go

Or say you’re only dreaming