A top luxury agent has revealed she’s already made her money back after organising a lavish event for her London-based customers.
 

Travel Counsellor Sara Greene hosted her first-ever client appreciation event last month, bringing together more than 20 people for a relaxed dinner at the Coal Office in King’s Cross.

The meal was attended by some of the Mancunian advisor’s most loyal clients, the majority of whom have been booking with her for the past 14 years.

Suppliers who have supported her business, including Lee Marshall from Carrier, Briony Worrall from Grecotel and Megan Saunders from Explora Journeys, were also in attendance.

Greene had been planning a large gesture to acknowledge her repeat bookers for a long time, having always wanted to express her gratitude for their loyal custom. 

“It was all about saying thank you,” Greene told TTG Luxury. “As agents, we are hosted all of the time – why shouldn’t we do the same thing for our clients?”

Though confident her guests would mix well, Greene admits it was daunting to bring so many people – some of whom she hadn’t met in person – together for an entire evening.

“I was worried at first, but it went so well,” she said. “It helped that a lot of my clients are quite similar, they have big personalities! So there was a really good ambience.”

Greene added that the restaurant, which is just a few minutes’ walk from King’s Cross station, was also the perfect venue. “It was convenient for people but also beautiful – we had our own private dining room with gorgeous views,” she said.

After a short welcome speech by Greene, clients were served sharing plates of Middle Eastern fare, with dishes including everything from aubergine siniya to whole roasted cauliflower. The drinks menu was equally sophisticated, offering a choice of red and white wines, dry Prosecco and non-alcoholic sparkling rosé.

Each guest also received a goodie bag with personalised Travel Counsellors scented candles, Grecotel chocolates and Explora Journeys stationery.

“It wasn’t cheap, but it was so worth it,” Greene said. “The guests kept telling me they were honoured that I’d asked them. They were blown away by it all.”

Greene added that she’s already made her money back, having since landed a large booking from one of the guests in attendance. 

She also believes that client appreciation events can be valuable marketing tools, especially if they’re endorsed by reputable suppliers like Carrier, Grecotel and Explora Journeys. 

“Having these partners on board highlights to your clients that you’re well respected in the industry,” she explained. “It gives you clout.”

Client appreciation events can also help to differentiate your brand, giving you an edge against your competitors in an oversaturated field. 

Greene says some of her clients were surprised to receive the invitation, which she sent via email in September: “They’d never had a travel advisor ask them to attend a fully hosted meal before, so they were so gracious.”

As for advice she’d give to agents looking to host their own client appreciation event, Greene emphasises that it’s not always necessary to organise a large-scale event.

“You can even just invite them for a coffee morning,” she said. “It’s more about keeping your clients close and making them feel special.”

Still “on a high“ from her debut client appreciation event, Greene is now excited for round two. She plans to host another meal in London for those who couldn’t make the first one, as well as one in Manchester for her Northern-based clients.

In the meantime, Greene is gearing up for her busiest season of the year: “A lot of my high-end clients have just come back from holiday now, and they usually start booking again towards the end of January or the middle of February. These aren’t overnight quotes either – they’re looking for tailor-made adventure. Times have changed a lot!”