Selling Groups
Every supplier BDM and for sure your host head-office newsletters, emails and
blogs are encouraging you to sell more groups – or to start selling groups if you
have not yet found this lucrative segment. Make no mistake, it is a fine battle cry
and groups are where you can make a lot of money for yourself and everyone
else that’s connected to your group sale. The missing ingredient from all the
support is the HOW-TO. The following information should serve as a primer for
you as you work your way towards securing group travel in your area.
Let’s start with what you know. Your travel
passion. Your niche. Or, what your business
gut feeling is telling you about where there
might be money to be made in groups.
For you there are two types of groups: the
ones you have, and the ones you don’t have
– yet, and to secure some of those “don’t
haves”, you must win them from the
competition through better pricing, better
service, better marketing and attract the
non-committed groups to yourself before
they engage with another travel agent. The
winner here will not win on price and price
alone. Group travel is not generally for the
novice as a one mistake could cost you your
life savings. It’s a marketing game based on
experience. Ask your host agency for help.
There are three types of groups in the
market place: the groups that other travel
agencies service each year, the groups who
have no travel agency as yet and then there’s
the mishmash of consumers who don’t
know there are others like them, hoping to
join a group of like-minded travellers
interested in the same type of vacation.
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