Joining with our Lite Package, Lynette focused on one destination and a target audience on Facebook, it wasn’t family and friends she sold holidays to, it was complete strangers.
£35K in sales in your first month. How do you feel?
I feel great!
Paul the Co-Founder came onto one of our weekly group calls as a special guest with an announcement. There was a challenge available to us, to reach a certain no. of bookings in 30 days, with a reward.
I said to myself, ‘Yes… I’m going to push myself and really go for it.’
Who were your first holiday bookings all with?
Everyone I have made bookings with so far is a complete stranger…
Two of these strangers have already given me referrals to their friends.
I have quite a small immediate family, so for me, I didn’t personally want to focus on them. I know for other franchisees the opposite is true.
My family has been travelling to Orlando for the past decade. This is my specialist area, which isn’t necessarily the destination that my family and friends want.
It makes more sense to focus on the people out there who actually want to go to Orlando.
Can you share how you did it with us?
I boosted Facebook posts basically. I pulled on my experience of doing this for my publishing company.
The type of Facebook posts I boosted was Orlando offers. I also did a few Jet 2 offers for Tenerife, with the waterpark tickets included.
It wasn’t crazy money, I spent about £10 across 5 days on each post.
I would only boost Facebook posts over the weekend, as I work in the bank during the week.
It’s key to be really quick to respond to any enquiries, so the weekend is my only window to do this.
I’ve been part of Facebook groups such as ‘Orlando For Brits’ before I joined and started my business. I’ve been commenting and have been an active member for years.
I get inside knowledge in these groups on where to stay, I have seen people come from that page and come to my Facebook page to like it.
I’m now 9 bookings in and I have a couple of people on the edge of buying a holiday this weekend.
For a family friend or best mate, I would have to look into options and other destinations. But by focusing on what I do know, to a very targeted audience, I’m already at an advantage.
What would you say to others contemplating joining and perhaps nervous about the travel market?
When I told my parents and brother they were skeptical about me starting a travel business during a pandemic.
My reply was, ‘People still want to travel. People want to get back to normal. When it comes back I’m going to be ready for the peaks.’
I keep relaying to people that I can offer ‘book and relax’ or ‘peace of mind’ bookings.
Which essentially means free cancellations and amendments 6 weeks before departure. This is something I’m really proud to say to people.
If you book something in and then don’t feel comfortable with travelling that month, it’s ok, we can change the destination, move the dates back. There are options. This gives people the confidence to commit.
