Welcome back to the Globus Tour Expert Program. We hope module 2 gave you some great insight to the how Globus and cosmos work and where they go!

Transcription

1 Welcome back to the Globus Tour Expert Program. We hope module 2 gave you some great insight to the how Globus and cosmos work and where they go! Now moving on to our goal for this module, to be able to answer this question: what makes Globus groups so easy? And how can I sell more? 1

2 Groups and Specialty Travel did you know Globus is a groups expert? From custom groups to online group management, Globus makes groups easy. Faith travel? Student groups? alumni events? We have lots of specialty travel to suit your unique travelers needs. 2

3 Quick recap before a knowledge check last module we talked about the core value and messaging for both Globus and Cosmos. We also touched on where we travel throughout the world. We took time to break down all the inclusions your client will get when traveling with Globus. Remember with Globus and cosmos, your clients are our VIPs. Now, for today s topic 3

4 we will be discussing groups with the Globus family of brands I never do, but I'm not going to spend my time throwing loads of itinerary information your way. Sure, ill mention which tours are top sellers, but I know you can reference brochures all day long for that derailed info. I want to spend out time together today ensuring that your group travels. Because holding space is great but receiving those commission checks after a final group booking is even better, so we are going to focus on Getting your group to go! 4

5 And I want to get started by laying some ground work about the ease of booking groups with the Globus family of brands makes a group with us both on land and the rivers. And when I say booking groups with us is easy, I mean it. outside of a dedicated groups team, we also allow you to manage your groups online just like you do today with our individual passengers. You can: See upcoming Group deadlines Make payments Provide TSA & emergency contact information Request invoices View flights information & advisor rooming lists View documents Find Your Group Manager contact View commission We also offer some pretty enticing reasons to book groups for most of our land vacations, all you need is eight paid travelers to begin receiving generous discounts for that eighth person. 5

6 On the rivers, one travels free with 9 paid travelers on a majority of sailings we do offer some sailings at 1 for 8, so plenty of options. And of course, allowances grow with the size of your group, so be sure to always ask! Did you know that the group allowance can even extend to air? When you book 20 or more passengers on group air, YOU can fly free, so ask our group team about this with your next large group! And what about the money you can earn? Now, these are just examples and estimates, BUT EARNED ON A GROUP OF REVENUE* x COMMISSION % POTENTIAL COMMISSION 8 traveler's $29,272 x 15% $4, traveler's $43,908 x 15% $6, traveler's $73,180 x 15% $10,977 5

7 AND WHILE I KNOW THIS ISNT GLOBUS AND COSMOS, but I ALWAYS WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLUG GREAT NEW PROGRAMS BECAUSE AFTER ALL, WE ARE A FAMILY. And this didn t come out until after we re did our last aws program! So allow me to introduce our Avalon Group Advantage Program biggest opportunity for groups in 2018 $250 pp locks in consumer promotions in market at time ($250/$500/$1,000) All 2018 Europe & SE Asia sailings All existing 2018 groups are protected Consumer facing amenities are protected even if your group falls below the minimum cabins required: Prepaid gratuities per person Two drink vouchers per person (Europe) You earn 1:8 or 1:10 TC (based on sailing, and must have minimum pax) Combinable with individual promotions $250pp non-refundable deposit holds pricing (at time of booking) and actual cabin. 6

8 So, we have talked a little about working with us to sell groups, and we even talked about a great new program for your clients with Avalon. Now, as we move on to the real purpose of this module getting your group to go lets Think about these groups as we proceed. Affinity groups are any pre formed repeat groups. A type of group that you know is going to continue to travel on some sort of consistent basis. This is going to be the easiest group in terms of getting TBA space named, deposits collected etc. because they are naturally already in a group. READ GROUPS But if you don t have these affinity groups or pre formed groups, here is good guide to get your groups to materialize because not everyone has a direct connection or tie to affinity groups. Now hopefully, you are starting to think of who these targets can be for your group business. Or better yet maybe you already have a group starting to form or have already secured space. 7

9 Let s start by assuming you have space secured now, lets get some names! at this point, you have your speculative group space set aside, so now it is time to get moving and get the space filled! Because remember, groups is the fastest way to increase sales, crease repeat business, and grow your customer database. 8

10 From our experience, a travel show is the single most effective tactic to materialize your group. Open your office or home, or book a private venue that complements the destination. A travel show can bring to life the destination and get potential travelers excited about joking your group. If you have a group of 20 or more invite your Globus family of brands BDM to help out! Over the last year, we have been really redefining this process and have gone a long way in adding materials to help you promote and conduct your travel show! First things first. Establish your timeline. 1 Day After Booking: Assemble your target list from your database of contacts. Make sure you are approaching the right demographic for the tour you are hosting. If you are hosting a group on an Globus tour, you want to make sure you are targeting those boomers. If you know a client isn't a good fit, encourage them to tell friends! Word of Mouth is more powerful than you think! 9

11 5 Days After Booking: Ask your Sales Team how to utilize your agency website to start promoting your group. At the Globus family, you know we are here to help. We have great materials for you to place on your website to help promote your show, from branding materials to interactive videos! 10 Days After Booking: Plan Your Travel Show. As we said your travel show will be the biggest asset you have to make your group materialize. We want to give special attention to this step, so we will discuss it in further detail in just a minute. Have people in different states interested in joining your group? OR are the people interested but couldn t make the show? Try an online presentation and conference call instead if need be! Days After Booking: Host your travel show don t forget to ask for deposits at the end of the event! 9

12 Now lets talk a bit more about that perfect travel show starting with Location Known to the community and easy to get to with ample parking. Make it easy for them to come! Spacious for food, seating and PPT presentation you don t want to pack em in! (Ideally) Familiar to your group again, making it easy on them! Date and Timing Be sure to schedule your show as far in advance of the deposit deadline as possible the further out, the better! In terms of actual timing: Younger audiences who may have children or work full-time: Choose weekday evenings, after 6pm, preferably on a Tuesday, or Thursday Older audiences: Choose a weekday morning or mid afternoon Friends and families: Choose a weekend morning or early afternoon 10

13 And a few specific examples: Bank groups: Choose a weekday afternoon and include a light lunch Religious groups: Choose a Sunday afternoon or evening, following a service Theme this one is up to you. If it lends itself, go for it! remember, travel is fun! Tailor the theme to your destination. For example, if you ve booked an Italian vacation, host the event at an Italian restaurant, serve Italian food, include Italian flags and other decorations, etc. Invitations take a look at that marketing tip! On the next page, I will show you some of these ready made pieces! We have done the hard part now use me! The presentation and yes, even if you aren t comfortable presenting, this is a must. A PowerPoint should always be presented to your group. Reach out to your Sales Team for your customizable PowerPoint template complete with visuals, day-by-day, and included features. Your presentation should include lots of photos to keep your group interested and excited about the trip, as well as an itinerary and destination tips (such as information about the weather, culture, etc.). Depending on your vacation, a DVD may be available for your use Be sure to do your homework beforehand, and practice your presentation in advance. Remind your audience about what makes this trip special! Point out included features, our quality hotels, experienced tour directors, the real value of this trip, and more. You got Remember to keep your presentation fun and informal after all, you re promoting a vacation! And, should you be interesting, it may be possible to have a Globus BDM attend your event! 10

14 Once your show has been planned, send invitations to your audience. Here are a few examples: If you re in contact with past travelers, invite them to attend and share their experience. Ensure your invitations include all necessary event info, such as date, time, location, directions, and parking information. If you re mailing invitations, allow more time for printing and delivery. see monograms example If you re ing invitations, less lead time is required and remember, invitations sent via allow you to follow up with reminders! time to tour example Consider creating a Facebook page for your group too and send them Facebook invites for the event. Access our FREE customizable marketing materials to create your invitations (visit 11

15 GlobusFamilyPartner.com), or contact your Sales Team at for ideas. Marketing Materials: Access our FREE customizable marketing materials to create posters, flyers, and consumer night invites for your group (GlobusFamilyPartner.com). 11

16 No that we have talked a bit about the show, let s focus on the 2 nd most important resource your pied piper. The Pied Piper is a huge key to a successful group. YOU are the Pied Piper for your group and in addition to promoting the group and setting up the travel show, it s your primary role to get your group excited about going. Consider yourself the group cheerleader. Want a little help in the excitement department? Consider getting yourself a Co-Pied Piper one of your clients already committed to going who:» Has the respect and trust of their peers» Is well connected in the community and has a strong database of contacts ideally, these contacts have traveled with the Co-Pied Piper previously» Is committed to the group and the group vacation» Is passionate and excited and can pass that excitement on to others» Has strong organizational skills» Is calm, patient, flexible, and adaptable» Has traveled with the Globus family of brands previously And if you ve booked a group on a Religious vacation get the group s minister, pastor, or priest to come along! 12

17 You ve done the hard part. You ve pulled together a great travel show, you ve wowed the attendees. Don t let all that hard work go to waste! You need to keep this momentum going so your group mates feel the excitement! 1-3 Days after your travel show follow up with your attendees via and phone calls, and remind them of the deposit deadline 5 days after your travel show take advantage of your free marketing material, including customizable flyers and postcards, to continue to promote your group. As sales team how or visit GlobusFamilyPartner.com. These are top-rate materials that will make you look like you have your own marketing team! It is a great wow factor to follow up with! 13

18 MOST IMPORTANTLY, keep in touch. Keeping in touch with you group makes them feel special. Getting a phone call from an agent, simply checking in and answering any questions, can go a long way in earning your groups trust. Remember, they aren't buy a Globus family product, they are buying you and your expertise. Make them feel like they are getting their moneys worth. Let s use some general time guidelines to show an example of reasons to reach out and stay relevant! 9 months prior to departure create monthly/weekly newsletter with information about the destination and fun facts, like recipes that fit the destination, a countdown to departure etc. Again, Use our free marketing materials on the source. 7 months prior make sure you are still marketing to your group and don t forget to keep Facebook and tweets up to speed. This is often underestimated. With each passing day, social media becomes more important in our industry. Many consumers look at inactive social media as a turn-off. They want to see you are as engaged as they are! 181 days prior follow up with your targets and travel show attendees again remind them that tomorrow is the last day to take advantage of this opportunity 14

19 180 days prior final deposits are due, for details, call your Group Account manager NOTE You may want to mention, that deposit ASAP is best option, if they wait until 180 days prior it is very likely their preferred sailing/cabin will not be available because it will be sold out 14

20 We are officially three months out! and on to our 4 th key point to get that group going! Time to get excited because this trip is quickly coming! 91 Days Prior to Departure: Call and your deposited clients to remind them that final payment is due the next day don t let these clients slip away! 90 Days Prior to Departure: Final payments are due. For details, call your Group Account Manager at Just because the money is in the bank, doesn t mean you should let up. Make your excitement contagious! You want to keep booking groups, right? You just fought so hard to get them, so make sure the experience is perfect from start to finish. It keeps them coming back to YOU. 89 Days Prior to Departure: Continue to keep your group excited about the trip through regular and Facebook updates, etc. Be creative! Create a fun travel club name for your group, make some custom T-shirts to hand out on tour, purchase inexpensive gifts to hand out on arrival, etc. 60 Days Prior to Departure: Plan your question & answer session. 30 Days Prior to Departure: Host your question & answer session at your agency. 15

21 20 Days Prior to Departure: Check with your clients to be sure they have EVERYTHING they need for their trip! And from now until departure, keep yourself available to the group, to answer any last minute questions. That s it!!! You secured group space you held a great travel show you marketed to the right clients and fought to secure payment you stayed available, and now you are collecting commission checks with commas. But what else can help you sell more groups? 15

22 Well, first by focusing on trends. Whether you are new to groups or just want to see if you align with our top sellers, sharing trends can be a great indicator of market demand, especially for groups. and specialty travel? Big group generator! So lets look at some facts. 16

23 Here we have our top selling group itinerary on Globus to Europe. Why? Well, it is a top destination regardless. If you look at one of our top selling itineraries for individuals, you would see intro to Ireland. It s a hot destination its safe, and familiar. It is continually a top seller for us, and groups are no different! 17

24 What about stateside? Our top group seller for the US is Canyon Country adventure similar to Intro to Ireland, this is a top individual seller as well. It is riddled with great national parks and beautiful scenery. Add in domestic airfare? And it can be easy to see why this is a great group option. 18

25 And rounding out NA with Canada, we have Glacier National Park and the Canadian Rockies. 19

26 What about exotics? Because remember, Globus is so much more than just Europe. And for groups, we see the top exotic seller as Peru Splendors. And with two entrances to Machu Piccu, it is a clear favorite. Peru is a great blend of exotic flavors and familiar European flow. It is a very welcoming country, with a great mixture of comfort and culture. It is actually the top selling exotics destination for us across all brands! 20

27 Here is a quick look at some of our top sellers for Cosmos! As you can see, very, very similar to its Globus counterparts. We see beautiful parks vacations in NA, costa Rica again for exotics! Europe for cosmos may be Irish explorer but a neck and neck is 21

28 Fatima, Lourdes & Shrines of Spain a faith based vacation. Which is a perfect segway into one of our most popular specialty travel segments. Faith based touring. Religious travel with Globus and cosmos is an enriching experience filled with fellowship outreach enhanced personal faith and divine memories. Our itineraries not only have time set aside for personal reflection many also include religious services/mass throughout each journey. Should services/mass not be included on a tour itinerary, your clients will have looted free time to attend services as they choose. And your groups spiritual leader can travel for free. Reach out to our groups team for more info on that! And remember Oberammergau 2020 is not too far away! visit Oberammergau.com to sign up and receive updates leading up to the big event! There are various reasons people take faith based vacations: 22

29 We see many reasons that travelers choose a faith based vacation with the Globus family. Most obvious, would be to deepen ones faith. But we also see those traveling to explore their roots, build community, and simply, to have fun and visit some pretty cool places! Now what about custom tours that s right custom tours! 23

30 Despite our wide variety of vacation options, we KNOW that there are times when only a custom tour will satisfy the needs of your clients. That s why, if you have at least 20 travelers, we will work with you to create a custom tour itinerary that is as special as your group. We will provide you with a net quote without a group allowance, to deliver the best value while still exceeding your groups expectations. On the source, our marketing portal, there is an awesome custom tour brochure. It provides additional ideas, sample itineraries, and more! But what types of custom vacations are there? I want to give you some ideas to at least get you thinking! Monograms pre and post is your group sailing on an ocean cruise? But would like to spend some additional time in the destinations they are visiting? We can arrange single or multi night pre and post cruise stays! A wonderful way to have a reputable land operator handle your clients pre and post Full ship charters! Charter an entire sailing for your group of Now, I know some of you may be saying some on, 128? We had several last year alone! Have a smaller 24

31 group? It only takes 36 travelers to charter the Seem Reap of Myanmar in SE Asia! And student discoveries. We bring the stories BEHIND the worlds most extraordinary destinations to life with student discoveries. An alternative to traditional educational travel. We combine our touring expertise but get our influence 100% from educators. And we can easily tailor it to fit a curriculum! Themes? We got that too! But these are just suggestions on custom vacations. Don t forget, we can create custom itineraries, as well as make suggestions for other types of custom travel reach out to the Groups team for more info! 24

32 As you ve learned, there ARE MANY options when working with the Globus family of brands to book your group travel. At the end of the day, we want you making more money! And isn't groups a great way to do just that! From custom to pre set, Globus and cosmos offer wonderful group solutions combined with online group management, its so easy! Add in faith travel and custom itineraries and we can make anything work! Next up the final module. Selling! 25

33 Thank you for taking the time to complete this online module today. Just one more module! The art of selling! If you have any questions, please contact Inside Sales: or visit us at our Online Portal: GlobusFamilyPartner.com Talk to you soon! 26