Travel Counsellor Alex Buckle on achieving his best ever June

Honest communication

Alex’s recent bookings success is partly thanks to his innovative and human approach to communicating with clients.

He explains: “The coronavirus made me realise there’s no point in worrying about stuff you can’t control. Instead I focused on the things I could control, such as communicating with customers.”

He began by sending postcards to clients to check in with them and see how they were coping during the pandemic.

He then devised a “Dream Now, Travel Later” marketing campaign, which he promoted on his Facebook and Instagram feeds.

“I offered Zoom calls, giving people the chance to chat about travel with me and ask questions. I also shared pictures and of my travels with them as well as YouTube videos – Zoom is great for this as you can share your screen.”

Alex also posted on social media that he would offer advice to those who hadn’t booked with him during the crisis, which resulted in new business. “I got brand new clients from it who contacted me asking for Zoom chats. I still do about three or four Zooms a week with individuals or couples,” he says.

As part of the campaign, Alex ensured he regularly posted on his Facebook and Instagram feeds to encourage users to engage with him.

Content on his feeds includes videos explaining about topics such as air bridges and refunds, pictures of clients’ and colleagues’ recent trips abroad to experience “the new normal”, as well as travel deals.

He says the video updates have been particularly popular. “People have followed my journey and seen the emotional rollercoaster I’ve been on. I’ve shown my vulnerable side on there and people have been supportive.”

Alex is currently promoting holidays departing from October 2020 onwards, with recent bookings including self-drive trips to France and UK breaks. “I’ve also promoted some of the quirkier things I can book in the UK such as boating holidays on the Norfolk Broads, castle stays in Scotland and motorhome breaks.

"It inspires people even if they aren’t booking. People need horizon therapy and something to look forward to right now. Lots of people will need a holiday to relax after this, especially key workers.”

Networking nous

The Zoom calls and social media activity led Alex to be invited to join a group Zoom with his local Rotary club in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

“I did a presentation and a Q & A. About 75 people were on the call, which led to new business.”

Alex also joined two local networking clubs in Cambridge and St Ives, which resulted in one of three recent honeymoon bookings. “I asked many of the people on the calls to recommend me to friends and family, which was really helpful,” he adds.

Nurturing relationships

As our working and social patterns have changed due to coronavirus, Alex has adapted his communications and sales approach with clients accordingly.

“We all have more time now than before to think and to make decisions. I’m giving my clients time to think and see how the situation pans out and I’m being led by them rather than the other way round.”

By nurturing relationships, Alex says clients have become confident to rebook rather than to seek refunds, while clients who have cancelled and claimed refunds are currently remaining loyal. “With refunds, people have been supportive. I turn it into a positive in the end by saying, ‘You’ve got your refund, that’s great. Now let’s think about booking a holiday in 2021.”

Mental strength

While Alex admits “[finding] this period mentally exhausting,” he reveals that communicating with fellow Travel Counsellors and staying active have helped him through the challenges.

“We have a Get Fit for Life forum and those of us on there are virtually travelling the world. We’ve done 8,000 kilometres so far on bikes, runs, walks and even SUP boards. It’s great as it motivates other [Travel Counsellors] too.”

He adds that keeping a positive mindset means accepting that there will be bad days.

“It’s fine to have down days. You won’t be effective when you’re feeling like that so go for a walk, clear your head, sit in the garden and read a book,” he advises. “It’s exhausting to keep motivated [during these times] but you’ve just got to ride the wave.”

He has some further words of motivation and encouragement for the travel industry. “2020 might have been terrible but 2021 will be great, 2022 will be fantastic and 2023 will be phenomenal. In travel we get knocked a lot. We got up from all the other knocks – let’s get up from this one too.”