| You have decided you want to expand your business | | | | effort by first defining your market. This is the time |
| travel sales. There are several steps you should take | | | | for you to plan it the way you want it to be. If you |
| before dispatching your sales force on a "canvassing | | | | have no target, you are never going to score a |
| for corporate accounts" mission. | | | | bull's-eye! |
| Defining the Market | | | | Presenting the Services of Your Agency |
| Account Size: Be realistic about your travel | | | | Defining your market does not necessarily mean that |
| agency's capabilities. | | | | you have to change anything that you are currently |
| Sales Territory: Your size, number of locations, | | | | doing. It does, however, require a different way of |
| and chain or consortia affiliations all play an important | | | | thinking about how the services of your agency are |
| role in determining your "sales territory." | | | | presented. Purchasing managers are tired of hearing, |
| Destinations: Target corporate travel accounts | | | | "My agency provides better service." Even if you do, |
| using destinations that make economic sense for | | | | the statement is completely meaningless because it |
| your existing business. | | | | doesn't provide anything tangible which a purchasing |
| Class of Service/Five-Star Hotels: Your targeting | | | | manager can use to make and justify a decision. |
| should go as follows: First, Business, Full Coach, Other. | | | | Provide ammunition for your selling effort. Present |
| Five-Star Hotels, 4, 3, etc. | | | | your products by enumerating various service options |
| Payment Patterns: Credit cards are always | | | | and showing how they will benefit the corporate |
| preferred. Target accounts with the plastic. | | | | client. |
| It is absolutely mandatory that you target your selling | | | | |