How to Start Selling Cruises

There are several methods you can use to start selling cruises.

This web page will focus on one method that, arguably, will yield the greatest results for the least amount of money and effort.

It is a simple method to implement.

Travel sellers are eager to work with you to start selling cruises because you can bring in new customers for them.

Actually, you are also providing free advertising and promotion for their business.

They know that if you promote to the people you know it can multiply into hundreds of potential customers because the people you know also know people, and those people know people, and so on.

Therefore, the incentive is there for a travel agency owner to at least "take a look" at you. He or she will provide guidance and training but it is up to you to prove yourself.

Your cruise seller will serve as an invaluable resource while you perform the following steps below.

Step One:
Your first step is to identify several affinity groups you want to approach. An affinity group refers to a group of people you know or that you are familiar.

They consist of individuals, church and club groups, association and organizational members, family members (perhaps family reunion groups), school groups, and so on.

You identify several affinity groups, because you want the numbers to work for you, as you will see in step three.

Step Two:
Based on the three separate (affinity group) markets you identify, your second step is to use your knowledge of these markets to choose a cruise itinerary that will appeal to them. You may have to do some additional things to get all the information you need.

For example, you may want to get the assistance of one or two core members. Preferably, approach core members considered "leaders" by other members. If a leader "gets on board" with you, your work becomes easier.

Of course, you can also get one or two of your closest friends to help you.

Ask questions of group leaders and your friends in order to enhance and deepen your understanding of these affinity groups. An informal survey can also provide you with valuable information to assist your efforts in selling cruises.

Step Three:
With the help of your cruise seller, put together a basic one-page handout to determine interest in the itinerary you have chosen.

If your three markets consist of very large numbers of people, choose two itineraries, and put together two one-page handouts.

Give your (one or two) itineraries to everyone on your list, and do so within a very short period. In fact, distribute all handouts within a matter of days.

In order to reach your objective, your personal goal of selling cruises will determine how many people you must have on your list. Remember, you want numbers to work for you.

Expect to distribute 75 to 100 handouts for every (one) couple you want to make a cruise purchase. As you see by these numbers, twelve couples will require as many as 1000 handouts.

This is one reason why you must identify at least three affinity groups to promote your cruise. Remember, you must "earn" your free cruise.

Another very important point to make about selling cruises to affinity groups pertains to "timing".

To increase your odds of selling cruises, give out all flyers before the end of the third quarter (September 30) preceding the year of the planned cruise.

Many people are required to choose the dates for their following year vacation before the end of their current employment year.

Distributing all handouts before the 30th of September will give them the opportunity to plan their vacation time around your cruise itinerary.

If you are concerned about not having large enough numbers for your promotion, use discount or other incentives to get people to spread the word for you.

This action reduces your overall commission, but your chance of success increases.

Finally, your travel seller is an invaluable resource. It is important to identify a cruise seller you can work with. There are several pages within this website to help you identify a good cruise seller. (Start here.)

Why You Should Start Selling Cruises