IC TRAVEL AGENT April 2014 | Page 18

Secret Selling Sauce Selling with extra sizzle calls for something more, something added to the mix and that will translate into a secret sauce of some kind. A hot sauce. Something Frank’s would put on their label. Talking Red Hot. Bollywood hot. Slammin’ HOT! So what have you got in your selling kit that’s hot, hot, hot? What do you have that’s secret to you and no other travel agent in your neck of the woods? What can you whip up and dole out that’s a zinger of a closer? Most sales pros have a secret sauce of some kind. Very few people know about these secret sales sauces due to the fact that… that’s right! Secret. When you study a variety of sales and marketing books both generic and travel sales related you can read between the lines to determine the ingredients to that sales person’s success. It might be their personality, natural or developed, could be their knowledge in general or of a specific destination, might even be their preferred closing technique. All we generally know is that they make money and close more bookings than anyone else. The secret sauce for some travel agents develops over time. Some learn from their travel agent parents, others from travel trade mentors and others pick it up from reading and mixing with high producing sales people. Others are born to it and have “it” flowing in their veins. One of the best ways to develop your own secret selling sauce is to first of all learn the craft of sales. Next is to mix with those high producers to listen and learn. Then when you feel you have the basics, you can determine what it is you would do di fferently to set yourself apart from the rest. Something unique. Something so hot, everyone will want to get a taste. Today that difference, that secret sauce means something techie, something socially alluring. Selling From Where You Are Selling on Location is the new HOT sauce. Sending Wish you were HERE! e-mails and posting the same on your agency Facebook page has a whole new meaning when you are on location. Your pitch is: I’m here now. It’s fantastic. I can book your vacation now. Be it package, cruise, tour or resort stay or wedding & honeymoon combined. You are onsite and selling that fact. It’s your secret. Your competition has no idea where you are – only your customers and your suppliers. That’s secret and it’s saucy and that’s HOT. 