Put your heart into selling romance travel

Travel agents who specialize in destination weddings and honeymoons put a strong emphasis on visiting properties in person because these are trips that hold more emotional value than clients’ yearly vacations, says Lisa Sheldon, executive director of the Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Specialists Association.

“Knowing little details about a resort — like the distance of the bride’s walk to the ceremony site, what the outside vendor policies are, knowing what things the wedding department can do above and beyond what’s included in the wedding packages, and personally having taken photos of the wedding sites — give the romance travel specialist an edge over other travel agents,” Sheldon said in an email interview with Travel Weekly’s Home-Based Agent eletter.

Sheldon offers tips for specialists to get the most out of their research trips.

One, she said, is to collect information on an inspection form, filling it out with notes on room types and contact information for wedding coordinators and romance concierges.

Another is to take photos of resort room numbers before you enter. Make a note of the type of category and the building so that you can show your clients the difference between rooms.

Sheldon suggests staying in contact with clients while on fam and research trips, using blogs and social media while you’re at the destination, posting photos on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. Agents can also use tools, such as Periscope, to make live videos of wedding ceremonies that take place while agents are visiting.

“While you are on the fam, contact clients that you think will be interested in the destination, the excursions you experience or the resorts you see,” Sheldon said. “Send them a quick email or text with a photo and say ‘picture you and your fiancee on the beach saying your vows’ or ‘this is the honeymoon suite that  you booked; great view, isn’t it?’”

Sheldon said putting extra effort while on research trips and fams pays off.

“Honeymooners very often will upgrade to a higher category as they tend to spend more on a honeymoon than a regular vacation.”