Clients today are more engaged than ever when it comes to planning their travels. With a wealth of online resources, travel influencers, and booking platforms at their fingertips, many clients will come to you with ideas of their own. Instead of seeing this as a challenge, embrace it as an opportunity to collaborate and strengthen your client relationships! Here’s how to do it effectively.
Collaboration in the Planning Phase
The planning stage is where client collaboration truly begins. Some clients will come to you with Pinterest boards full of dream destinations, while others may send links to hotels or experiences they’ve found on social media. Rather than feeling intimidated, use this as a way to better understand their preferences.
How to Approach Client Suggestions:
- Listen and Learn – Take note of what your clients are drawn to. Are they researching on Instagram? Following specific influencers? Reading reviews on certain travel blogs? This insight helps you refine your recommendations.
- Validate and Enhance – If a client suggests a particular hotel, tour, or experience, don’t just dismiss or accept it blindly. Instead, research it yourself and provide additional context. Maybe there’s a better suite option, a VIP experience, or a hidden gem nearby they haven’t discovered.
- Manage Expectations – Sometimes, what clients find online doesn’t always align with reality. If an experience looks too good to be true, explain why and offer alternatives that better suit their expectations.
Building Engagement Leading Up to the Trip
Once the trip is booked, the collaboration shouldn’t stop. Clients appreciate a proactive partner who continues to provide value leading up to their departure.
Ways to Keep Clients Engaged Before They Travel:
- Provide Destination Insights – Send clients fun facts, insider tips, and important travel updates about their destination. This helps build excitement and trust in your expertise.
- Offer Packing Tips and Product Recommendations – Help your clients prepare by sharing your go-to packing tips. Take it a step further by curating an Amazon storefront featuring your favorite travel gear, from luggage to travel-sized toiletries. This not only adds value but also creates an additional revenue stream for you. Win-win!
- Create a Branded Pre-Travel Guide – Design a beautifully branded digital (or printable) pre-travel guide that includes packing lists, cultural etiquette, weather expectations, and last-minute reminders. This keeps your brand top-of-mind while ensuring your clients feel well-prepared.
Post-Trip Follow-Up: Keeping the Relationship Strong
A strong client relationship doesn’t end when the trip does. Following up is key to making sure you’re top of mind when clients think about their next trip.
Best Practices for Post-Trip Collaboration:
- Ask for Feedback – Encourage clients to share their thoughts on their experience. What did they love? What could have been better? This not only helps improve your services but also gives you insights for future bookings.
- Invite Them to Share Their Journey – Ask clients to tag you in their travel photos or share a testimonial about their trip. Featuring client experiences on your website or social media builds credibility and inspires future travelers.
- Plant the Seed for Their Next Adventure – If a client loved their trip, suggest a follow-up destination or a similar experience for next year. Keeping the conversation going makes future bookings more seamless.
Final Thoughts: The Power of Collaboration
When clients bring their own ideas to the table, it’s not a challenge—it’s an opportunity. By engaging with their suggestions, providing expert insights, and continuing the conversation before and after their trip, you create a stronger relationship built on trust and shared excitement. Instead of fearing client collaboration, embrace it!