Lead the Way: How Qualifying Clients Can Steer You Toward Success

Generating leads is crucial for any travel business. However, proving your value to potential customers can overshadow an equally important consideration: Are they the right client for you? 

Lead qualification, the process of assessing a potential client’s needs, interests, budget and compatibility with your services, ensures that you invest your time and resources wisely. Not every lead will convert into a customer — and for those who do, you’ll want to feel confident that you can bring their travel dreams to life.

The Importance of Qualifying Leads

Qualifying a lead can save you a lot of wasted time, disappointment and frustration.

“When you’re a new travel advisor, you try to be all things to all people,” said Diana Hechler, travel advisor and president of D. Tours Travel, a member of Ensemble. “You don’t have any clients, so you want to help anyone who comes to you. The issue is that some clients will not be the right fit.”

For Hechler, that meant a client who was looking for a “five-star vacation on a three-star budget.” The client asked for help planning a trip early in Hechler’s career, leading her to spend hours trying to find deals on fantastic accommodations. 

“In the end, it was a pointless exercise. They would come back unhappy because they didn’t get what they envisioned, which would have cost more than they were willing to spend,” Hechler explained.

A lead qualification process can help weed out people with unrealistic expectations and zero in on those who are most aligned with your niche, which makes designing trips more efficient. A well-qualified lead is also more likely to move through the sales funnel smoothly and commit to a booking. 

Hechler has found that, by targeting leads who are a good fit, travel advisors can improve their conversion rates and close more deals, contributing to business growth and success. It has left her with happier clients who are much more likely to make referrals, ultimately contributing to the growth of her business. 

“When you have happy clients in the right segment of the market for you, they’re more likely to refer you. All my business is now repeat and referral business, and I end up converting 98% of leads into clients,” she said.

Qualities of a Strong Lead

A strong lead is someone who shows a likelihood of being converted into a satisfied customer — but that’s only part of the equation. Determining whether or not the two of you are a compatible match is just as important. 

While a weak lead might send emails to half a dozen travel advisors to see who has the best deal, a strong lead is willing to have a personal conversation with you, either in person or over the phone, to see whether your working styles and personalities mesh.

“There has to be an investment from the customer in the time it takes to make sure you’re equally qualified for each other,” said Bill Coyle, travel advisor and vice president of agent engagement at KHM Travel Group.

Look for signs that this person is serious about trip planning and values your expertise. For example, if a potential client asks specific questions about unique local experiences on the Amalfi Coast based on your travels to Italy and shows excitement at your recommendations, it’s a clue that they’ll appreciate your services.

“The basis of a good business is that you’re solving somebody’s problem,” Hechler said. “For someone who doesn’t know where to start or doesn’t have the time to plan travel, they’ll find that a travel advisor is worth every penny.” 

While would-be customers may not know their trip’s exact cost, a strong lead is forthcoming about their budget and what type of experience they can afford.

“I prefer to have that very transparent, essential conversation about budget early,” Coyle said. “Let’s talk about what you’re working with [to avoid] me sending you something way out of line or way under expectations.” 

Hechler takes a more subtle approach when talking about budget. Rather than asking directly about money during the lead qualification process, she asks about the type of hotels they’re most comfortable in.

“If they tell me that a hotel is just a place for them to sleep, that’s a red flag. They probably won’t care about a hotel that’s authentic or interesting, which defines many of the hotels I have good relationships with,” she said. 

Another sign of a strong lead is a readiness to commit. If a potential client is prepared to discuss timelines, make decisions promptly and put down a deposit to secure their plans, it shows they are serious about moving forward. They’re not just exploring options; they’re ready to invest in working with you to plan their next vacation. 

How To Qualify a Lead (And Close the Right Business for You!)

Qualifying a lead is a little like a job interview. You need to ask the right questions to determine if the potential client is a good match for your services — as well as whether or not they’ll be happy working with you. One of the best ways to start qualifying a lead is to ask how they found you, Coyle says.

“A bad lead is someone who says they found you online and they’ve been shopping around. But if they found me through a referral from a good client, then there’s no question that I’m working with them,” Coyle said.

Over 25 years, Hechler has streamlined her lead qualification process to a 15-minute conversation. It starts with asking the lead what type of trip they’re envisioning and listening closely for about five minutes. She may interject with a clarifying question, such as if they’ve considered how many flights they’ll need to take if they want to visit several European cities in just a week, which helps her get a sense of whether the person is willing to listen to reason.

Once they’ve explained what they’re looking for, Hechler drives the conversation for the remaining 10 minutes for what she calls “sampling.”

“That’s when I show them how much I already know about the places they want to visit. I show that I know my stuff and that they’re in the hands of someone who really gets it,” Hechler said.

She’ll explain how to work with geography to travel efficiently within a country and mention neighborhoods she recommends staying in. She’ll offer strategic suggestions on ways to enhance a trip (such as cruising the Amazon headwaters on an expedition boat after visiting Machu Picchu), which both demonstrates her knowledge and offers clues about the potential customer’s travel style and receptiveness to her expertise. She’ll also explain what to expect when working with her, such as a package with printed reservations and tickets and personalized tips.  

Finally, she mentions her travel planning fee. How the client reacts to her fee is one of the most useful tools Hechler has to determine whether this lead will convert into a customer. She says they either offer their credit card on the spot (something she doesn’t require upfront) or they’ll tell her they need to talk to their travel partner, which is a sign that they’re likely not moving forward.

“That fee determines whether or not this client is someone who cares about traveling in the way I can provide it,” Hechler explained. “If they have to consult with someone else, that usually means they don’t understand the value. The client is in complete control the entire time.”

A thorough lead qualification process helps travel advisors curate their clientele, save time and focus on delivering exceptional experiences. It’s a win-win strategy that enhances efficiency and generates repeat business, while also leading to higher customer satisfaction. That makes the journey more rewarding for both you and your clients.

Originally appeared in the Fall 2024 issue of The Compass magazine