SMALLSHIPCRUISES.COM

 7 IMPORTANT RULES FOR SELLING CRUISES ON THE INTERNET
 

World travel and tourism is expected to generate more than $7 trillion this year, rising to over $13 trillion in the next decade according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. Online buying is in the billions, with travel being the biggest online category for sales.

At SmallShipCruises.com we hope to help you reach some of these internet people. Here is some advice to help you.

• THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF ALL -- SPEED.   Get back to the potential client within the hour, even if it is only a form response thanking them for contacting you and asking for any missing information. Then after checking details of their request and using our site for research, call them that same day to make your suggestions as to two or three vessels that are most appropriate for fulfilling their needs. We cannot emphasize enough that speed is essential in working with people on the net. They are used to prompt action, and if they do not get a quick response from you they will go to someone else. The good news is that they also often make quick decisions in booking.
   
• BE ORGANIZED.   Set up a tracking system, whether it’s in a notebook or on large index cards or in file folders. Print out emails you receive, log phone calls, document reservations, write everything down. You may start getting so much traffic that you haven’t got as much time with each client as you would like to have. Keeping good tracking records of requests, phone calls, and other information will save you much time and keep you organized to give the best service. Don’t forget to ask the client if they want trip cancellation or medical insurance since that often has to be ordered at time of booking.
   
• WRITE ENTHUSIASTIC EMAILS.  The internet can seem very impersonal. Make your emails  personalized and friendly and let your enthusiasm for a cruise show. Enthusiasm is catching. People keep coming back to SmallShipCruises.com because they feel that they have gotten quick, friendly, and knowledgeable service.
   
• PHONE THE CLIENT WHEN POSSIBLE.  This makes your transaction more personal and establishes rapport and trust. It also gives you the opportunity to fill in missing information -- when they want to travel and for how long, who is going on the trip, if they have a particular budget in mind, if there is a special occasion for the trip, whether air is needed, or pre or post cruise hotel or tour arrangement and whether they prefer tourist or luxury hotels or bed and breakfast. Many people may be comparison shopping so make sure that they know if port charges or shore excursions or other charges are included. Always inform your client that insurance is available and ask if they would like to have it. A good closing technique when cabins are limited is to offer to put a seven-day hold on the cabin with no obligation.
   
• HAVE SAFE TRANSACTIONS.  If you are making a sale over the internet, we recommend that you do not have the person send their credit card information by email unless you have a secure site. A good technique is to call the client to confirm all the pertinent information about the booking and get their credit card information over the phone. Another technique is to email or fax them a credit card authorization form and have them fill it in, sign it, and mail it back to you. Or have your clients pay the cruise company directly with their credit card.
   
• BE SURE TO GET ALL DETAILS AND GIVE THEM TO YOUR CLIENT.  Your information should include ship name, sailing date, port of departure, boarding time, sailing time, cabin category and number, inside or outside cabin, bed configuration,  You should also have for yourself and your client the booking confirmation number, deposit made, amount and date for final payment, address for payment to cruise line. Tell them that cruise documents do not usually arrive until about two weeks before a cruise; otherwise they will be panicked. Also remind them of passport or visa needs.
   
• FOLLOW-UP.  Continue to build your relationship. A week before cruise time send them a bon voyage email wishing them a wonderful trip. A week or so after they get back send them an email welcoming them home, hoping they had a wonderful time, and inviting them to contact you again when they are looking for cruise information.