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Travel Is Emotional. So is every buying decision.

Ros: Well, hello everybody. Welcome back to the Travel Agent Achievers podcast. I am Ros, and I'm gonna jump straight into it. Today I want to talk about something that sits at the very center or the heart of what we do as travel advisors. And yet it's something that I think we often overlook. Sales. Now, before you switch off, before you go, no, Ros, I don't want this. It's not for me right now. and think I don't like sales, I want you to stay with me because when most people hear the word sales, they think persuasion, they think scripts, they think convincing somebody to buy. And the longer that I've been in business, the more I realize that the best sales conversations.

Don't even feel like a sales conversation at all. And one of my, I mean, I'm I'm surrounded by incredible sales trainers, you know, Nick from Birdseye Consulting, I've got Christine, Corin, I've got Marie. You know, there's some incredible people. And I am very fortunate to be able to have conversations with them at a higher level. And we talk about all these sorts of things.

The reason why I wanted to have this podcast and this specific episode is because I recently came across a video by Ryan Sirhunt where he was talking about what he calls the Heart Framework. So H-E-A-R-T, the framework. Now, if you don't know who Ryan Sir Hunt is, he was on Million Dollar Listing, New York, and I I loved

That show. I absolutely loved the sales process, the deals that they were doing, the relationships. Yes, it's reality TV, but I still loved it. And then he also, when he started Sir Hunt, the real estate agency, he also then has another Netflix show called Owning Manhattan. So if you haven't checked them out, please go and do, let me know what you think. But he he had a re a reel that came out, and this is where he was talking about the heart framework.

Roslyn Ranse (02:14.421) And as I listened to it, I couldn't help but think about travel professionals and how it's also really interesting and relevant to our industry. So the real estate industry and also the travel industry. Because there is some alignment there. And I really feel that travel isn't a logical, it isn't logical, right? Travel is emotional. And people don't

Buy a holiday or book a holiday because they necessarily need a flight or a hotel room. They're buying what the experience represents. They're buying connections, they're buying memories, they're buying time together with someone, they're buying the celebration, they're buying the adventure, they're buying the confidence. And that's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about today. One of the biggest mindset shifts that I've had over the years.

Is certainly realizing that I'm not actually selling travel. And we are seeing this more and more now. I'm helping people just like you create experiences and also emotional reactions. Like think about some of the bookings that you've made recently. And I was thinking about this and an email that I received from a client saying this is the first time that we've traveled without the kids. I want to make it really special.

Now, thinking about that, but also some of the bookings that you've made, a honeymoon as an example, it's not really about a resort. It's about the start of a new chapter. A family holiday isn't really about flights and accommodation. It's about creating memories while the kids are still young enough to want to travel with mum and dad. And I share this with you because I'm about to head away to Europe with my husband and my son, and we've got, you know.

A very short amount of time to spend these summers or these opportunities with our kids. And so Clint, in all his wisdom and he is incredibly creative, he's been here on the podcast before. He's he's actually put together a song for us. And so after this experience, if you follow me on socials, I'm sure that you'll be able to see it. But it was it the story and the theme is about creating these memories.

Roslyn Ranse (04:36.437) A luxury cruise, as an example, isn't exactly or necessarily about the suite that's been booked. It's often about the success, the rewarding of years of hard work, or finally taking the trip that someone has dreamed about for a very long time. The travel product, so the flights, the hotel, that's simply the vehicle. The emotion is what people are potentially really buying, or how I see it anyway.

And when we understand that, our conversations with our clients then also change. So if I was to think about the framework that Ryan mentioned in this reel, I'm gonna map it out for you. Heart, H-E-A-R-T. So H is for here, right? We're listening. This is the first part of this whole framework. And I think this is where exceptional travel professionals separate themselves from regular travel advisors.

Because listening isn't waiting for your turn to speak, it's becoming curious. And this is a word that I have been using for a while now. And talking to the advisors, the part of our Achievers Mastermind or different programs, or when I'm talking to advisors, I'm like, get get curious, ask questions, be invested. So when I say those sorts of things, I'm also thinking of questions like.

Why now? What inspired this trip? What would make this experience absolutely amazing for you? You know, what are you most excited about? What are you most worried about? And often clients will tell us exactly what matters to them. We just need to slow down enough to actually hear it, to listen. And this is one thing that I hear Nick say all the time: we need to listen. Like it's one of the key components in order to get the most out of.

An experience. So some of the most valuable information isn't necessarily in the answers that they're giving, it's the emotion behind the answers. So hearing. And I was even talking about this with my mom who is selling her property at the moment. I'm like, Mum, listen. Don't get caught up in the emotion for her. But it's to listen. Hear what is actually being said by the real estate agent, but also what is being said on other stories as well behind.

Roslyn Ranse (07:02.197) Why people are buying. Like listen to the emotion, the answer behind it. E, so H E, E is for empathy and to empathize. And empathy is one of the most underrated sales skills, I think, in our industry. Not sympathy, empathy. And that means that you're able to step into somebody else's shoes. Think about one of your clients that.

might be taking their very first international trip, or the widow that is traveling alone for the first time and is booking a solo cabin on a cruise, or the family that's traveling with aging parents and a multi-generational trip and how they want to create these experiences and you know memories together. Think about the nervous first-time cruiser. What advice or what information can you share with them? And being

empathetic towards where they're at in that stage. Could be the couple that's planning their once-in-a-lifetime anniversary trip. You know, they're going to Africa or to Machu Picchu or one of the seven wonders of the world. Like sometimes they don't need the information first. They need reassurance. They need to know that someone understands exactly what they're experiencing. And in my opinion, that someone is you.

Think about that. Empathy. A. A is for acknowledge. And this is the step that I often see advisors will skip as well. Because we're problem solvers. We want to jump straight into the solutions. But before people need solutions, they need validation. And I was on a a

Call with a client at 5:30 a.m. this morning. Yes, I know I set up my calendarly in order to do something else, and they book the 5:30 a.m. session. That's fine. I'm okay with that. But simple statements like, I completely understand why that's important, or I can see why that would be stressful, or that makes perfect sense. Those few words can completely change a conversation because

Roslyn Ranse (09:22.643) In general, people want to feel understood before they feel as though they're advised. And when they do feel understood, this is where the trust ladder and trust starts to build. So trust over time, when it increases, gets through to the level for repeat and referral clients, right? So that's the next letter A. R. R is for responding. So H-E-A-R.

R is for responding. And once you know somebody feels heard, once they feel understood, once they feel acknowledged, they're now ready for your expertise. And this is where your recommendations matter. This is where your supplier knowledge matters. This is where your destination expertise absolutely shines through. But notice something important here. Expertise lands differently when trust already exists. The vibe.

the advice hasn't changed and the client's willingness to accept the advice that has. And this is a very different sales conversation. Again, in my call this morning with a client, we went through all of these stages. And I didn't even realize it until I was thinking about this podcast episode. I'm like, we actually followed all of these steps.

So R is for responding and building that trust ladder. The advice, remember, it hasn't changed. It's just in a different part of the conversation. And that's where the client's willingness is, you know, ready to accept it and hear it. T, the final one, is for taking action. And this is where the magic happens. Following through, keeping promises, being proactive, checking in, communicating clearly.

Advocating for your client. Travel professionals often underestimate how much clients value certainty. And I was in, if I was to put myself in a client's shoes, so we're heading to Europe this weekend. I didn't know up until two days ago whether I was going to get a specific experience. That for me created so much.

Roslyn Ranse (11:48.842) Anxiety, stress, because I I haven't been able to organize anything else around the the two days because I wasn't sure whether I would get this one VIP experience. And this is where being in the client's shoes, I want you to think about it as well and think how much do you value certainty? Because I know for me, yes, I can say to my clients all day long, I've got you.

But if I don't stick to what I actually say that I will do, then it can all fall apart. So clients value that. They value every email, every update, every check-in, every thoughtful touch point. This creates confidence as well. And confidence then creates loyalty. Every thoughtful touch point. Now you might think, no, I do all of this anyway. And you know, it's part of my 67 steps Ros in processing and booking.

That's fine. But think about and put yourself in the shoes of your client. Because this is the taking action component where your clients are depending on you. And what you say you're going to do, if you don't do it, that trust level drops back very, very quickly. So this matters more than ever right now. This heart process. So the H-E-A-R-T.

And why I think this matters more than anything right now is because of the elephant in the room, AI. Right? Technology is more powerful than it ever has been. And some technology can build itineraries, they can recommend hotels, compare prices, generate content, answer questions. And it may not always be right. Often, I mean, even yesterday I had a place in Estonia and a

The hotel was shut. I'm like, dude, you can and I say dude because I'm talking to my AI. Like you don't even get it. It's a destination that I don't know well, but I will always do my research on. And having a look at different places, reaching out to the suppliers, making sure you've got the right people in your corner, right? So it can do some of these things, but there's still this one big, big part of the puzzle that it struggles to do or do well.

Roslyn Ranse (14:08.213) And I think that that is understanding people, understanding emotions, understanding context, understanding what someone isn't saying. And I believe that's where travel professionals have an incredible opportunity, very similar to the real estate industry and what Ryan was saying. The future for us isn't about becoming more robotic.

Using the technology to a certain level, a hundred percent. But I really feel that the future is about becoming more human, having those connections, jumping on a phone call, meeting your clients in person, things that we used to do quite a lot, and then there has been a shift. The advisors who thrive and advisors that I talk to are the ones that are competing with technology.

They're the ones that are using technology while they're doubling down on connection. They are setting the goals for themselves to have conversations throughout the week, to make sure they're talking with their clients over the phone in person, building those relationships. And this brings me to one of my favorite topics, which is of course repeat and referral business. It's the goal. Think about the last time you referred a business to a friend.

And I I think about it as well. Now you you probably didn't say, you know, they found me a really good flight. You probably said, or your clients are probably saying to their friends, they were amazing. They looked after every detail. They genuinely cared about me. They made the whole process really easy. They went above and beyond. Now notice what those statements have in common. They're emotional.

Because people refer experiences, feelings, trust. And that's exactly why building stronger emotional connections with your clients isn't just good service. It's good business. And that comes back to sales. It doesn't have to be hard, it doesn't have to be clunky, it doesn't have to feel awkward or weird. It's about the relationships. And if I think about even my journey with sales over, you know.

Roslyn Ranse (16:24.983) 40 years, 15 years, or for 35, I don't know, whatever it was. But I remember in my twenties that I had a job and it was only for three months. It was cold call sales in the recruitment industry. And I hated it. I hated picking up the phone and having to make a call to somebody that I had no idea who they were, you know, what it what it was that they were looking for and try and establish a relationship within 20 or 30 seconds.

I just didn't like that. For me, it's always been about relationships and getting to know someone, understand them before looking at what's going to be the future in that relationship from a booking perspective. And so thinking about that, if we were to create more repeat and referral business, you know, I think it's really important to understand these principles. Build those relationships.

And I recently put together a repeat and referral playbook. It's designed to help you identify practical ways to strengthen client relationships, create memorable experiences, and generate more referrals without feeling pushy or sales focused in a way. Like we still need to have the sales goals. Because if we don't have a sale, if we don't have a sale, then we we don't have a business, right? But it's

Something a little bit different that you might feel is an easier way for you to get the bookings. I'm gonna pop the details in the show notes for you so that you can have a look at it, download it. I've made it super cheap so that anybody can purchase, take action immediately, and start getting the results. That's what I want for you. So as I wrap up today's episode, I want to leave you with one thought. Your clients, as I said before, they may forget the flight number.

They may forget the hotel room that you've booked for them. And some of them might even forget the finer details of the itinerary, but they will remember how they felt. They'll remember whether they were heard, whether they were understood, and whether they were looked after, whether they felt even confident in placing their trust in you. Because generally, consumers don't just buy travel.

Roslyn Ranse (18:49.377) They buy how you, as the travel professional, make them feel. And that might just be one of the most valuable sales lessons of all. Thanks everybody for joining me for another episode today. Until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and continue creating extraordinary experiences for your clients and for your business.

We are in such a beautiful industry to be able to help people explore this amazing planet that we live on. Have an awesome rest of your day. Bye for now.