You think Black Friday is busy for retailers; you should think about Travel Advisors and Agents the same way for a more extended period, through Wave Season. Wave Season is the first three months of each year when most travel is scheduled for summer vacations and ski trips.
One of the things we pride ourselves on at Levarté Travel is training and providing tools for our members to be ready. A Travel Advisor must organize and plan for the upcoming Wave Season during November and December of each year. Also, the holidays are a great time to get the word out that you offer travel booking services to your network – what better way than to include something in your holiday or Christmas card.
Another great thing for Travel Advisors or Agents to think about is the number of promotions and consumer/client-facing you will receive from Suppliers and Vendors. Thousands of offers for added value, discounts, ship or resorts credits, and so much more. As the owner and CEO of your travel business, ensure you have a plan and cadence to communicate these out to your prospects and clients. Utilize all your communication vehicles, including but not limited to:
- Social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Tik-Tok, Snapchat, etc.
- Your business website (Levarté Travel automatically populates offers on our member’s client-facing website) – we try to make it easy for members to help them out when they are busy.
- Call campaign – take the list of your top 30 to 50 clients and schedule 30 minutes a day to call them and say hi. Be ready to leave a voice message, but it is a very personal touchpoint; after all, you as their travel agent are helping them make lifelong memories.
- Postcards – run an incentive yourself for your agency – anyone who books in January gets a gift card of some sort when they return or maybe a picture book if they submit pictures to you after their trip. (Lots of options here and have fun with it.)
- Emails – send a dedicated email with a link for people to request a meeting with you about their 2022 and 2023 vacations.
- And so much more!
So be ready for Wave Season and ensure your host agency provides the tools and training you need to be successful, whether it is your first Wave Season or your 20th season – be ready.