Jamie Biesiada
Want to sell more during Wave season? Prepare in advance and have a plan.
A recent survey from Avoya Travel found that 80% of its members producing more than $1 million in sales annually have a plan to prepare their agency for the season largely considered the busiest for the industry. Most (90%) start preparing one to three months ahead of Wave season.
According to Avoya, those agencies are focused on several areas: "organization, refreshing professional development and supplier education, and strengthening customer relationships." Planning and networking were also among preppers' lists.
The 20% of agencies producing more than $1 million in annual sales who don't have a plan to prepare for Wave season mostly said they don't plan because they have similar systems and best practices year-round, according to Avoya.
"I have my calendar set up to touch base with clients every month, and I'm always aware of the promotions I can offer the customers I assist within my vendor specialties," Margie Settler, president of the Highland Beach, Fla.-based Margery Settler Agency, said in a statement.
Avoya provided some Wave season tips and best practices from its top-producing agencies: specialize, refresh education on suppliers, know current promotions, get organized to spend more time selling and less on administration, streamline your workflow, use time-saving scripts, connect with past clients (for instance, Beth Leonardt of Vacations by Beth in Houston sends holiday cards to clients before Wave), focus on selling and avoid distractions during Wave and don't give up on selling this month just to prepare for Wave.
On another selling note, here's some ammunition to use with clients reluctant to purchase travel insurance. I've offered some ideas before, but I want to share some numbers from Allianz Travel Insurance.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially ended Friday, Nov. 30. Allianz recently shared that it received more than 6,000 claims in what was an above-average season for named storms and hurricanes.
While 2017 was a busier year with the destruction hurricanes wrought on parts of the Caribbean, even a less-busy year still resulted in thousands of claims. Daniel Durazo, director of communications at Allianz Global Assistance, encouraged agents to offer insurance to clients traveling during hurricane season.
Allianz saw 4,824 claims from Hurricane Florence, which hit the Carolina coast. Hurricane Michael, which struck the Florida Panhandle, resulted in 1,128 claims. Tropical Storm Gordon battered the Gulf Coast, resulting in 155 claims. The remaining claims came from Hurricanes Isaac and Beryl in the Caribbean and Hurricane Chris near the Gulf Stream.
"Purchasing a travel insurance plan prior to a storm being named may provide you coverage for travel concerns that arise due to that storm," Durazo said in a statement. "We received a total of 6,238 claims from customers whose trips were impacted this hurricane season. These numbers reveal the value of travel insurance when traveling during hurricane season."