…
The corporate brochure is not enough. When the interest of your client is attracted by your presentation and he thinks about your destination, he will need more details to make a proposal. Your detailed manual with service descriptions and rates is indispensable. Many DMC’s have created remarkable manuals from 50 to 100 pages describing in the smallest details the product and services the Destination Management Company offers. A description of a sightseeing tour that is more than sufficient for tourist groups is not good enough for the incentive planner. The description of the transfers, tours and excursions should be to such extent that the planner will not have to come back to you time after time sking questions and wasting his time and yours. Duration, arrival and departure times, inclusions, inside visits, and closing periods are necessary in a descriptive manual.
Such a sales manual should cover at least the following subjects:
- Transfers
- Standard Tours & Excursions
- Theme excursions and incentive activities
- Theme parties
- Venues and banqueting descriptions
- Hotels and meeting facilities
- Meeting facilities floor plans
- Folklore and entertainment enhancements
- Welcome and pillow gifts
- Restaurants
- Samples of menus
- Sales Conditions
- Inspection trips policy
Through the descriptions the client should a clear picture of what he is buying. Give full descriptions of restaurant interiors specify how many courses are included in a meal and make clear how much wine and what quality is included. In open bars, specify if you include local drinks, international or premium brands.
In the descriptions of theme excursions and parties you should demonstrate your creativity and propose the best your destination can offer. Exclusivity and creativity can set your company apart from the rest of the competition.
The subject of creativity and copying programmes of other local DMC’s is always a sensitive issue. Some standard theme parties such as medieval banquets, car rallies, dine-around etc. are copied from country to country and from DMC to DMC. Theme parties related to the destination’s history and culture cannot be considered as the exclusive property of anyone.
“Medieval banquettes,” “toga parties,” and “Viking evenings” can be used by everybody, but how you operate them and enhance them makes the difference. Such themes can very well be used by new DMC, until they can develop their own themes. However, instead of just copying what was done before, it will be more productive and if they are enhanced with the DMC’s personality and creativity to fit the client needs and the derstination.
It is a matter of the SITE Code of Ethics not to copy an original creation of your competition. If you find it necessary to use an exclusive theme of someone else, ask the permission of your DMC competitor. You will be surprised to find out that very often your request will be considered positively by your colleague. In the worst of the cases he might sell it to you…
Costing of the manual’s components and services is vital. Specify if your costing on a per person or per lot basis. Since incentives are booked one to two years ahead, it is important that you can guarantee your rates for a minimum of one year out if local conditions allow it. Avoid having the rates all together in a big table far away from the service description. Instead place them immediately next to the services so the incentive planner can easily establish the relative costs.
e Sales Manual does not necessarily have to be printed in full colour with pictures (however if it is, all the better, and many suppliers can help you to cover part of the expenses with publicity). You can also produce your manual “in house” with your word processing and a good HP printer. With today’s technology and at no cost such manuals can be produced today in PDF format and distributed almost at zero cost.
If you opt for printing a hard copy of the manual, depending on the volume and your budget you should decide if you will do a mass mailing or you will distribute the manual only to a select number of clients and potential customers. The later demonstrates a far more selective attitude and better market knowledge.
Some DMC’s have put their manuals on CD or DVD, others have put their services at the web under a password protection. Innovation is a key element to the success of the DMC’s. The essential goal is to try to be always a few steps ahead of your .
To see a sample of a Sales Manual in PDF format click at the link…
In the next issue: Marketing & promotion strategies
© Tasso Pappas CITE
Tasso Pappas is President of the Site Greek Chapter and served as President of Site Intl. in 2000. This article is an extract from his book "To be or not to be a DMC" which he wrote in 1996 as his thesis for the certification CITE (Certified Incentive Travel Executive).
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
