Jamie Biesiada
Courtnie Nichols is the founder and CEO of romance-focused agency TravelBash Corp. and membership-based agency TRVLB. Last year a new shop opened about 15 minutes from her house in Christiansburg, Va.: The Chandlerie.
At the Chandlerie, owner Astleigh Hill hand-pours soy candles, sells other home goods and runs candle workshops.
"I fell in love," Nichols said of Hill's candles.
Nichols became a repeat customer, and an idea hit: a partnership between TravelBash and the Chandlerie, with custom candles Nichols could gift to clients. Together, they created a custom candle with hints of ginger and white tea. It's packaged in recycled materials with a black wick trimmer.
The total cost per candle for Nichols is around $60 with shipping. It's a price she's happy to pay: The candles are exclusive and make clients feel special. Plus, $60 is only a fraction of the $5,000 minimum planning fee TravelBash charges, and even less when you factor in commission.
The partnership is new. Nichols just started sending the candles in January, but reception has been good so far. Clients are putting them in homes and offices.
"It's very sleek, elegant," Nichols said. "It's white, kind of airy, modern -- but it has a luxury. They're like, 'Oh, that's a nice touch.'"
Client gifting is nothing new in the world of travel agencies, and for good reason: Not only is it a nice gesture to instill goodwill, but it also keeps advisors top of mind.
That's true especially in Nichols' case. Every time a client lights their candle, they'll think of their travel advisor. And candles last a while.
Being memorable to your clients is important, especially in a world where loyalty isn't always the norm.
Indeed, Royal Caribbean tracks trends among its cruisers, including the reasons why a consumer switches travel advisors.
"When you ask consumers why [they] didn't stay loyal to their travel advisor, it's because of indifference," said Vicki Freed, Royal's senior vice president of sales, trade support and service. "They didn't feel that the travel advisor really cared enough about them."
One of the easiest ways to keep clients engaged is to encourage them to book their next cruise while still onboard, Freed said: They get the best discount, and the booking stays with their advisor.
For Nichols, the candles offer a distinctive gift clients can't get anywhere else. It offers a level of exclusivity they like, and it's something they can use in their everyday life.
Oftentimes, advisor gifts are travel-related, like luggage tags or power converters. It makes a world of sense, but those are gifts the client will only use while traveling.
Nichols' candles will burn whether clients are thinking about travel or not.
They're also branded, which offers an avenue to potential new clients: Clients' friends and family can see (and smell) the candles burning, which can spark a conversation about TravelBash.
For others considering more unique client gifts, Nichols recommended matching the gift to your brand. Are you silly and fun? More luxury oriented?
"I really think it goes back to your brand, your personality, things that you like," she said. "I found that a lot of my clients are little me's -- you attract the things you like."
It's a simple formula. If you like it, they probably will, too.