There is no denying that words are the most powerful tools of communication. They can be used to negotiate, persuade, sell and more! Your words, along with the tone, could make the difference in your sales process with your affluent clientele.
As you may have read last month, I took a trip to Turks and Caicos this summer. The property I stayed at had offered to arrange excursions, dinners and more prior to arrival. I had discussed with the concierge briefly their spa offerings and booked a package to fit my needs. Outside of that, I didn’t have much time to plan a tour or ask questions about restaurants on the island. When I arrived, I thought about relaxing but was more keen on exploring what the island had to offer. I sat down with the concierge to find how best to enjoy Providenciales past the white sandy 12-mile beach (the most beautiful I have seen!).
Words came right into play. The concierge laid out the options—horseback riding along the beach in Long Bay, exploring the caves on Middle Caicos, a day on a private yacht around the chain of islands, taking a Hobie Cat onto the turquoise waters, snorkeling on the reefs around the Caicos Islands and more. She never rushed us and made us feel at ease. The options were endless but the choice was ours!
I thought snorkeling sounded like an amazing experience complete with conch diving, touring the beautiful reefs and relaxing on a deserted island. However, my friend isn’t comfortable being out on the open waters. Upon returning to our room, I asked her why she voted for snorkeling—she’s stayed on the boat on earlier occasions whenever she’s tagged along after some persuasion. She said it was the words the concierge used and the picture she painted that made the tour seem like the perfect island experience. Luckily, this particular snorkeling trip turned out to be more than what we had imagined.
Words play a key role in day-to-day business and they determine how you plan once-in-a-lifetime vacations, how you dispel myths, the approach to upselling and more. The travel industry has a lot of “must-dos” and how you tell your customers what to do makes a big difference. At Luxury Travel Expo this December, we are happy to have Nancy Friedman, the Telephone Doctor, present “How to be an Island of Excellence in an Ocean of Mediocrity” during our Thursday General Session. She will share the Five Forbidden Phrases and, of course, give you the positive alternatives. This will be a laugh-out-loud session where you’ll learn techniques you’ll use forever.
Meet Friedman and our entire roster of industry leaders at the expo! Our Full Conference Pass costs $80 and a Platinum Pass is $175. Register online today and confirm your participation, and, having been there, leave with tools to implement in your luxury business.