Happy National Travel Advisor Appreciation Day!

Travel advisors are the unsung heroes of the travel industry. You play a critical role with customers in planning, research, trouble-shooting, and even sometimes marriage counseling! Yet, you are also often the last ones to articulate your unique value, let alone put it in writing.

The value you provide is the key to building long-term customers for life. It’s time to share your greatness with the world.

Here are five great ways to articulate your unique value to customers.

1. The top 10 reasons to book with me
Pull out a blank page and create an exhaustive list of everything you do for clients. It’s easier to communicate your value when you step back and consider your entire portfolio of services. You’ll be amazed at how much you do for your clients that you don’t even think about, but at the same time, those things mean the world to them.

Next, prioritize your list, leading with the areas that strongly differentiate you from the field and have the biggest impact on your clients. Be as specific as possible. For example, “I help clients have personalized, life-changing vacations that exceed their expectations before, during and after the trip.”  Or, “I ensure that they have the best of all possible air connections, views, and front-of-the-line experiences on every leg of their journey.”

To get started, checkout our Top 10 Reasons to Use a Travel Advisor. This was the most widely shared Travel Market Report article in 2018. 

2. Include your value with every quote
It’s not about price. If you want to get away from the price comparison conversation, focus on the complete vacation experience by including your value on every quote. Don’t assume clients know what you do differently or why it matters to their vacation. For example, “This quote includes customized research, best price and value, expert advice on travel protection and travel advisories, exclusive supplier and in-destination relationships, and so much more.”

3. Work with the best, let go of the rest
Work with clients who value your value. It’s estimated that only 10% of customers are transaction-oriented, basing their decisions entirely on the lowest price. The remaining 90% of customers prefer personalized service, and once the differences are explained, they understand the benefit of working with a travel professional like you. 

The best way to know what type of client you’re dealing with is to ask more questions before you spend time doing the research. For example, questions such as: “What has your research told you so far?”; “On a scale of 1–10, how important is it to you to find the best price?”; “What else, beyond price, would be most important to you?” This line of questioning leads you straight into your value proposition.

4. Advocate for your services
To fee or not to fee?  Did you know that, according to Host Agency Reviews, only about 33% of advisors consistently charge a consulting fee? The biggest reason advisors don’t charge a fee is, “Fear of not attracting new clients.” Ironically, the best way to attract new clients is to advocate for your services. 

Advisors who charge a consultation fee upfront report a dramatic reduction in “shoppers.”  They set the expectation that their time and expertise have a value far beyond the fee they set.  Your Top 10 Reasons is the perfect way to set up the context for your worth.

5. Include endorsements
Social media is a powerful tool to help increase your business. It has deep roots within the travel industry, which has always been based on friends recommending friends. 

Take time to proactively seek endorsements from clients and suppliers, particularly in those areas for which you want to be famous. Hint: People are busy. Make this easy for them by writing a simple testimonial based on skills they’ve commended you on in the past. You can quickly create a library of testimonials for your website and the Top 10 Reasons document. 

Are you an expert in communicating your value? Has it made a difference in your business? I’m interested in your success stories. Tell me more. Email me at gree@travelmarketreport.