Luxury travel advisors can have successful sales days on a budget by following a few simple steps, according to Beaver Travel.
Based in the Hertfordshire village of Radlett, this small business has been a magnet for holidaymakers since its move from selling affordable to upmarket trips back in the 1990s. It has gone on to win numerous industry awards, and today, boasts a reputation for offering bespoke experiences with an enviable client retention rate of 82%.
Like many small agencies however, Beaver Travel hasn’t been unscathed by the UK’s cost-of-living crisis. Costs for a sales event, which typically requires venue hire, equipment and catering, have gone up and marketing budgets have also had to tighten, while consumers are also considering their own leisure spend more thoughtfully.
“The major trend that’s undeniable is how people are thinking a lot harder about what they book, decisions are slower than what they were,” Jason Palmer, business development manager at Beaver Travel tells TTG Luxury. “Doing these events gives a lot of impetus for someone to make a decision, and it’s us putting a stake in the ground. If you don’t put yourself out there as a travel agent, those clients could read an offer in the newspaper and book elsewhere.”
Never one to let a challenge stop them, Beaver Travel decided to hold a cost-effective sales show focused on luxury cruise, and one that would still deliver the VIP service and products its clients expect.
The event was a massive success, with bookings totting up to £122,000 in the fortnight after it wrapped. Palmer estimates that, ‘judging by the dozens of hot enquiries we are still working on’, sales are only set to increase in the coming weeks.
So, what does it take to create a cost-effective and business-boosting event? Palmer shares his tips.
1. Embrace unlikely venues
Beaver Travel had originally planned to use a local hotel for the event, but after it became clear that such an expense would topple the budget, the company decided to call in a favour.
“We have a great relationship with the estate agent next door and they were delighted to help out,” Palmer says. “This gave us a very low-cost additional exhibition floor space, enabling us to considerably reduce the exhibition costs to our exhibitors by over 30% without reducing our overall budget for the event.”
The temporary relocation also boosted curb appeal, adding a novelty factor to the event as locals noticed Beaver’s ‘takeover’ of its neighbour. “We had our livery outside on the estate agent which was something out of the ordinary,” Palmer explains. “Here, instead of an estate agent, were balloons and signs and people coming in and out. Sometimes, you just need to catch people’s eyes.”
2. Work the weekend
The increased interest was likely also influenced by Beaver Travel’s decision to open on a Sunday, when, as a traditional agent, they would normally be shut; as would the estate agent.
“Because we’re not open on the weekend, people noticed when we were,” Palmer says. Operating on a Sunday also introduced the business to new clients, who may not be in the village during the weekday or have more time to shop during the weekend.
“People come to this area from lots of villages around. It’s quite a busy place on a Sunday morning,” he adds. “The weekends are possibly the best time to have engagement.”
3. Simple sales spaces
The estate agent office’s desks were transformed into selling booths, with each cruise line free to decorate their allocated space with their brand’s pull-up banners, branding and brochures. Once the stage had been set, it was showtime.
From 11am to 4pm, the public was welcome to pop in and browse the range of trips on offer. Twelve luxury cruise lines were represented in total, including Silversea, Windstar Cruises, Riverside Luxury Cruises, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, Quark Expeditions, Lusso, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, Ponant, Oceania Cruises, Sunsail & The Moorings, APT River Cruises, as well as the leading luxury travel advisor network, Virtuoso.
The collaboration with the suppliers - who used their own marketing materials - was another way for Beaver Travel to stay under budget.
“Their financial contributions and support enabled us to completely cover all associated costs for our event,” Palmer says.
4. Invest in marketing
Having saved on venue hire and materials, Beaver Travel was able to invest the majority of its budget in marketing for the event.
“We did both online and offline marketing - social media marketing, two different sets of mail drops to clients and non-addressed mail drops of about 10,000 to local areas twice,” Palmer says. Not only did this promote the pop-up sales day, but it also advertised the travel agency and the cruise lines to a wider scope of customers. In essence, the pop-up shop doubled up as both a sales and marketing tool.
“Even if someone doesn’t walk through the door that day, these events still have a massive positive effect,” Palmer continues. “Ultimately, it is the gift that keeps on giving.”
5. Plan in advance
While the event itself went smoothly, Palmer insists that planning nine months in advance was essential to ensuring a strong turnout. “Even then, it can be very difficult to tie down suppliers, especially in the New Year, when lots of people want to do events with them. It’s quite a coup to get 10 to 12 suppliers in one room!” he says.
6. Make Real Connections
To Beaver, there is no sales tool more powerful than in-person service. With some of its clients spending up to £100,000 a year on luxury travel, the company prioritises the face-to-face expertise that its digital competitors just can’t simulate.
“So many other businesses with a shopfront have had to close, but people trust travel agents to give them the right advice,” Palmer explains. “From my understanding of the OTAs, they just can’t achieve that human touch. And that should give travel agencies a lot of positivity for the future.”
