3 Essential Preparations Travel Advisors Need to Make for Discovery Calls
As a travel advisor, you might be wondering whether discovery calls are really necessary in your business process. Maybe you're tempted to jump straight into quoting, or perhaps you're unsure if they're worth the time investment. Let me tell you - as someone who's spent years in this industry, discovery calls are not just another step in your process; they're the foundation of exceptional client relationships.
Why Discovery Calls Matter in Your Travel Business
Discovery calls are your first human-to-human connection with a potential client. While emails and text messages serve their purpose, nothing replaces the power of hearing someone's voice or, even better, seeing their face on video. This is your moment to shine as a professional and showcase your expertise in a way that written words miss.
Think about it - many people believe they can plan travel themselves. They might have even tried and succeeded at basic trips. But when they get on a discovery call with a prepared, professional travel advisor who asks thoughtful questions they hadn't even considered, something magical happens. They suddenly realize the value of working with an expert.
During these calls, you can pick up on subtle cues that would be missed in an email - the excitement in their voice when discussing certain destinations, the hesitation when considering specific options, or the nervous energy about particular aspects of travel. These human elements are crucial in our service-based industry, where relationships and connections are everything.
I've seen it happen countless times: when travel advisors show up prepared, ask great questions, and demonstrate their expertise from that very first call, clients become so confident in the relationship that they start referring others before they've even gone on their own trip. That's the power of a well-executed discovery call.
Master Your Flight Knowledge
Let me share a hard lesson I learned early in my travel advising career. Picture this: I had crafted the perfect itinerary for my clients. They were excited, everything was within budget, and they were ready to book. Then came the moment I sent over the flight costs... and everything crumbled. The trip they were so excited about suddenly became impossible because neither of us had considered flight pricing from the beginning.
This scenario might sound familiar to some of you. Now, I never start a discovery call without having solid flight information in hand. Why? Because understanding the journey to the destination is just as crucial as planning what happens once clients arrive.
Here's what I mean: When a client expresses interest in destinations like Fiji, the Maldives, or South Africa, you need to be ready to discuss the reality of getting there. While many of us travel advisors might see a 16-hour flight with multiple connections as part of the adventure, not all clients share this perspective. Some might immediately change their minds about a destination when they learn it requires two or three stops, or that the flight time exceeds 12 hours.
During your discovery call, be prepared to discuss:
Typical routing options and number of connections
Estimated flight costs for their dates
Major carriers servicing the route
Approximate flight durations
By addressing these details upfront, you can either confirm that the client is comfortable with the travel logistics or pivot the conversation to more suitable destinations before investing time in detailed planning. For example, if a client balks at a three-stop journey to Bali, you can immediately suggest alternatives with more direct routing.
Remember: Nothing derails a perfectly planned itinerary faster than unexpected flight costs or complicated routing that doesn't align with your client's comfort level. Taking the time to research and discuss these details during your discovery call isn't just about being thorough - it's about protecting both your time and your client's travel dreams.
Know Your Destination Inside Out
We call ourselves travel experts because that’s not only what we are, but what clients want from us. They might know that they want to visit Peru or Venice, but they want a trip that goes beyond what they can plan. And so they’ve hired you.
A discovery call is your first moment to prove that they can trust your expertise.
As the travel professional, understanding a destination's nuances can make the difference between a good trip and an exceptional one. Before your call, immerse yourself in the destination details, especially if you haven’t visited it before. If your client is interested in Italy, for example, knowing that getting around Tuscany might require a rental car, while Venice is best explored on foot can make your expertise shine through immediately.
What may seem like ‘obvious’ details to you are logistics that clients don’t necessarily know, so don’t downplay those details. Think through the practical aspects like best times to visit, transportation options, and how different areas of the destination compare.
For example, when I'm preparing for a call about Greece, I make sure I can speak to the differences between islands, explain ferry schedules, and suggest the ideal number of nights in each location. This level of preparation shows clients you're not just booking their trip - you're crafting their experience.
Another up-and-coming location that highlights this expertise is Spain – many travelers think about Barcelona and maybe Madrid, the two major cities. But if you’re not really a city person, do you want to spend your entire trip in big cities…especially when Spain is home to some incredible smaller cities, villages, and natural regions unlike anywhere else? I recently suggested to clients to visit Southern Spain and pick one of the major cities (they are very different, btw, so even showcasing those differences is important!), and they loved their trip!
Master Your Budget Conversation
Money talks can be awkward, but they don't have to be. Instead of dancing around costs, prepare to have open, confident discussions about budgets with your clients. And the goods news is that clients are open to upping their financial investments more often than you think…
Especially when they understand the value behind the pricing. For instance, when discussing a luxury safari experience, I break down what makes it special: private guides, exclusive camp locations, and unique wildlife viewing opportunities. When the client is taken beyond the number and clearly presented with the experiential differences based on their financial investment, they have a clearer picture of what their money is getting them (or not).
To prepare myself for the conversation, I ask clients on my intake form about their ideal financial investment range. That helps me prepare for the discovery call with a mental calculation of what their trip will cost and how close they are to getting what they want.
Create clear ranges for different types of experiences. Know that a luxury week in Paris might start at $1,000 per person per day, while a mid-range experience might be half that. And when you present the various options on a call, don’t be afraid to ask them, “Which option are you more comfortable with?” Then pause and let them truly think through and answer the question.
Most likely, clients are already going to go on the trip. They are already prepared to spend money. What you are doing for them is creating clarity and getting them the most value, regardless of cost. By clearly communicating financial options, you do your clients a favor by giving them realistic expectations.
Pro tip: it's better to estimate high and delight clients with savings than to underestimate and disappoint them later. You can do this by factoring weekend costs, which are always higher.
More for Mastering Discovery Calls
Want more tips for mastering the discovery call as a travel professional? Check out my free webinar replay, 5 things to prepare before every discovery call to establish your expertise and secure the new business. I expand on these ideas, plus provide two other techniques I have learned over the years.
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