Does it matter what a proposal looks like?
This question stirred a vibrant discussion within the Travel Pro Theory community among travel advisors. The advisors quickly split into two camps, each expressing fervent opinions. In one group, travel pros shared that they forward supplier proposals when they receive them. The other group of travel pros prefer refining these proposals before relaying them to clients.
Both methods have their merits.
Some, including me, argue that closing a sale does not depend on the visual appeal of an itinerary. While it may be considered an "old-school" approach, there's something to be said about the skill of persuading clients without relying heavily on visual aids. For travel pros in this camp, investing hours in rebuilding proposals holds little value.
On the flip side, we all appreciate a great user experience. A visually appealing layout with beautiful visuals exudes professionalism and sets the stage for a great experience.
At first glance, this debate may seem inconsequential, as both sides continue to make sales. However, if we delve deeper, we'll notice a growing divide in the industry. Intrigued by this issue, I decided to poll the community.
The results were alarming.
It turned out that 78% of advisors who rebuild proposals spend one to two hours per itinerary. Furthermore, when asked about the number of new leads they receive, the majority (53%) reported getting three to five new trips per week during the high season.
This means that, on average, community members spend three to 10 hours per week during their busiest time on rebuilding proposals. Ouch.
This means that, on average, community members spend three to 10 hours per week during their busiest time on rebuilding proposals.
Ouch.
Now, are there tips and tricks to makeover a dusty proposal quickly? Of course, Canva is an advisor’s friend here. Travel pros are a template or two away from taking that rebuild time from hours to minutes.
Time-saving tips are my jam, but the reality is that we should not need workarounds or to debate whether rebuilding or not is a valuable use of time — because suppliers shouldn’t be sending mediocre proposals.
I write this as a supplier, who has often lamented how much of the blame for any industry issue tends to be slung in our direction. But it seems that, all too often, we’re letting our advisor partners bear the weight of making our proposals both detailed and visually appealing.
Suppliers: Send Better Looking Proposals. Here’s Why.
Supplier friends: There’s no excuse for any of us to send proposals so lackluster that our advisor partners would rather give up an average of half a workday, per week, to reshape what we provide them. This is the signal that it's high time to upgrade our proposal game.
To those suppliers already sending exceptional proposals, bravo. Your efforts do not go unnoticed. The community sings your praises publicly and privately to their colleagues, and it’s locking in future business for you.
The true value we provide to advisors lies in equipping them with the tools they need to close a trip when they receive our proposals.
For those who recognize that their proposals could use improvement, there's good news. There are now more options than ever for suppliers to satisfy their advisor partners and simplify their own lives in the process. Itinerary builders such as Travefy and Axus offer affordable solutions that facilitate collaboration with advisors.
Most itinerary builders and supplier software solutions allow users to save descriptions and photos in their library, making the process highly efficient and offering significant time savings compared to older methods.
Regardless of the option suppliers choose, focus on finding a solution that delivers an aesthetically pleasing product, offers white-label or co-branding options for your advisor partners and ensures a user-friendly experience for the end traveler.
Technology can quickly bring us up to date in terms of visuals, but we can't stop there. The true value we provide to advisors lies in equipping them with the tools they need to close a trip when they receive our proposals.
So, what does that look like? Adding context.
Include notes on why certain hotels or experiences were included. Add clarity on pricing (is it commissionable, and can advisors forward to clients with this price?).
Walk through the next steps: What information will advisors need to supply to make the booking? How does the payment process work? When can advisors expect documents?
I recommend a video walkthrough, along with simple-to-follow bullet-point notes in a delivery email. It takes little time to produce, but delivers a high ROI. You’ll help your advisor partners sell, as well as build trust.
It’s scary for travel advisors to put the fate of their client’s vacations in our hands. It's our responsibility to make everyone feels well taken care of along the way.
