Out of the Box Cruise Selling

PHOTO: Paula Kaisner, CruiseOne franchise owner.

Cruises remain one of the most lucrative products to sell for professional travel agents working from home. But figuring out new ways to sell cruises remains the key challenge for most agents. How can you differentiate yourself using new sales techniques and strategies?

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We asked a number of high-ranking cruise sales executives, top host agency leaders and high-producing travel sellers for their out-of-the-box ideas on how to sell cruises today. Here are 11 ways you can boost your cruise sales in 2015.

Pick up the phone and call your cruise clients directly. John Lovell, president of Vacation.com, says his best advice for agents looking to increase their cruise sales in 2015 is to be proactive. “Don’t wait for the phone to ring,” he says. “No one knows your clients better than you do, and you should take advantage of every opportunity to reach out to them directly with ideas and suggestions. Challenge yourself to get creative by presenting ideas that appeal to their bucket list. Share ideas on making their dream vacation a reality.”

Lovell says reaching out to your clients directly also is an opportunity to demonstrate the value and knowledge you bring to the table and to differentiate yourself from all of the other noise in the marketplace. “Yes, we all get busy during Wave Season,” he says. “But everyone should set the goal of making 10 to 15 personal calls a day. You stay top-of-mind when you are proactive.”

Look for cruise business in your own backyard. Joni Rein, vice president of worldwide sales at Carnival Cruise Lines, says there’s no time like the present to work on boosting cruise sales during Wave Season. “We think there’s no better place than your own backyard to start,” she says. “There are dozens of cruise rookies within your reach at the grocery store, at your children’s or grandchildren’s school activities, your church group or even your spinning class. Tap into these groups now and throughout the year to build affinity group business that becomes repeat business for years to come.”

Don’t assume how much your client can spend on a cruise. Perhaps the biggest mistake most travel agents make is selling cruises by assuming how much their clients can spend. Even worse, agents think of their own finances first, instead of what their clients might actually be able to spend on a great cruise vacation.

“Don’t assume that someone is not a luxury client,” says John Delaney, senior vice president-marketing and sales for Seabourn Cruise Line. “Affluence is a mindset, not a state of being. Start with the clients in your own database and name someone right now who would be a great potential luxury cruise client. Reach out to them — some of the best luxury cruise prospects are not aware of the small-ship luxury experience they can get.”

Contact your clients on a regular basis about cruises. Regular and meaningful contact with you clients is important, but you also need to find nonintrusive ways to maintain communication with your customers throughout the year. “Not all communication should be about selling a vacation,” says Jackie Friedman, president of host agency Nexion. “Instead, send a handwritten thank-you note after clients purchase a vacation letting them know how much you appreciate their business.”

Friedman also recommends that you find ways to keep your clients excited about their upcoming trip by sending photos, small destination-related gifts, restaurant reviews or excursion recommendations. “Take the time to call them when they get home from their vacation and be sure to ask what they liked and didn’t like,” she says.

Promote yourself as a knowledgeable cruise-selling professional. Paula Kaisner, a CruiseOne franchise owner in Lakeway, Texas, says she has made a huge effort to be known as a travel agent professional in her community. “I have focused many of my marketing and promotional initiatives in my community,” she says. “This includes participating in several community events that showcase local businesses. I’m an active member of my local Chamber of Commerce, serving as an ambassador and now leader of the chamber’s leadership program. I attend many local business ribbon-cuttings and after-hours networking events.”

Kaisner also buys ad space in two local community monthly publications and wraps her car and the back of her laptop with messages showing she’s a travel professional. “I’ve received business inquiries from both when I work at a local business, such as a coffee shop or restaurant,” she says.

Create a social media campaign to boost cruise sales. Scott Knutson, vice president-sales and marketing for Costa Cruises North America, suggests using Facebook or Twitter to promote an as yet unnamed vacation that is “coming soon.” That will generate initial questions and excitement. Shortly after that, you can post your offer of a group cruise focused on whatever demographic you want to target.

“After announcing the vacation, describe it, provide details and direct followers to a private sign-up page where interested parties can go to share comments, plans, questions, etc., and see the status of those who have signed up,” says Knutson. “Of course, you need to provide information on how to book and any requirements or restrictions, as well as deadlines and due dates. You can do this through your own Facebook network or use your client list and let them have fun with it.”

Use technology to more efficiently communicate cruise offers. One of the keys to selling cruises is efficiently communicating to your clients, something your host agency or consortium may be able to help you with. “It’s what we call high-tech and high-touch,” says Michelle Fee, CEO and co-founder of Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative. “We realize the importance of letting agents focus on selling. That’s why, in 2014, we launched a multi-tiered triggered email campaign that automatically sends out a series of eight emails to clients. We truly believe in using technology to look larger than life and adding personal touches, not reducing them.”

Learn how to ask if your clients’ friends or family want to cruise. According to Hans Birkholz, CEO of Windstar Cruises, one of the easiest ways to boost sales is to ask one simple question: Do you have friends or family that you typically travel with when you go on vacation that you would like to invite to join you on your cruise? “We find that many of our guests do travel with their friends, so you can potentially double, triple or even quadruple your commission by asking that simple question,” he says. “The consequence of not asking is simple. Their friends will still travel with them — but most likely book through someone else.”

Focus on selling specialized cruises with high commissions. Lindsay Hardy, co-owner and sales manager for Travel Leaders in Palm Coast, Fla., says she focuses on cruise sales that pay high commissions, such as river cruises. “We have decided that the community needs to know that we are river cruise specialists. In some instances, we may not receive co-op from a vendor but feel that the commission on the sale will more than cover any advertising costs. We have also decided to focus more on group packages. When you package a trip, there is always room to increase your commission. From getting extra commissions from all the added tours, hotel, transfers, airfare, etc., every component adds to the overall commission on the sale.”

Sell more inclusive cruise products to boost your bottom line. Ken Muskat, executive vice president-sales, public relations and guest services for MSC Cruises, says it’s clear that cruise consumers are now looking for a more all-inclusive experience than ever before. “This is great news for travel agents who want to boost their cruise sales simply by taking advantage of selling higher-priced cruises that offer an all-inclusive value to their clients,” he says. “That’s why we launched our Inclusive Experience Pricing, which offers travel agents an easy way to up-sell their clients with inclusive experiences ranging from à la carte to completely all-inclusive.”