How to Effectively use Fam-Trips as Sales Tools

As travel professionals we know that familiarization trips (fams) are valuable. But what if I tell you that everyone who work in travel do not share the same sentiments about them.

Here are some differences in the views:

·??????Travel advisors love fams for destination knowledge – Some destinations and suppliers feel that fams seldom benefit them.

·??????Travel advisors see fams as an economical way to experience a destination or a supplier’s products – Some destinations and suppliers view fams as a risky expense with little hope of a return.

·??????Travel advisors request fams for what they are interested in – Some destinations and suppliers are reluctant to grant these requests.

To help bridge the gap between these opinions, we are suggesting the points below. We feel that adopting them would positively impact the sales of those on both sides of the “fam issue”.

Here are our suggestions on how travel advisors could better use fams as effective sales tools:

1.????Prepare – Even before deciding to participate on a fam, be certain to prepare by examining your list of clients or perspective clients to ensure that the destination or the product has potential buyers. Your preparation should also include the creation of a checklist of items you want to learn and experience.

2.????Plan – Develop a plan to ensure that while in the destination, or at the supplier’s, that you would be able to effectively and efficiently meet all the objectives decided on in your preparation.

3.????Execute – While on the fam, activate your plan. Ask pertinent and purposeful questions, make relevant requests, and be businesslike. All this with the end in mind to not only cover your checklist, but also to build the key relationships you would need for your future sales efforts.

4.????Deliver and notify – You are now back from the fam and it is time to deliver. By deliver, we mean sell. You chose the fam because you have clients who want to vacation in the destination, and to experience the products you now have first-hand knowledge about. Selling should be easier. When you make successful sales, be sure to notify those who hosted you.

5. Deliver by Patronizing - Buy from the business entity who invited you on the fam. Doubtlessly, on a fam you would meet other suppliers, and form relationships with other businesses and persons, but it is only fair and ethical to buy from, and do business with whomever invited, and hosted you on the fam. It is how they get a return on their investment. And it is how any long lasting negative sentiments about fams would be reversed.

We anticipate this topic and the content of this email to generate some discussions; so, we invite you to write directly to us on [email protected]. We will respond to you and provide answers to your questions, or advance further helpful suggestions on how to effectively use fams as sales tools.

Note further that since fams are not available for everyone, there are other effective resources that provide destination knowledge and product familiarity. Our Nevis Sun Tours YouTube Channel is one such resource with high quality, curated original content published on a weekly basis. To use it as a sales tool, visit this link https://youtube.com/channel/UCs2EV8LWAhtPHPO3BSzBzwQ and subscribe.

Thank you, and happy selling.

Nevis Sun Tours.