ACE 101 Sales Tips

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101
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ACE Selling Cruise Conference | 1&2 May 2012 | Take Away ACE Selling Cruise Conference | 1&2 May 2012 | Take Away

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Thank you!
Thank you for reading the ACE 101 Cruise Sales Tips – bringing together
the ideas supplied by ACE in conjunction with a collection of experts, travel
agents and training teams from cruise lines.

Media Sponsors We do not expect you to follow all 101 Cruise Sales Tips; nor indeed do we even
expect them all to be relevant to you; rather we hope that you will select your
most appropriate and give them a try. Some may not work for you, others may
help nudge up your total cruise sales, some may even bring you great success
and turn you into a cruise selling maestro.

Official Sponsors The truth is that if we are expecting those holidaymakers who have for many
years chosen a hotel, a B&B, a resort, a city break, a coach holiday, an escorted
tour or a lodge for their holiday to ‘think differently’ about how they spend their
valuable holiday time then it is only right that we also ‘think differently’ about
how we talk about, suggest and sell cruising. We know it is the ultimate holiday
choice, and here are 101 tips to help get that message out to potential cruise
customers of yours.

There are no guarantees of success. You are the expert in what you sell, and
who you sell too; but maybe with a little help from the cruise lines, from ACE
and from these 101 tips we can work together to remind customers of the
unbeatable value and holiday experience that cruising offers.

In fact that is pretty much what ACE is here to do. Offer our support, inspiration
and training so that between us, as one industry, we can continue to develop
and grow the numbers of holidaymakers thinking differently and taking their
first cruise.
Together we are stronger.

Andy Harmer
Director, Association of Cruise Experts


Price and Value Sales Techniques
1 Value is really important. Explain exactly what is included in the price, and do
not assume that they know already
11 Ask questions – open, closed and probing to get as much information as
possible before even starting the search for a particular product

2 Why not do a price-comparison against a land-based holiday with your
customer – cruising wins every time! 12 Listen carefully and take in the mood as well as the facts of what you are
being told

3
Break cruise pricing down to a per day price – it illustrates that for very little
cruising offers a great deal, particularly when compared with land-based 13 Understand the brands and products you are selling – the more you know
the more you can sell
holidays and hotels

4 Do not forget to offer the upgrades, for example in balconies or suites, by
explaining the value, what is included and if need be by how much the upgrade
14 Refer to the customers own experiences to help them build a clearer picture

works out per day
15 Listen and acknowledge their preconceptions and do not judge

5 Never assume that your customer is simply looking for the cheapest deal
– they are actually looking for the ‘right holiday’ – they are not necessarily the Point out both rational and emotional benefits to attract everyone.
same thing
16 Rational – “The cost per day is under £100”, and emotional “Think of the
wonderful views from your balcony of Barcelona as the ship sets sail for Monte
Print off the latest deals and display them in your agency on chairs, brochure Carlo”
6 racks, foreign exchange counters, tables, windows… and hand them to every
customer to focus them on the exceptional value on offer 17 Be aware of your customer and what is important to them

Do not automatically reach for the discount calculator to get a sale. Selling on
7 price is not a long term strategy – remember that cruising is the ultimate choice
for a holiday in terms of the best quality, dining, service and destinations
18 Build rapport and show empathy – an agent who has a full understanding of
their customer, keeps their customer

8 Set up a cruise loyalty club to ensure that clients return to you in the future
19 Use open and closed questions to get the best from your customer – and allow
them plenty of time to speak
Remember that all of your customers are different – and some respond to

9 certain messages (like value) whilst others might want to know much more
about dining, or facilities or just the ports. So highlight the things that are 20
Use active listening to acknowledge the points your customer is making
to keep them fully engaged. And you should recap on their needs and wants
important to that customer before looking for a match by recapping on the details “So, you are interested
in a 7 night holiday, that includes the Balearic Islands, departing from....”
It is usually better to pay a little more than you planned and get what you
10 expect (or more), rather than paying less and being disappointed with what you
get

Get Ahead
with


Focus on the Customer Focus on the cruise
Find out what your customers have been doing on their recent holidays – if it Minimise the number of brochures and cruise lines you offer, because you
21 was a Borneo trek then their focus is probably destinations, and probably those
off the beaten track. In this case find a cruise to match
31 should not confuse your customer with too much choice; and actually if you
asked enough questions then the choices for the perfect match should be limited
too
Are your customers’ great fans of short-breaks? Then why not focus on mini-

22 cruises to whet their appetite for a longer cruise holiday. There are plenty of
short cruises available from where some of Europe’s finest cities are within a
32 Talk about the destinations, they are a key feature of booking a cruise

short distance. And don’t just think of short cruises from the UK – there are
others
33 Keep the three key decision choice comments in the front of your mind –
destination, value and service

23 Ask loads and loads of questions – the more you know about what your
customer wants, the better able you are going to be able to match them with
34 Remember that evening entertainment could play a big role in deciding on the
the right cruise right holiday. Cruise lines run shows and evening entertainment that is often not
available in the UK, and the choice of entertainment could range from west-end
Try to recognise the individual in each customer – what are they really looking style shows, to circus acts, comedians, singers, dancing, disco’s, TV shows, karaoke
24 for – and you are on the right track. Personalise the sale and the conversation to
them. Often people give the best clues about they really want if they are just
acts and so on. Imagine the cost of seeing this on land?!

chatting! Dining is similar to some of the finest restaurants in the world – but without the

Very often these people are travel ‘savvy’ – often they want new ideas, new
35 huge price tag. And celebrity chef restaurants are a great attraction by ‘foodies’.
Bring these to life by showing the customer menu’s or by simply explaining the
25 destinations and new experiences – they usually want more for less – and they
usually want it faster and invariably with a smile
choice available

Do some research into the children’s facilities on cruise ships – kids clubs,
26 If you do not keep in touch with the customer – someone else will 36 baby-sitting, child friendly excursions and so on. For families it is so important that
the children are well looked after

27 Get excited with the customer and convey that cruising is an ‘experience’ not
an ordinary holiday
37 Give them a good understanding of the actual experience

28 Talk cruise at every opportunity – it costs nothing to find out if they are
interested “Have you ever considered a cruise?”
38 Sell up! By selling up you are educating your customer about the experiences
that are included in the price

Ex-UK cruising is big business for a reason – no airport queues or hassle, take Put yourself in the customer’s shoes – what information would you like to know

29 as much luggage as you want, and the immediacy of driving to a UK port and
starting your holiday straight away. So why not publicise the ex-UK sailings that
39 about a cruise holiday before deciding to book, how would you like the information
presented, and what kind of questions would you expect to be asked
are available, and offer the short cruises to tempt non-cruisers onto ships

40 Work with cruise lines to offer your customers ship visit places – arrange a small

30 A great sales person builds rapport with absolute ease – take a genuine
interest in the customer first and the sale will come quicker than you think
mini-bus to the port, and ensure that you follow up after the visit


Setting the scene Talking Cruising
Why not ask past-cruise customers of yours to send you photographs of their If a customer asks for a land-based holiday then quote them and then ask them
41 cruise holidays, and set up a free page on a photo-sharing website (like Flickr)
so that you can show all of your customers the kinds of experiences they would
51 if they would like a second quote that may offer them better value for money.
You do not even have to tell them it is a cruise at first…
have on a cruise
Get involved with the National Cruise Week Afternoon Tea Challenge –
42 Listen to people’s own experiences – looking for the cues to move forward 52

it is an easy way to benefit from nationwide cruise publicity, and will
be a great fun event to get everyone talking about cruise
Use some stunning imagery of destinations on your shop walls, or in the
windows, as a great talking point to get cruising as the topic of conversation.
43 They may want to know where the image is of, and you can tell them about the Check out the big events that are coming up (cruise and non-cruise) and see if
destination and how you can visit the place as part of a cruise. They may not
even know that many of the destinations you could be using can be visited on a 53 you can use them as an excuse to talk about cruise. This could be a ship launch,
a big sporting event, or a public holiday. For example, many used the Royal
cruise holiday Wedding in 2011 to talk about honeymoons and cruising!

Remember that you never get a second chance for first impressions. They Use a customer who has recently cruised to speak at a cruise event that you
44 matter. Dress (and dress the shop you are in) to impress and inspire. The
customer is likely to buy YOU way before they decide to buy the cruise 54 are holding, illustrated by their own images (and even video). We like to know
what other people think (explains the rise in review websites), so use this to your
advantage
Promote cruise in your window but do not mention the word cruise
45 – for example visit 4 Canary Islands, kids clubs, all meals, great evening Never miss an opportunity to talk to your local media about cruise news and
entertainment, two swimming pools…. 55 cruise products – and this includes local radio, newspapers, free-sheets and many
more. Aim to be the local spokesperson for cruise!
46 Be a specialist – people want to buy from people who are credible
Mention cruise to everyone who comes into your branch or calls you. They may

47
Think about ready-made groups to give you a large number of potential
guests. Dance groups, bridge clubs, win societies, drama groups, wildlife clubs 56 not have considered it, and may take your advice. They are likely to give you some
feedback (good or bad) so use that feedback to better focus on what you offer
and so on. Cruising is a perfect match them. You will get cruise bookings in this way – so keep at it

Three generations travel – so remember that you could need to talk about Develop a small working / focus group of customers who book with you – take

48 the facilities that appeal to young children, parents and grandparents. Of
course cruising is the perfect answer to their holiday needs – so talk about how
57 them for dinner as a group and find out what the feelings are over cruise, up-
coming destinations, likes and dislikes; and use it to improve what you offer
the activities, entertainment, facilities and choice of destinations makes it a
great multi-generational holiday Develop a ‘refer a friend’ scheme which rewards both the person introducing a

58 new customer to you, and rewards the friend. The reward could be a bottle of

49 Think about those holiday makers who are ideal to switch to cruise:
city-breakers, coach travellers, those that like the Med and Caribbean, those who
champagne, an overnight pre-hotel, some high street shopping vouchers, years
supply of chocolate....
want to go on a World Tour and so on... cruising is perfect for them – they just do
not know it yet

If you are quoting a customer for a holiday then why not quote for a cruise
50 too, even if not asked for it


Ensure that you have enough platforms of communication that will appeal to
59 all of your customers, whether through social media, email, print or even SMS Reaching out
text and telephone
Organise a ‘spa day’ for your top customers (particularly those with a high per

60 Advertise in local doctors surgeries, dental waiting rooms, community centres, 69 person spend); invite along some cruise lines so that the conversation turns to
cruising, and remind them of the pampering facilities on most cruise ships
sports and leisure facilities.

Ports and Destinations 70 Food is a great aspect of cruising that would appeal to a lot of your customers.
Why not organise a customer dining experience for some of your ‘foodies’ or a
cookery class to highlight some of the classes many cruise line feature on-board
Learn about the destinations and ports of call available – particularly in our

61 most popular cruising destination, the Med – and understand transfer times
and what there is to see in the popular ports. It is a great way to highlight the
71
Why not contact a local radio station or newspaper to see if they would like to
run a regular feature on travel using a local expert (you!). It is great publicity for
positive aspects of itineraries, and demonstrates your expertise your agency and it will give you a great platform to talk cruise

Have a quick reference guide to which European rivers are home to which Allocate some of your time to help a local charity. It will help raise the profile of
62 cities and places of interest. Know your Rhine from your Danube so that you
can talk with confidence about the opportunities that river cruising offer
72 your agency by showing that you care about the local community. Not everything
we do should be about selling more – we need to be seen to care (which of course we do)

Sell the destinations – this comes back time and time again as a fundamental Join local business networking groups or a local forum. Successful business is all
63 reason for people cruising. Yes the ship is important – but sell the ports of call
too, and the number of places they will visit (and still unpack only once)
73 about networking and buying from people we know – if you are not at these groups
then you could be missing out

Remember that for some guests the holiday can start before the cruise sets sail Look out for other businesses in your area to work with – all retailers need new
64 – so look at pre-cruise stays, even in the UK. Visit Kent for example has great
ideas before departing on a voyage from Dover 74
customer introductions so talk to other businesses about joint mailings, social
media activity, events and other activity to create a platform for you and your
partners. Good matches might be car outlets, garden centres, hotels, restaurants,

65 Bring the destination experience to life by personalising it to your customer
“You love wildlife watching, so this Alaska cruise...”
spas, cultural groups and many others too.

Why not find out what their dream destination is, chances are a cruise goes 75 Speak to a local college or university to see if they have students who would
help out on marketing projects
66 there either as a port of call, daytime excursion, or even accessible on a pre- or
post- cruise tour – and it is probably more affordable than they think Set up a small amount of groups with cruise lines that you feel support you and

Remember that some destinations are either only served by cruise ships, or
76 fit in with your client base. This way you can personalise and tailor a product to
your agency making it exclusive.
67 are by far and away the easiest way to see a destination. Think Antarctica,

Think Differently
Alaska, Chilean fjords, Borneo...

with
If your customers are really interested in exploring some of these wonderful
68 ports and destinations then head to the Tourist Board websites to show them
some of the inspiring places they can visit


There are plenty of reasonably priced experts that are available to help you with
Objections and Extras 89 some ideas and inspiration – take a look at the ACE Travel Partners who have
already committed to helping grow the cruise sector
77 Have a copy of the PSA Safety at Sea Fact Sheet handy in case you need to
counter any questions about overall safety
Technology
78 Bust those myths – remember that cruising is incredible value, and offers the
best in quality, dining, service and choice. Nothing even comes close, so if you Todays’ technology will help you to find the right cruise, and using a professional
find the right cruise they should have no objection 90 search tool will rapidly assist your product knowledge by searching all cruise
lines in one go. The knowledge is there at your fingertips – and is there to help you
Do not write off a cancelled booking – there may be an opportunity to turn
79 it around by finding out exactly what the objection is, and responding to it. Can
you simply change date? Duration?
Be creative! Your clients want variety and something new, so next time they ask
for a 7, 10, 11 or 14 night holiday then think cruise. That 10 night holiday could
easily be a 7 night cruise with some land-based hotel stays either side. Package it

80 Use language that attracts your listener, no jargon – jargon simply confuses 91 together to make a holiday that suits your customer – maybe a city break to start
and puts doubt into their mind for those customers that are culture vultures, or a beach stay for those who want
to fly and flop; and some of the modern technology providers software will let you
81 Clarify to solidify your understanding package it easily at the click of a mouse!

Don’t forget to offer excellent customer service by offering those important Use the best technology systems to help you create packages that no-one else is
82 extra’s –overnight stays, pre-hotels, excursions, parking… 92 offering to give you a huge competitive advantage over other agents. By putting
together flights, hotels and cruises into one special holiday you will have something
bespoke to advertise and offer, and you will be standing out from the crowd
83 Ask for help to do the best job – use the best tools available to you

Listen to the music as well as the words to help you build the whole picture. Let
93 When creating your own package try to think of some special touches that will
really give you the edge. Think of including some theatre tickets in Rome, a dinner
84 people talk – the more you know the better you are to match in Barcelona, an island tour in Majorca, a spa retreat in Venice… something to make
the package really get stand-out

Using ACE and other resources And packaging with river cruises is easy too. Look at trains from London to avoid
the hassle of airports, look at ferry journeys from the UK to Amsterdam, and

85
Wear your ACE badge, and announce your ACE accreditation with pride – it
may be the reassurance that your customer needs to prove to themselves that
94 even coach transfers to some European cities. Then let your imagination run-wild
with what else you can offer – lunch at the Arc de Triumph, opera tickets in Vienna, a
they are booking with the right people cycle tour of Amsterdam… there are so many options!

Come along to an ACE Showcase where you will get the chance to get up to Use free blogging websites, like Tumblr and Wordpress to talk about your latest
86 speed with a number of cruise lines and what they offer. Cruise is fast changing,
so keep as up to date as possible 95 cruise, and encourage your customers to do the same (moderated of course!).
Link to photo sharing sites, and even Twitter and Facebook pages. Whilst these can
be time consuming they are also free to set up, and can be fun. They can certainly

87 Many cruise lines now offer incredible online training resources, ship visits,
and other learning support. Seize it!
be inspirational and may just encourage a customer to try a cruise, and to book with
you

Attend the ACE Cruise Convention – it is the biggest networking and
88 information event of the whole year, and you could just pick up some really
valuable information or advice

ACE Selling Cruise Conference | 1&2 May 2012 | Take Away

If you are going into social media for the first time, then do not try to do too Proud sponsors of the Ace Cruise Convention 2012
much at once. Start, for example, with a simple Facebook page for your agency

96 and keep it updated and engaging with images, stories and cruise news. Too
many businesses try to be on too many social media sites and so can’t update
them. It is better to have fewer sites that are well updated rather than too many
sites that are rarely updated

97 Social media is about networking and relationships – it is not a forum for
special offer after special offer. This will only serve to switch people off. THInK DIFFERENT
THInK SMALLER,WARMER
Take time to study your database looking at past and current guests. Where
have they travelled, on what budget? What are their interests? Who travels with
98 them? Do they have a special occasion approaching? All of the answers to these
questions will allow you to more accurately target them with a cruise holiday

99
that is absolutely right for them

There is some great email technology available through such companies as
Mail Chimp and Call Pro CRM that will make emailing your customers easy –
THInK FRED. OLSEN
a vital part of your strategy Smaller ships sailing from ports around the UK
The ACE website is packed full of training, information, resources and ideas.
to destinations worldwide
100 This new home that launched on May 3rd 2012 is your first stop for cruise
learning and inspiration. But do also look at our Facebook page and other social
networks where cruising comes together

YOU ARE ESSENTIAL! People buy from people, and it is your experience,

101 your expertise, your personality and your enthusiasm for cruise that will make
every difference in the world. But you are not alone. You have the support and
the encouragement of the entire cruise industry with you, supporting you and
working with you so that together we can ensure that cruising remains the most
dynamic, exciting and engaging sectors in the travel industry. Thank you for
everything that you do.

ACE would like to thank the contributors and contributing companies who helped create this
document:
Holland America Line Port of Dover And travel agent contributors:
Seabourn Project Cruise Sarah Bolton, Travel Counsellors
Debbee Dale Development Conrad Alison Roberts, Travel the World 2
Royal Caribbean International Brian Horden Elaine Hennessey, Co-op Worcestershire
Traveltek
Cruise and Maritime
Ann Brine, AMD Marketing
Claire Riches, Travel Waves Marketing
Marc Fitchett, Travel Counsellors www.fredolsencruises.com/travelagentcentre

01473 742 424

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most amazing contrasts

Proud Sponsors of the ACE Cruise Convention 2012

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