Jamie Biesiada
ORLANDO -- Not many people are huge fans of math, but Royal Caribbean International's Vicki Freed is. At least when it comes to what she calls the "R equation": "referrals plus reviews equal revenue."
Speaking at the Travel Leaders Network 2017 International Conference, the senior vice president of sales, trade support and service discussed several methods agents can use to grow their client base and retain those clients. The "R equation" was one of them.
"So often, those of us who have been in the business a long time, we think about referrals after the people come back from their vacation," Freed said. "But we have to rethink at what point in the selling process do we want to ask for a referral."
Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service at Royal Caribbean International, gave agents tips on “planting the seeds to a more successful business” during the Travel Leaders Network 2017 International Conference. Photo Credit: TW photo by Jamie Biesiada
Instead of waiting until after a client has returned from a vacation to ask for a referral, Freed suggested agents do it as they close a sale by asking, "Is there anyone else that you can think of that might want to travel with you on this vacation?"
Based on data from cruise lines' direct sales departments, Freed said it can result in a new referral one out of four times.
Reviews are also important to garner new clients. For instance, Freed works with a 27-year-old who was planning a trip with his mother aboard the Scenic Eclipse. She asked how he bought the vacation. He couldn't find an agent who knew anything about the brand on his own, but he went online and found a review mentioning one. He used that agent to book a $16,000 vacation, all thanks to a review.
"It is very powerful to have your clients write reviews, because you never know who's going to Google it and find you," Freed said.
Outside of reviews and referrals, visibility is key. "You need to show what you stand for every day," Freed said.
She suggested agents try wearing logo shirts or, as she does, a nametag, to start a conversation with potential clients.
The method of branded accessories has proven successful. One agent had a Royal Caribbean bag they were using for groceries at a Whole Foods, Freed said. A fellow customer started a conversation with the agent about cruising with Royal Caribbean in the past, and the two exchanged information; the agent booked their next cruise.
"You've got to tell your story," Freed said.
Another way to garner clients is cross-marketing with other local businesses, like a florist or country club, she said. Getting involved and volunteering with a group was another suggestion she offered.
"This is where people will find you and do business with you," she said.
Freed also discussed the importance of client retention, and keeping up personal relationships with clients to do just that. While email is a useful tool, Freed said it is a "monologue," not a relationship-builder.
Instead, she said agents should use the information they keep on clients like birthdays and anniversaries as launching points for more personal phone conversations.
"That's what's going to stop your clients from cheating on you and booking through somebody else," she said.