Carnival s Winter Warm-Up Webcast Details

Transcription

1 Carnival s Winter Warm-Up Webcast Details Thursday, January 27, :00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. Central Make your Carnival Sail-a-Thon party extra special this year with these sure-fire tips! 1. Host a party in your home by inviting all your clients over to watch and participate in the live webcast! (Find customizable invitations in your Travel Portal!) 2. Theme your party to keep the atmosphere festive! Get creative Try an icy-blue winter theme where guests wear holiday sweaters (Add a twist and ask guests to wear their ugliest holiday sweater!), or plan a winter escape for your guests by encouraging them to wear their favorite Hawaiian shirt or vacation attire! 3. Invite your friends to your party via Facebook. (They can even RSVP right on the page so you know who is coming!) Be part of the webcast through Kim s Facebook page! Here s how: On the night of the event, be sure to have Kim s Facebook page available. Get your guests involved by asking questions, answering our polls, sending in pictures of your party, and so much more! We ll have a member of the creative team on the page during the entire broadcast! But, that s not all! Host the most festive party, and you could win a prize! We ll even send you a party shout out on the live webcast. But only if you tell us as a fan of Kim s Facebook page! If you haven t become a fan yet, do so before January 25 by going to JKimSorensen! Win Prizes! Play along with Carnival Trivia! Have your guests you their favorite picture while aboard a Carnival Cruise, and they just might be selected! After collecting pictures, forward them to Stephanie@ytbtravel.com for entry.

2 Don t want to host a party? 1. Host an e-party! 2. Invite your friends on Facebook to tune in to the live webcast at home. 3. Let them know you ll be available to chat during the event to answer any of their questions. 4. Apply a fun theme to the event! (Make it a pajama party!) 5. Partner with other Site Owners to interact on each other s Facebook walls. Post pictures to share vacation memories, play Carnival trivia along with the webcast, and encourage interaction with those tuned in to your e-party. 6. Make it fun! Update your status while you re watching the Sail-a-Thon to entice others to tune in! You can even host an e-party after your get-together for everyone who couldn t attend. Have Fun!

3 Carnival Sail-A-Thon Party Tips Carnival Sail-A-Thon Party a sure-fire success with these extra special tips! Event Ideas Many travel agents have successfully generated business by organizing cruise nights and/or cruise events. Such events are designed to stimulate interest in cruising, educate about a particular cruise destination and generate actual bookings. This section contains ideas which you can do on your own. (Ideas for travel agencies follow later in the book.) Since cost is always a consideration, the following ideas are affordable for an individual agent to implement. The key to a successful event: position it as a fun learning opportunity. Many people shy away from any situation that hints at high-pressure tactics or an over-bearing sales pitch. Make your event sound like an enjoyable way to learn about a travel destination. Present you material in an entertaining way, so your guests become enthused about the idea of cruising to that destination and want to join your group. While your guests expect you to ask for their business at the conclusion, they do not want a high-pressure pitch. So convince them your cruise is a truly outstanding opportunity they really shouldn't miss. Sell the "sizzle" and excitement of travel. Book Store Event Book stores make great settings for an educational cruise event, and they are often looking for programs to attract more customers. Plus they may sell travel books and maps as a result of the interest you spark in a particular destination. Many travel agents have found success at Barnes and Noble book stores, offering a destination presentation on a Saturday morning or weekday evening. Conclude with a brief description and printed itinerary hand-out of your upcoming cruise to that destination. Some libraries do the same, providing opportunities for guest lectures. Check with your local library and offer presentations on travel. Nautical Party The nautical theme is a natural for a cruise event. Dress in nautical attire and invite your guests to do the same offering prizes for best nautical outfits. Create a bit of cruise atmosphere at your event. Take photos of each guest with the captain (you) upon arrival. Offer champagne and orange juice like a ship-board welcome. Introduce a few games and music to create excitement. The key is to make your event fun and festive just like cruising. Also create a sense of urgency... space on your fabulous cruise is filling up fast... so guests need to put a deposit down now to ensure they re part of the group. Dessert Party Desserts, especially involving chocolate, have an irresistible allure. Mold your cruise event around a dessert party, perhaps offering a variety of chocolates such as cruise lines put on pillows during turn-down service. Or do a version of Chocolate Extravaganza with multiple desserts. Feature chocolate moose (mousse) if you are promoting Alaska. Home Party Create a fun event in your home by inviting friends and neighbors to come and mingle, sip and network, while you present the latest best value cruise vacations. Your cruise line rep can provide brochures and with a large enough group be there to help you sell. This is a great way to showcase current cruise opportunities and create a cruise group for a destination you know appeals to your friends and neighbors.

4 Home Party Create a fun event in your home by inviting friends and neighbors to come and mingle, sip and network, while you present the latest best value cruise vacations. Your cruise line rep can provide brochures and with a large enough group be there to help you sell. This is a great way to showcase current cruise opportunities and create a cruise group for a destination you know appeals to your friends and neighbors. Corporate Presentations Approach larger companies that have auditoriums or big lunch rooms and offer to do an informative destination presentation during a brown bag lunch. Employees will get information and vacation ideas, and you can collect and/or mailing addresses of those who want to be kept informed of upcoming hot cruise deals. (It s not spam if they give you their e-addresses.) Ethnic Cuisine Tie an ethnic theme into your event by working with an appropriate restaurant. For example, involve a Mexican restaurant to promote a Mexican Riviera cruise. Choose an Italian restaurant to highlight a Europe cruise, a Chinese restaurant for an Asian cruise, or a steak house for an Alaskan or Australian cruise. Almost any destination can be matched to the right ethnic restaurant. Dancing Because dancing is popular on cruise ships, it s a perfect tie-in with your cruise event. Make the type of music fit the theme or destination you re promoting. Salsa suggests South America, Caribbean and Mexican cruises. Ballroom dancing evokes transatlantic cruises or Canada/New England cruises. Whether all your guests dance or some prefer to listen, they ll enjoy the rhythms. You can go one step further and offer dance instruction as part of your event just like cruise ships offer dance classes. Education Seminars One of the best parts of travel is experiencing new destinations and learning about new cultures. Research shows that cruise passengers rate learning high among their reasons for cruising. So highlight the learning opportunities on board cruise ships during your cruise event. Ask your cruise line rep to detail the education seminars and lectures offered aboard. Noted authorities speak on a wide range of topics from history to wine. Golf & Cruising One travel agent found a clever way to develop a group cruise of golfers. She approached two golf clubs with the idea of a friendly competition between their members during a cruise. Both clubs then promoted the cruise, and the agent was able to host cruise events at each club. She got her group of golfers, the clubs were pleased with this interest-generating concept, and the golfers enjoyed a great vacation cruise involving their favorite sport. Note: cruise lines can arrange for shore excursions to often famous golf courses in some ports of call another way to promote a golfing cruise. Tennis Clubs Agents who are members of a tennis club have used its social events to introduce cruises. Tennis clubs like to offer member benefits, so a special cruise discount or a specific group date can work well. Members who like to socialize with each other at the club will find the idea of cruising with their tennis friends appealing.

5 Bring a Friend Increase the participation at your cruise events by offering an incentive to your invited clients if they bring a friend. Guarantee a door prize to everyone who does, and then enter their friend in a drawing for other prizes (thereby obtaining contact information to add them to your mailing list). There is no better way to attract new clients than by asking your satisfied clients to help you. Past Cruise Reunions Organize an event designed to bring together passengers who have cruised in the past. Some agents advertise in the newspaper for passengers of a particular cruise line, inviting them to attend a special reunion event. Guests are encouraged to bring their photos and share cruise experiences during the reception portion. Then highlight that cruise line s latest special deals, new ships or itineraries, etc., during your presentation to spark guests desire to cruise again. While this may seem like stealing other travel agents customers, it is more likely that the guests who attend are not loyal to any agent. If that s the case, they will consider you for their next cruise. Reno/Vegas Event Gambling is part of the cruise experience, and you can tie into it with a cruise event. The best approach is to involve a church or charity organization, charge guests for attending, and then donate the proceeds to a charity. This way your event becomes a community fund-raiser for a worthy cause while highlighting cruising as a great vacation. Organize gaming tables and use play money to create fun entertainment for your event. Your presentation can cover all the activities. Cruise Line International Association Before the Event Select the type of party you wish to host. Mail your invitations at least three weeks in advance. For the best response, hand-address your invites and mail them first class. You can find customizable invitations in your travel portal. You can use these as e-invites or paper invitations. Invite your friends to your party via Facebook. They can even RSVP right on the page so you know who is coming! Make sure to keep a master list of responses. One week prior to the event, call the entire "Yes" RSVP list to confirm their attendance and follow up with those who have not responded. In addition to door prizes secured from the cruise lines and local businesses, consider giveaways such as bags, T-shirts, photo albums and luggage tags with your agency name/logo. Stock up on cruise line brochures and CLIA "Cruising Q&A" booklets at least two weeks prior to your event. Arrange for audio-visual equipment so you can show CLIA s promotional video and/or videos from participating cruise lines.

6 Publicize your event using local print, radio and TV media. Consider placing invitations in other local businesses as well. Personally inspect the facility and all audio-visual equipment in advance. Have extra bulbs and extension cords on hand. Plan your presentations well in advance. Make sure to factor in time for your participating cruise lines to address your guests. Run through the presentation with your staff or friends as the audience. Fine-tune any timing or technical issues. On the Day of Your Event Make sure to arrive at least 30 minutes early to meet and greet guests and take care of any last minute items. Be sure to start on time. Keep an accurate list of attendees for easy follow-up after the event. Encourage guests to book at the event by offering an incentive. Carnival will have many incentives the night of the event. Be a part of the webcast through Kim s Facebook page! Here s how: o On the night of the event, be sure to have Kim s Facebook page available. Get pictures of your party, and so much more! We ll have a member of the creative team on the page during the entire broadcast! But, that s not all! Host the most festive party, and you could win a prize! We ll even send you a party shot out on the live webcast. Also, try your guess during the Trivia contest on Kim s Facebook page. If you haven t become a fan yet, do so before January 25th by going to Win Prizes! Get your guests in on the games, they can win too! Be one of the first 25 people to make a Carnival booking during the live event and your booking ID # to skulek@ytbtravel.com to claim your prize. Make a Carnival booking during the live event, your name, and booking ID # to skulek@ytbtravel.com and be entered to win one of 3 Carnival/YTB baskets. Have your own contests or booking giveaways. Give away door prizes to the winners. After Your Event Follow up by phone within 48 hours with each guest who expressed interest in booking a cruise. Send thank you s, letters, postcards or stationery cards to all your guests. Consider attaching a coupon for a discount or value added incentive for bookings made and deposited within ten days of your thank you or mailing. Use the door prize and giveaway entries to update your customer database. Cruise Line International Association