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The best part of being in the Travel Industry is the opportunities for us to travel too! You can sell places and experiences if you haven’t been there IF you’ve done enough homework, but there is NOTHING like experiencing it first hand. Enter the FAM or familiarization trip.

Whether you are going on a personal research trip and trying something new that you’d like to sell or taking advantage of a FAM trip offered by a vacation vendor, you will get the most out of the experience if you prepare for success before you start your trip.

Let’s face it, a FAM trip is NOT all fun and games. It’s work. If you are not prepared for that reality then you will be miserable and your FAM host will be as well.

Of course, the goal of any FAM, both for you and the vendor, is to help you sell lots of this product once you return to reality. Your first priority, therefore, is learning details that will help your business – it is not getting as much pool time as possible. That said, you should take advantage of your free time since this is when you’ll experience the resorts as your clients will.

Make sure you take advantage of the tips we have prepared for you to help you prepare for your next FAM trip. We hope it will be one of many.

Fail to Prepare & Prepare to Fail

 

Although we spend our days reminding others of the many things they must do before they travel, it’s easy for us to neglect those some details when it comes time for us to go. It’s also very easy to get caught up in the excitement of heading away yourself or to take things for granted, such as an up-to-date passport.

Always make sure your passport is up-to-date and valid for at least six months after your trip. For some countries, this is a requirement upon entry. If your destination is exotic in nature, you may want to check on Visa requirements and even required vaccinations.

The FAM host should send out an email about a week prior to the FAM with details on what to pack, what to wear, the itinerary, etc… You’ll want to have comfortable shoes during the touring, that sort of thing. If you don’t get this from the FAM host and you are leaving in a day or so, ask for it and then follow the suggestions.

Now that we have the basics out of the way, let’s cover a few more ways you can prepare:

  • Research the destination – Study every aspect of every resort you will be visiting. Bring information sheets with you. Prepared to be overwhelmed with new information. The more you prepare, the less you will feel overwhelmed.
  • Use an inspection sheet – One idea I’ve seen used was to prepare a sheet for each resort much as they have for new homebuyers. Use this as a place to list your pros & cons. What you thought about each category of rooms. Where they clean? How was the food? Which clients do you have in your database that would love this?
  • Ready your hashtags – We are living in a Facebook & Instagram world. Prepare to be visual with the photos you will take and be ready with the hashtags you will use with them. Post photos while you are on your FAM and maybe even do a Live event, but also plan to use your photos and even videos for months and years ahead to continue your marketing of this vacation destination.
  • Blogs and posts and videos oh my! – Speaking of planning…imagine that you want to write blog articles to share with your clients, or FB posts or videos with details of your trip and all of these will need photos. If you are able to have the imagination to plan these ahead of time (even as an outline), you can make sure that you will have all the photos you need to tell your story instead of kicking yourself when you are back in your office.
  • Pack lightly but well – Most likely you will be on the go and moving from location to location (oh yeah, this is a working trip) so pack lightly but make sure you have the essentials. Get your direction from the email sent you by the FAM host (usually a week prior) and only pack what you need. You will absolutely need a good and comfortable pair of shoes. The lighter you pack the happier you will be – lugging a heavy suitcase gets old quick.

 Final Thoughts

 

It is always polite to follow up with your host. So send them a thank you. You probably said Thank You in person on the FAM but it always means so much more when done in a note sent in the mail with an envelope and a stamp. Remember those?

You may will need them down the line as you grow your business and depending on your host’s position with the company, they can help you in the future with questions you have and possibly getting that extra special touch for your extra special client.

Are you interested in becoming an agent?

If you are passionate about travel and find yourself already helping family and friends plan their vacations then We Want You!