Travel advisors choosing to work with destination wedding couples will soon find they have an opportunity to secure clients for life. Couples who travel for their first celebration together will oftentimes turn to travel for life’s other big moments as well. This includes babymoons, anniversaries, friends trips, family reunions and more.
After successfully planning one of the biggest moments of their life – the wedding day – there’s no doubt they’ll turn back to their advisor when they begin to think about future trips. Lots of life events come up in between these trips though, so it’s important for agents to stay on their clients’ radar and drop reminders that they’re still around and available to create these other dream vacations. There are several strategies to keep in mind when working with wedding couples in order to hopefully secure their business for life.
Creating a Trusting Relationship
When it comes to planning one of the most important days in your clients’ lives, having their trust from the start is crucial. Rachel Sadler, owner and travel advisor at Sadler Travel, stresses the importance of creating a relationship from the very beginning of the planning process. “I form a strong connection with them through the planning process, preparation and completion of travel,” she said.
Though destination weddings may not be the only type of travel you’re booking, these reservations may take up more of your time and energy. Being honest upfront and not overpromising anything is key. Let the couple and the rest of the wedding party know how the planning process works to avoid any frustrations and ensure a seamless experience.
"I'm very transparent with my clients from beginning to end, and make sure to respond to them and their guests within 24 hours,” Suzy Mkhitarian, certified destination wedding expert at Wanderlust Weddings, said. “That is key to any service I provide, so they always know I am there when they email me or call, which makes them feel comfortable in booking future family trips and sending me referrals."
Referral Business
Similar to anything in life, when something goes well, we like to share it with our friends and family. This is especially true with travel. Whether it’s a specific resort or excursion or a destination in general, travelers can’t wait to get back home and share they’re excitement around the experience with others.
Creating a seamless travel experience for your destination wedding couples not only ensures they are a client for life, but it also means the referrals will be sent your way. For Sadler, this has been the case. “One couple recommended me to three other couples in their friend group who were getting married and needed honeymoon planning,” she said. And when you’re booking a destination wedding, in addition to getting referrals from the couple themselves, you might get referrals from other guests in the wedding group as well.
The Power of a Follow Up
Once you’ve met with a client, created a plan, generated the vacation itinerary and sent them on their way, you might think you’re done. However, one of the most vital steps is completed after the trip: the follow up. And this is especially true for destination wedding clients. In addition to following up to see how the wedding went, this also means checking in down the road for other possible vacations.
“A destination wedding is just the start of a couple's most precious moments,” said Kendra Carver, Owner and Lead Travel Designer at Kendra and Company Travel Agency. “I always follow up with clients after their wedding (about six months after their wedding) to see if they would like to experience their 1st anniversary on a vacation and provide customized itinerary designs for their first anniversary.”
Carver pointed out that anniversary trips are just the beginning – there’s also babymoons, birthdays and other important milestones to look forward to. “I really feel like I can become a part of their journey as they go through life together,” she said.
Travel advisors hoping to learn more about weddings can visit the destination wedding resource page on VAX VacationAccess.
About the Author
comments