American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC) has partnered with Agent Studio to bring its relationship with travel agents to a whole new level. We sat down with Julie Marcaccio, the line’s trade and marketing manager, to discuss the myriad features and benefits the partnership brings to both the agent community and American Queen Steamboat Company.

WHAT PARTICULAR FEATURES AND BENEFITS ATTRACTED AMERICAN QUEEN STEAMBOAT COMPANY TO THE AGENT STUDIO TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION?

There are many different features that attracted American Queen Steamboat Company to Agent Studio—the top one being the turn-key setup and the platform’s ease of use on the agent side to access our content, which was very appealing. Agent Studio also provides the reporting to see what works and what content the agents want to push out to their consumers.

AGENT STUDIO ENABLES YOU TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE AGENT’S CONSUMER ALONGSIDE THE AGENT’S BRAND. DOES THAT DRIVE HIGHER ENGAGEMENT AND SALES FOR THE COMPANY?

Yes, the consumers are able to receive marketing from the agent they know and trust—and ultimately drive that interest and the booking to American Queen Steamboat Company.

HOW HAS YOUR APPROACH TO PARTNERING WITH AGENTS AND AGENCIES THROUGH COOPERATIVE MARKETING TO DRIVE CONSUMER DEMAND EVOLVED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS?

With available co-op in the form of our unique direct-mail program, emails and flyers, we are able to partner with agents and agencies and help guide them and offer them the tools needed to maintain the focus of their marketing plans. Using these deliverables with AQSC branding, and the agents’ or agencies’ logo and call to action, we work together to reach their customers to sell our cruises.

HOW HAS THE GROWTH IN THE HOME-BASED CHANNEL—MORE THAN HALF OF ALL TRAVEL AGENTS ARE NOW HOME-BASED—IMPACTED YOUR ABILITY TO WORK WITH THEM AND REACH THEIR CUSTOMERS COLLECTIVELY?

All agents, whether in an agency setting or home setting, are going to need to have some type of marketing plan, but sometimes homebased agents may not have the sales support of a BDM calling on them. So by using a tool like Agent Studio, these home-based agents have a readily available resource to create emails and view online brochures and offers in real-time.

ONE OF THE WAYS WE’VE WORKED WITH YOU TO SOLVE THIS CHALLENGE IS VIA AGENT STUDIO’S WEBSITE AND MARKETING CENTER. HOW HAS THIS CHANGED YOUR APPROACH TO CO-OP MARKETING AND WORKING ONE-ON-ONE WITH AGENTS TO REACH THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH YOUR MESSAGE?

Agent Studio’s website platform allows the less technically oriented agents to promote their agencies with an auto-generated website where they can select the companies, products and offers they want to promote. Thankfully, American Queen Steamboat Company has been selected by a huge portion of agents building out these websites, which gives our company and products a lot more awareness online.

“There are many different features that attracted American Queen Steamboat Company to Agent Studio—the top one being the turn-key setup and the platform’s ease of use on the agent side to access our content, which was very appealing.”
—Julie Marcaccio, American Queen Steamboat Co.