Agent Diary: After wondering where sales would come from November proved phenomenal

With the practice-run over, we are now looking forward to the January peaks, says The Travel Snob’s David Walker

As we head deeper into December, I’d like to reflect on what was a phenomenal November. It was the second-best month this year in terms of sales, number of bookings, average booking value and margin, and our best‑ever November on record. So what do I put it down to? Is there a magic formula?

I wondered where the sales were going to come from and pondered if, for the first time in a while, I would have to pick up the phone and ask for business

October was not a particularly good month, and I went into November half expecting it to be a similar story. I wondered where the sales were going to come from and pondered if, for the first time in a while, I would have to pick up the phone and ask for business (which is the part of the job I hate) rather than wait for the calls to come through as usual. Thankfully it was the complete opposite and the phone just rang and rang.

Love is in the air

What I find slightly surprising is that there was no “massive booking” in November – the biggest being for £62,000 – and only five others topping £20,000.

It was a good month on the weddings front, though. I had an enquiry for a wedding in Jamaica one Friday morning and by the afternoon the couple were booked, with a date confirmed for 2025.

I’d designed a “save the date” presentation for the bride and groom to send out to everyone on their guest list, including all the resort and flight information

On the back of that, six of the couple’s wedding guests got in touch to make bookings for the happy day. I’d designed a “save the date” presentation for the bride and groom to send out to everyone on their guest list, including all the resort and flight information, as well as the costs (with a choice of room types), how to book, the deposit required and my contact details. This made it easy for invited guests to call me to make their booking, as they had all the information to hand. I love a quick win!

Great deals

The Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals this year have been, in my opinion, the best ever. To be honest there were too many to keep up with but there were some amazing deals with genuine savings to be had. One New York offer sold five times and I also sold three cruises that I would not have sold had it not been for the special offers. The New York offer and one of the cruise deals are short breaks and were sold to regular clients, so hopefully they will be extra trips and won’t affect their usual holiday bookings.

I am lucky in that my business name, The Travel Snob, is memorable and, as November has proven, it’s easy enough to track me down and reach out to me

The new clients were people who had been given a recommendation to try me, or who had remembered meeting me. When I used to mentor new starters at Not Just Travel, I would always say you must be memorable and stand out from the crowd. I always make an effort to impress new people by being knowledgeable, trustworthy and likeable. I am also lucky in that my business name, The Travel Snob, is memorable and, as November has proven, it’s easy enough to track me down and reach out to me. I also figure that if they have taken the time to research to find me, their enquiry is more serious than those who stumble across me by chance.

So, with the practice-run peaks over and Christmas around the corner, we’ll all be back for the new year and for the ‘real’ peaks.

Have a wonderful festive season, one and all!

Luxury means no hidden extras

I recently had a new-to‑cruise client who, along with his brother, wanted to treat his mum to a Caribbean cruise for her 70th birthday. I looked at a regular four-star, seven-night cruise and by the time I’d added on drinks packages, excursions, Wi-Fi, and speciality dining, the cost had jumped significantly. Out of interest I looked at a swanky five-star cruise for the same dates, which included all the add-ons they wanted, and it worked out at £419 more per person – but for three additional nights! It was a no-brainer. Now, when mum next goes to bridge club and tells her friends what her wonderful sons did for her birthday, they sure are going to be impressed.