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Marketing, CreativeClient Reviews
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🔥🔥🔥 Reviews: A happy customer is the greatest advertisement! 🔥🔥🔥
Google is rolling out a new local search feature - "Find places through reviews." If a Google search matches the content in a Google local business review you have received, it will be highlighted and shown at the top!
Are you posting your reviews to all your socials? Canva has 18k+ review templates just for this reason, it works! AND you can create reviews for social media using the free version of Canva!
⭐ Plain and simple - The more testimonies, reviews, and other forms of social proof you have, this means more clients.
⭐ Why testimonies are so important:
It’s all about social proof! What others say about you can be 10 times more powerful and persuasive than what you say about yourself. This works with reviews, testimonials and word of mouth. If you have 5-star reviews, the world needs to know! SHARE IT!
Also, be aware of the mirror effect.
⭐ When people land on a web site, or see your social media posts / groups, they want to see people like themselves. Testimonials have to deal with struggles, desires, and results of your ideal client. Be strategic, use these to overcome their objections to using you! If at all possible, highlight testimonials that are exactly from your dream clients, dream trips, etc. This will attract more dream clients. If allowed - Try to use their full name, location, and their picture. Try to make them short and to the point. - Clarity is important. Genuine enthusiasm trumps all - people can feel energy, don’t edit out emotion - Needs to be clear, easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to contact you to BOOK!
Online travel stats say about 72% of new customers won't make a booking without doing some form of research, which often includes reading online reviews.
People are reading your reviews online, and it's one of the best ways to reach new customers. For example, the more reviews found on your local Google Business listing means a higher rank in search and a higher reach around your city.
The EASIEST & biggest driver for leads is reviews. After travel, follow-up and send a client, who you know will give you a 5-star review, the link to post a review.
It will be HUGE if you can have them include your name and any keywords about their trip. FOR EXAMPLE: Where they stayed, the type of vacation, any special experience/reason, include pictures/videos - ex: "Thank you, Sally Smith! We loved spending our honeymoon at Sandals Grande in St. Lucia. It was the best beach vacation!"
The longer the review, and the more details they include - It will only help future customers find YOU for local travel agent searches!
If you have a Google business listing, Google reviews help drive web traffic and boost visibility. Your client reviews show up in Google search, the #1 search engine in the world. If your client's review has keywords in it, this means your review has the potential to show up in search results when folks are looking for a travel agent in your niche.
In your CRM tool of choice, have it send out an “ask for review” automated email, a few days after your client gets home. And another gentle reminder a week or so later. The more reviews you have online, the higher your credibility. You can switch up your review link, or heck, even ask a client to post multiple reviews on different sites online, it will only help you!
We have reviews on Google, Facebook, The Knot, Yahoo Business, Wedding Wire, TravelLeaders, TrustPilot, etc. If you can get high reviews on each, you will show as a credible company, and it will boost your online visibility.
Video is now king online. It's not easy, but if there's anyway you can convince clients to post a positive review using a video, this trumps all other formats.
You can comment on your client's Facebook vacation posts, and ask if you can share their pics in your Facebook group. If they happen to tag me in a review, also share it on your Facebook page and Facebook groups. Almost each time you share a client’s pictures and tag them in it, you will gain new followers or even a new booking.
For more information about how to use Facebook group's to gain new customers, check out our Fortunes in Facebook Groups article.
Tips for writing great reviews
This can be helpful to pass on to your clients! Writing great reviews will increase the likelihood that your review will get published on Google, and will help others discover what’s just right for them.
Here are a few tips:
Be informative and insightful: Be specific and relevant to the agent you’re reviewing, and describe what other customers are likely to experience when using them. Highlight what makes them special, and try to share something unique and new!
Be authentic: Review your own experience, and explain what the trip was like and the service you received. Try to be as accurate as possible, and please include several positive aspects of your visit!
Include media: Upload the best pictures and videos from your trip! This will highlight your review for the agent.
If possible, use keywords: This will help the review be found on Google when similar search queries are used. For example, if a review includes the content “we have the best Disney World travel agent!” When someone searches for a Disney World travel agent, it will help them find your review.
Also, testimonials are a great way to tackle objections from clients head on. I hear your concerns, but I have a happy client who had a great experience with this brand / destination / supplier!
Make sure you have a process to interview to get feedback and fantastic testimonials. Take current testimonies and give them a makeover if needed - ask the client if you feel necessary.
Running a successful travel business is not just to do what we say we’re going to do - the goal is to go beyond - want to be an exceptional business. Create an outstanding client experience. Try to build in 3 surprises with every new client.
Some examples:
Handwritten thank you card, small surprise thank you gift, check in phone call, video with tips, compliment of what they purchased from you. Go above and beyond!
How would you behave if you were the best in the world at what you do? If you operate your business like this day in and day out, testimonies would be easy!
Getting fantastic testimonials
Timing - Always ask for a testimony / review during the experience (while using your service) or immediately after. Want fresh insight, excitement, and enthusiasm.
The Method - If they are always busy, call and do a quick phone interview. This adds to their experience, they can ask questions in their mind and give their feedback - maybe even an opp to book them again. Take notes - sometimes it's good constructive feedback you can use to sell future clients. Going above and beyond, some agents video record their testimony. Some of the benefits they got from your service. Interview them to get their results.
#1 reason you don’t have testimonies / reviews - You aren’t asking, or clients aren’t taking the time.
Here are a few creative ways to encourage people to leave a review for you as a travel agent
1. Offer an incentive: Offer a freebie or another item to customers who leave a review. Make sure to mention this incentive on your website, social media pages, and anywhere else a customer might see the incentive.
2. Make it easy: Provide clear instructions on how to leave a review and make the process as simple as possible. Include links to your review page on popular platforms like Google, your Facebook page, Travefy, etc.
3. Personalize your request: Reach out to customers who have had a positive experience with you and ask them (directly) to leave a review. Personalizing your request makes customers feel valued and more likely to leave a review.
4. Showcase your reviews: Highlight positive reviews on your website, social media pages, or else where. By showcasing your best reviews, you can encourage others to leave a review and express their positive experiences as well.
R & R
After travel, think R&R - reviews and referrals! Some agents, their entire business is based on referrals. Motivate folks to talk about you. Think about incentives around loyalty, future travel credits, gift cards, etc. Give tote bags with your logo. Give new clients that book insulated beverage containers with your business card. “Want to tag me on social media and share positive feedback about your trip?” - give them future travel credit, or some incentive that creates loyalty with you.
SOCIAL PROOF with REVIEWS & TESTIMONIES
👏 Testimonials are the most effective way to convert new clients. You can instantly gain their trust when they find a past client who had a positive experience with a similar trip / experience.
⭐ With your website agent profiles and other places where your reviews can be found online, you are targeting new clients.
😍 A positive review tells them that other people have gone before them, and received great results using your services.
😍 It shows quickly that you help people get results and are someone they can trust.
USE YOUR CLIENT'S PHOTO! Biggest boost in trust. Feels genuine - this person stands by this testimony so much, they are putting their name and face behind it.
Top 2 best ways to use a testimony to acquire new clients:
1) Make sure to show the client's transformation they received by using your services: "We really wanted a relaxing vibe with this vacation, and she hit it perfectly with the best recommendations!"
2) And overcome common objections you hear, for example: "At first I thought using a travel agent would be too expensive, but the amount of money and TIME I saved as a result, made it all worth it!" Take a price objection most people think, and turn it on its head.
As a travel agent, focusing on encouraging your clients to post positive reviews online about their travel experiences is crucial for several reasons:
Enhanced Visibility and Reputation: Online reviews are a powerful tool for increasing visibility in the digital age. Positive reviews can significantly improve your agency's reputation, making it more likely to be discovered by potential clients.
Trust and Credibility: Positive reviews from real clients build trust and credibility. Potential clients are more likely to trust the experiences of others like them, rather than just marketing content. This trust is essential in the travel industry where clients are making significant financial and emotional investments in their trips.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Reviews can impact your SEO rankings. Search engines like Google consider the number and quality of reviews when ranking businesses. More positive reviews can lead to higher visibility in search results, attracting more traffic to your website.
Feedback and Improvement: Positive reviews can provide valuable feedback on what your agency is doing right, helping you understand your strengths. They can also highlight areas for improvement, allowing you to address any issues proactively.
Word-of-Mouth Marketing: Positive online reviews act as a form of word-of-mouth marketing. Happy clients sharing their experiences can influence others in their network to consider your services, expanding your potential client base.
Competitive Advantage: In a highly competitive market, positive reviews can differentiate your agency from others. They can be the deciding factor for clients when choosing between multiple travel agencies.
Increased Sales and Growth: Ultimately, positive reviews can lead to increased sales. A strong online reputation can translate into more clients choosing your services, leading to business growth and success.
To leverage the power of positive reviews, you can encourage clients to share their experiences online, respond to their reviews (both positive and negative), and use these reviews in your marketing efforts to showcase client satisfaction.
Learn more about this by signing up for one of our Online Travel Agent Academy Courses.
To learn more techniques and how to become a travel agent, sign-up to become a travel agent today!
