As a travel agency owner, you know firsthand that today’s competitive market is fiercer than ever.
Plus, your workload has doubled.
Once, you focused solely on creating travel packages that delivered unique, fun experiences for your customers and were assured of repeat business. Those customers visited your office, you got to know them and assessed their needs and budget, and you packaged up a turnkey solution that was sure to please.
Today, however, you have probably shifted at least half of your focus to servicing clients via online booking forms—and still delivering your clients a flawless trip.
And, your competition used to be the travel agency up the street; now, it’s the entire world wide web. You are competing with both your local competitor and those online travel agents.
If your travel agency marketing plan is calling for a shift to an increased online presence, you must prepare your website with forms that help you seal every deal, safely and securely. Today, we are sharing five forms that an online travel agent needs in order to compete online.
EmailMeForm understands your travel agency needs
As you can see, we at EmailMeForm understand travel agency needs. That is because we help dozens of travel agents like you to not only survive—but thrive—in the competitive online travel industry.
Whether you focus on business travel, cruise packages, or family vacations, we can help you! Don’t just take us at our word, go ahead and read for yourself.
Makes it easier to run my business!
The new secure payment collector is a lifesaver!
The forms are very easy to design and send to clients. I would not use any other software.
Now, let’s take a look at those online forms that will help you grow.
1 - Lead generation forms
You’ll sometimes hear lead generation forms called lead magnets due to the fact that they are designed to attract users to your website.
Here’s how a lead magnet works. You make a user a valuable offer; what you are offering must make them thirst for the offer. You give them water to quench that thirst once they give you their contact information to collect on that deal.
A lead magnet example:
You create a photographic guide to the Greek Isles to offer as your lead magnet. A user searching the web for that very destination locates your website finds the offer irresistible—they are researching that topic, so they are attracted to it. They input their contact information and download your photos for inspiration.
Here is why this particular situation is quite precious to you. This user isn’t a cold lead. It’s a prospect that’s as warm as a marshmallow toasted over a campfire. The user was actively searching for the Greek Isles, and they have some interest in travel there.
You have collected their contact data. Now, you have the opportunity to call or email them for a quick follow-up, to offer your advice, and let them know that you are available to answer any questions.
Your proactive measure has made you a stand out against the online travel agent who sits back and passively waits for leads.
2 - Customer satisfaction forms
Not only do you want to reach new users with lead generation forms, but you must also win back past travelers to book with your online travel agency over and over again.
But, how?
You can utilize customer satisfaction forms that will give you the data to build a solid base of repeat bookings for your travel agency.
A customer satisfaction form example:
You used to get repeat annual bookings for family vacations at a resort in Puerto Rico. Over the past year or two, sales are slumping. To retain business, you must determine why you are losing these repeat bookings.
You send out a customer satisfaction survey to recent travelers who visited the resort in question. As you collect responses, you uncover an underlying theme of poor customer service from the check-in desk, a lack of room cleanliness, or outdated amenities.
In response, you can be agile and react by offering the travelers a small perk or coupon on their next trip (priming you for a fresh booking). Additionally, you can locate a more delightful resort that will exceed all of your customers’ expectations.
Your attention to detail in resolving these issues will impress your clients and can strengthen their loyalty to you.
3 - Newsletter subscription forms
A fantastic way to give past clients a reason to keep in touch with you is by delivering them a weekly or monthly newsletter. Sending updates on the hottest destinations, top-rated cruise lines, and travel trends will get stir up their wanderlust and put them back into the mood to open up their wallets and spend money with you.
Add a subscription form to your website, of course, for new users, and also be sure to include a signup link to your newsletter on all your email communications.
A newsletter subscription form example:
Your frequent business travel client opted into your newsletter for reading material while he’s waiting for layovers. You send out a newsletter about the hottest destinations for corporate meetings. It turns out that he’s been tasked with booking a sales conference for his company. After reading your newsletter, he engages your services to help you book travel and hotel accommodations for the entire sales force.
Without receiving your newsletter, your client might not have realized that you could assist him with conference bookings. Now, you’ve made an enormous sale. Score one for you!
4 - Travel agency booking forms
When clients book travel, they expect a streamlined process. And if you offer online booking forms, you are providing what they require, exactly.
You will be able to offer the turnkey package for every travel need from airport shuttle service to processing their travel documents to booking air travel or suites in the best hotels.
Allow customers to book with you 24/7 from whatever location
is most convenient for them.
A booking form example:
Your clients want to explore the Nordic fjords on a honeymoon river cruise. They visit your website and complete a form to tell you their travel dates so you can find them the best deal on airfare and river cruises that match up with their plans.
Once they have booked, you can complete the process by inviting them to expedite the process by securely uploading their passport data using a file upload button; request transportation from the airport to the cruise ship; and sign off on a travel waiver form to protect your travel agency from any liabilities.
Gathering smart information allows you to customize a vacation and ensures that you’ll have clients who enjoy a fantastic getaway.
5 - Credit card authorization forms for online travel agents
Of course, all that hard work attracting new users, ensuring that clients enjoyed happy travels, and planning trips is for naught if you don’t collect payments.
With EmailMeForm, you can safely, securely build payment forms or process credit cards by asking your customers to complete a credit card authorization form which allows you to book travel on their behalf.
Remember, though, that not all form builders offer equal protection.
You can assure your customers that you are using a PCI-certified form company and that you encrypt and store their credit card information securely in the EmailMeForm Vault.
This precautionary measure will help build consumer confidence.
Learn more about the Vault and collecting credit card data securely here.
A credit card authorization form example:
A customer completed your lead generation form, and (being a wicked awesome travel agent) you followed up. Now, the person is ready to book a long-anticipated safari to Tanzania. He has his wallet open and is pulling out his credit card.
Having been burnt by a sketchy online seller once in the past, he stops and checks to make sure that you have implemented a secure payment method that will protect his data as he begins to key in his card data.
Seeing that you have taken extra precautions to secure his data, he moves forward and schedules the trip of a lifetime.
How to work with EmailMeForm
Are you eager, now, to embrace forms and fully transition over to an online travel agency? It’s easy to partner with EmailMeForm.
First, you can set up your account and access our library of travel form templates or customize forms for your travel agency from scratch. Form building is intuitive, and you can access our Knowledge Base or blog posts for tips.
Or, if you’d rather leave the online form building to the pros, hire our CustomWorks team. We will listen to your agency’s needs and build the forms you need to catapult your business forward.
Deborah Tayloe
Deborah is a blogger and freelancer who often writes for EmailMeForm. When she’s not blogging, you’ll probably find Deborah working on DIY projects around her home in North Carolina.
