Jamie Biesiada
Supplier representatives, listen up: The coronavirus pandemic has paused travel for the time being, but that's no excuse to fall out of touch with the travel advisor community. It just means that the way you interact has to change a little bit.
That's Vanessa McGovern's message. McGovern, co-founder and chief sales officer for the host agency Gifted Travel Network, believes now is the perfect time for sales representatives to step up to the plate and connect with advisors.
"In an environment where sales reps can no longer physically call on their accounts or focus on sharing their latest promotions and itineraries as a means to build business, new strategies are needed to best support their partners," McGovern said. "The good news is that even while we are all navigating the disruption, sales reps can maintain their relationships and build even stronger connections with the advisor community."
According to McGovern, the best way to stay in touch with advisors is through social media. Even if a sales representative's position might change, or is in jeopardy, she maintains, it's more important than ever to stay in touch.
"If you are a sales rep and you know your role in our industry will continue in a sales capacity in some yet-to-be-determined way, now is the time to rise up, show up and build your network of loyal travel advisors who will support you now or wherever you land in the future," she said.
The best platform to connect with travel advisors is Facebook, according to McGovern.
Advisors overwhelmingly use Facebook. According to Travel Weekly's 2019 Travel Industry Survey, 73% of agents use free social media for marketing, and 26% use paid ads on social media. Of those using social media, 94% use Facebook, followed distantly by Instagram (52%).
McGovern advises sales reps to use a professional headshot as their profile photo and to make sure all the links on the profile work. Then begin friending and engaging with travel advisors. Like and comment on their posts and share inspirational posts from agency accounts. She also encourages sales reps to like Facebook pages for travel advisors' businesses and leave reviews speaking to their professionalism, if they feel comfortable doing so.
She cited two examples of sales reps who have solid social media practices that could be emulated: Edyta Teper, associate vice president of strategic sales for Virgin Voyages, and Kathy Brock, business development manager for AmaWaterways.
McGovern suggests posting two or three times a week, sharing personal stories of travel and personal images.
"Your positive and authentic posts will foster relatability and connection that will endure for years to come," she said.
In addition to being active on Facebook, McGovern also encourages sales reps set up regular video calls with advisors. She pointed to Alex Tollman of Red Carnation Hotels, who has been proactively video calling with Gifted Travel Network.
While McGovern's advice speaks directly to sales reps connecting with travel advisors, it also works for travel advisors and their clients.
"Your new 'rules of the road' are simply a shift in perspective," she said, "and when you lean into what is available, you can reinvent your situation and find ways to move forward positively."