FIVE ESSENTIAL SALES SKILLS

The following is an overview of the sales process as presented by CLIA.

1. Opening. This is an opportunity to start building rapport with your client. People prefer to buy things from people they like. We are not here to take someones money but rather to provide a friendly, professional service. You have one chance to make a first impression, be certain to put your best foot forward. Be confident about your product knowledge. For sales over the phone the following tips should prove to be helpful.

Good______(morning, afternoon, evening)! This is_______, how may I assist in planning your travel?

Speak clearly and evenly - not too fast nor too slow.

Avoid slang and travel jargon.

Answer the callers questions completely.

Avoid negative words such as not yet, never, etc.

You should never show disappointment or negative emotion in your voice.

Think positively. Be prepared to consider all alternatives.

Lead the conversation.

Allow the caller to finish a sentence or phrase.

Listen to your client.

Be patient and polite.

Use your clients name often.

Don’t be rushed.

Don’t guess at answers; say I’ll be happy to check that for you.

Be friendly, be happy, be helpful, and be in control.

Use important words such as Please, Thank you, May I, One moment please. When placing a caller on hold, advise the caller why you are placing them on hold. Say ”One moment please, I’ll place you on hold,” and advise why.  Then wait for permission by the caller. 

Ask a friend if your phone voice is too soft or loud.

Ask for the customers name early in the conversation and use it.

People like to hear their name and it increases their attention.

Treat every customer like your best customer.

Don’t rush into a sales pitch. The initial part of the sales process is to establish a relationship with the client. Get to know them as a person and give them the opportunity to get to know you.

2. Qualifying. This is the time to determine the clients needs. It is important to control the conversation. This is best accomplished by asking the appropriate relevant questions. An analogy can be made to a doctor asking a patient questions in order to make a proper diagnosis.  Basic questions reveal information such as who, what, when, where, and why. You need the answers to these questions in order to recommend the best travel product. Clients have travel needs. A travel professional realizes that understanding these needs and satisfying them builds a base of happy clients.  

Required information includes the names of all passengers traveling (spelling counts). Get the address, home, business and fax number and email address. It would be a shame to do a lot of work and lose a sale because you couldn’t contact a client. Find out the travel dates, length of travel, number of people traveling, and if they are at all flexible. Ask the client if they can travel at a different time if the rates are better. Try to determine the budget. Clients may be reluctant to give that information but it is important for several reasons. It puts the client on notice they will have to pay for the travel product which hopefully will eliminate clients who are not serious. Ask the client how they are going to pay for their trip. When you ask for the money later it will be something the are expecting. Explain how certain products have different price levels because they provide higher levels of service and amenities. These can command a higher price. One travel product may be slightly higher priced than another but if the perceived value is significantly better the client is often willing to spend the extra money. Don’t be afraid to sell up. Find out what kind of travel the clients have done previously. What did they like or dislike about their previous experience and do they want something similar next time. Some travel providers give special discounts for past passengers or senior citizens. Ask if either of these apply for your client, it can give you a competitive advantage. What kind of accommodations do they want.  Are there any special occasions to celebrate or special needs (disabled passenger?). Sales is detective work. Qualifying gathers clues which help lead to the solution.

3. Recommending. Two steps are necessary in recommending. The first step involves finding the best solution to the clients travel needs. Based on your qualifying one or two possibilities should emerge as the best possibilities. Don’t give the client too many options to consider, it only serves to confuse them and make closing more difficult. During your qualifying try to avoid pre-selling any particular travel product because it may be unavailable or priced too high. After you have found the best solution it is time to make a recommendation to the client. Begin by reconnecting with the client. Go over the key facts. Start to get your client in the habit of agreeing with you. This also helps avoid objections. Be excited, enthusiasm is contagious. It is vital to create a sense of urgency. Emphasize limited availability, the great prices you have won’t last long. Stress how this is the very best answer to their needs. Give them a sense of ownership. When selling a cruise a phrase such as  “Your cabin is on the ______ deck.”

Try to paint a picture with words. Here are some key phrases for cruises. Gourmet cuisine, 5 star dining, award winning cuisine, white glove service, exciting Las Vegas style shows, Broadway reviews, brightly costumed singers and dancers, fresh sea air, romantic moonlit stroll on the deck, pulsating disco, piano bar, lavish midnight buffet, try your luck in the casino, board the ship as a passenger - leave as cargo, workout in the onboard fitness center, treat yourself to a massage or facial, lounge by the pool with a cool topical drink, white sand beaches, lush tropical paradise, calypso music, pampering, 24 hour room service, shop till you drop, nightly turn down service. Whatever vacation your clients are looking for, you can find ways of helping them to imagine they are going to be there soon.

4. Closing. Many agents do a great job opening, qualifying, and recommending but are afraid to ask for the sale. All the time and effort invested goes down the drain. It also does the client a terrible disservice since they are not going on that great trip they really want. Don’t hard sell. It makes you look desperate and is annoying to most people. A large number of clients merely need to be told that a deposit or full payment is needed to secure their trip. Expect to make the sale. Have confidence in your voice, perhaps even a slightly authoritative tone. Never be rude or obnoxious. Simply ask for payment. Alternative choice often works. “When you are on your

cruise do you prefer early or late seating?”  “Do you prefer to put that on a Visa or Mastercard?”  After you have asked for the order be quiet, give the client a chance to respond. Be aware of buying signals. When a client makes statements such as “that sounds good to me” or “all of this is included” go ahead and ask for the order. An agent can talk himself out of a sale by talking too much and not listening. Often you will be faced with objections. If a client says no it may really mean not yet. Be prepared to deal with objections. Don’t be afraid to ask for the sale after you have handled objections. You may need to ask for the sale four or five times. You have nothing to loose by asking for the order.

There are five basic reasons why clients don’t buy.

1.  Wrong seller

2. Wrong product

3. Wrong price

4. Wrong sales techniques

5. Were never asked

By working as a professional sales person you can eliminate most of these reasons. These techniques can greatly increase your closing percentages.

5. Handling Objections. An objection isn’t a rejection but merely a request for more information. It is the clients way of saying they are not quite ready to make a buying decision.  Use the objection to help close the sale. Probe the objection - see what’s behind it. 

Conditionally close the sale. Ask “If I can satisfy this objection are you ready to make a decision?”  Objections come in different forms but usually can be traced to not completely qualifying the client. Handle objections by reconfirming other aspects of your travel solution that meet your clients needs. Focus on getting agreement from them. Once you have overcome all other objections about the trip itself, price may be the final obstacle. A competitor may be offering a better price. Be sure you are comparing apples to apples. Concentrate on selling value instead of price. Objections are your clients way of opening up to you and really getting to the bottom of what is needed in a product or service. By encouraging the voicing of such objections, you can quickly assess your clients whole package of needs, and, one by one, turn each objection into a benefit your product or service can offer. Objections can be used to your advantage once you realize you are getting valuable information about your clients needs and the product or service he is seeking.

Go the extra step for your clients. Many agents try get frustrated and try to avoid difficult customers. There isn't much competition for rude customers. Kill them with kindness and you will have a loyal client who will appreciate your efforts, recommend you to friends, and help build a bigger, more profitable client base.