FORT LAUDERDALE -- If advisors know that travelers are in search of the perfect Instagram shot, they can use that as a sales tool, helping prospective clients envision the moments when they'll score a memorable photo or video.
Panelists at a CruiseWorld session on Instagrammable moments said advisors should get to know their clients' interests and use their own social media platforms to show the possibilities.
When sharing personal travel experiences on social media, advisors should use language that makes clients feel as if they are having the experience themselves, said Kelly Hogan, sales director at The Travel Corporation.
In conversation, conveying emotion on a prospective client's behalf is similarly effective, said Kendall O'Malley, account manager at Backroads. For example, advisors can say, "I'm so excited for you, this is going to be an incredible trip," O'Malley said. Or, they can find out what motivates travelers.
"Maybe they like being the envy of their friends, and you say, 'I'm so jealous, I want to go on this trip, too,'" she said.
The more advisors learn about their clients, the easier it will be to help them envision that Instagrammable moment, said Cathy Bennis, Audley Travel's vice president of trade sales and partnerships for North America.
Backroads, a biking and hiking specialist, allows travelers to go at their own pace, giving them time to find the perfect shot, O'Malley said.
Because they know where to find wildlife, guides at cruise line HX Expeditions can help guests find Instagrammable moments, said Steve Smotrys, HX's managing director and senior vice president of commercial for the Americas.
"We've all seen the images of the penguins and, yeah, it's cute and everything, but that's just scratching the surface," Smotrys said. "There's all of these amazing moments, and the team does a great job of curating these incredible opportunities."
At Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, guests will find the most visually compelling content on shore excursions, said vice president of national accounts Eddy Mestre.
When advisors create their own content, viewers can be drawn to authenticity, said Susie Flores, a Cruise Planners franchise owner who co-hosted the panel with Harr Travel CEO Danny Genung.
Some of Flores' social media videos are emotional. In one video, the tears fell because she wasn't enjoying a kayaking experience in Alaska because of how rugged it was. A client watched it and booked an Alaska cruise, she said.
"While it wasn't perfect, it was a moment of being authentic and being real," Flores said.
Every advisor will have their own niche and preferences for content collection, said Genung, who does YouTube videos of cruise ship walkthrough tours. The size of the travel industry and the diversity of experiences means advisors will be able to reach an audience no matter their niche, he said.
"That is the beauty of it, right?" he said. "There are infinite audiences."