Note that unlike the normal search content module, you cannot choose which search fields to include. The Search box has different basic and advanced searches. Clicking the Advanced Search link shows the additional search options.  Clicking Basic Search takes you back to the regular view.

NexCite Cruise Search - Basic Search

NexCite Cruise Search - Advanced Search

 The search box allows your customers to use many of the more powerful features of the agent search, such as selecting a cruise line, ship, port, and more. 

Your customer can be as broad or as specific with date searches as desired.  They can select a month/year from the drop down, and then optionally choose a specific day.  If a specific day is selected, then a “Start Date Options” box appears that allows them to choose their flexibility options.  That way, they can say “I really want to leave on this day, but show me things that depart before or after that date by some number of days”.

To add the search box to one of your NexCite pages, simply complete the following steps:

• Edit the page you would like to place the Cruise Search Box on
• Click the sideways “Edit” button for the area of the page where you want to place the Cruise Search Box
• Click the “Insert Content Module” icon
• Choose “Cruise Search” from the Module Type dropdown list
• Enter your selections
• Click “Update“
• Save your page
• Publish your page

I can see where it would normally take a lot of time, not to mention the creativity to write an interesting article or tweet, however in only a few minutes I can go in and find a couple of tweets on travel topics, an interesting blog from a supplier and now a couple of hot deals and click to send to both my Facebook and Twitter followers. The beauty of the Share a Resort, Top Vacation Values and Supplier Guest Blogs is that they include links back to my website.

I did a Tweet a few days ago of a Funjet Vacation Value. It went to my Facebook and Twitter. If my followers were interested, they could click and view the entire promotion on my website. And, because I have the Funjet (GoFunjet) booking engine integrated into my NexCite, my clients could even proceed through the entire booking process online.

Now I can see using Social Media Marketing in several ways to sell travel. Using Agent Socialink enables me to keep sending interesting articles, blogs and even deals to my followers. I can also see adding special group promotions and working the viral marketing side of social media to market to friends of friends. The potential of social media is tremendous for travel agents, you just need to get started, build your followers and use Agent Socialink for your everyday Social Media Marketing. Get started today.

You’ll find “Share Today’s Top Vacation Values” on your main Agent SociaLink page.  From there you will see a frew deals and you’ll be able to click to see all of the options.

NexCite users will find this group when you select to add a new section or feature on a page and choose Offer Group, then:  GOGO Deals of the Day (Global).  VacationPort users should contact support@passportonlineinc.com to request a link to the group that is properly coded for your website.   

We fully anticipate that other suppliers will move to this marketing practice and we will work with them to provide similar display options.  Let your clients know once you add these daily deals to your site.

The links to these hotels and resorts are automatically created for you, and refer back to your VacationPort or NexCite.  If you are signed up for Agent SociaLink, but aren’t using VacationPort or NexCite, we have good news for you too, Agent SociaLink will still build these links, and they will simply take your customer to an unbranded VacationPort site.

Let us know what you think of this new feature, and look for more enhancements coming soon.

1. Make sure I define where they want to go, when, how many people and any specific interests they have.
2. I make sure I have their current email address and ask them if it is okay if I email them some options to consider for their vacation.
3. As soon as I get back to my computer, I open AgentPort, search for 4-6 promotions that I believe they will like and I email those to them with a nice message.
4. I will then follow-up in 3-4 days to see if any of the promotions were of interest.  If one or two were, then we are on the trail to closing the sale.  If none were, then we are still on the trail to finding the right product for them.  

This is without a doubt the best sales tool I have ever used.  In the old days (before the Internet), I would usually write down what people wanted me to look into (usually on a cocktail napkin) and then try to find something they might like and call them.  It was a very poor way to follow-up.  People like to have options to view and be able to view them on their schedule.  Then they like to contact the agent and know that the agent is familiar with the product and can confidently book it for them at the best price.  With AgentPort, you have a record of your send (I will also often send the email to myself as well and file it in the client’s email folder) so it is easy to locate the promotion and find out how to book it with the supplier (Book It link in Agent Tools of the promotion). 
 
I encourage every agent to try this proven system to respond to your client’s and prospects requests.  It is fast and very simple, and it works!

As it turns out, Facebook is no different from email in the way that it’s media that is vulnerable to spam attacks as well.  There too you can find advertisements for weight loss supplements, or major airline companies promising free airline tickets to those who respond to an online survey.  Due to an increasing number of reported online marketing campaigns and promotions found on fan pages, Facebook developers have created a specific way to keep your page spam-free.  This new option allows page administrators better control over the content on their page, thus, creating a filter for low quality content.

Here’s how it works: Once logged in as an administrator of your page, you will see an Options link under the Share button on your Wall tab.  After clicking this link you will see labels for different filters such as XYZ page + Others, Just XYZ page, Just Others, and Spam.  Each filter separates your wall posts according to content as specified by the label.  Hoover over the right corner of the wall post you’d like mark as spam and click on the “x.”  Select “Mark as spam” from the drop-down menu.  Click the Spam filter and notice that this post resides in your spam filter only.  In order to remove a post from the Spam filter, hoover over the right corner of wall post and click the “x.”  Select “Unmark as Spam” from the drop-down menu.

For more information about Facebook’s spam filtering system see the post on Facebook’s page

1.  John logs into Agent SociaLink and clicks on “Get Started Now” under Build A Blog.

2.  John follows the prompts and fills in the blanks to customize his blog post.

3.   After filling in all the blanks, John hits the “Submit” button to get the fully crafted blog post.  He copies and pastes it over to his WordPress blog.

4.  Since John has integrated his blog posts to update his Facebook fan page, the post automatically appears on his agency’s wall and an update is sent out to all his Facebook followers.

5.  John is a NexCite customer, so we’ve automatically embedded links within his blog post.  Whether a customer sees his article from his blog or facebook, these links will drive the customer back to the Red Bird Vacations website, where they can contact John to book their next cruise.

We’re still looking forward to hearing all your feedback on Agent SociaLink and can’t wait to hear the stories about all our agents booking travel through their social media marketing!

Contact us for more details on Agent SociaLink and stay tuned for more examples!

Agent SociaLink is a proprietary website designed by Passport’s own marketing, customer service and support teams.  The new tool provides content from a variety of sources allowing agents to pick and choose information to add to social media outlets including Twitter, Blogs and Facebook.

The “Build a  Blog” feature, uses a simple fill in the blank format. Agents can create blogs on specific cruise ships, complete with ship photos and specific information preloaded and customize with their own comments and information.

Subscribers to Agent SociaLink do not have to be users of Passport’s VacationPort or NexCite agent-branded, consumer-facing website programs.  But for VacationPort and NexCite users, content created through Agent SociaLink can also be integrated with VacationPort and NexCite. So those agents who are already Passport Online customers will have links embedded to relevant deals within their system. Consumers will be able to click on those deals and be directed to the agent’s website.

With the Agent SociaLink program participating agents receive:

• Real-time, updated links to online popular travel related articles.  Quickly glance at a list of headlines to find a story that is interesting to you or your clients and with a click of a button you can share that story with all your followers on Twitter or Facebook. 
• “Build a Blog Post” to guide agents through the creation of unique blog posts within minutes.  Simply follow the prompts to craft an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) enhanced blog post, complete with links to corresponding offers on the agency website.  Once the blog post is constructed, click on the button, copy and paste the custom post over to your blog and publish.
• Access to our Supplier Guest Blogs.  These blog posts are provided to Passport Online from our top suppliers in all product categories.  Suppliers will deliver interesting informational blogs which can be customized to use directly on an agency blog or Facebook page.  For Passport Online VacationPort or NexCite customers, links to supplier offers on their agency websites will automatically be embedded within the posts.
• Customer support and training on how to most effectively use these new media channels.

Pricing for existing Passport Online customers is $25 per month. For non-Passport Online customers it is $45 a month. For further information on the new Agent SociaLink product, contact us today at socialink@passportonlineinc.com

Agent testimonials:

“The Build a Blog and Supplier Guest Blogs are outstanding! Fantastic topics to build on easily and most importantly you are able to quickly create new blogs in a short amount of time. Plus the option of choosing a specific supplier to blog on is impressive.  This is a Win!” said Jennifer L. Smith, Branch Manager, Wings Travel Group

 “I enjoy the the product – the ease of use, simplicity of functionality, and the choice of content,” said Dennis Miller, MBA, CEO and Director of Human Resources, DJM Travel & Cruise, Inc. 

 “ I love it.  I don’t have to think about what to post.  I just look at the topics and pick one in the am and maybe one in the pm.  I have had people tag on to some of them and even share one of them.  That was a first.  I like the link back to the web site,”

Joan Follmann, CruisePlanners

New Website Offers Content Database, Build A Blog, Facebook & Twitter Feeds

Our Focus Group members went straight to work using the SociaLink content to add excitement to their social media networks.  Joan Follmann used our Supplier Guest Blog tool to market Abercrombie & Kent on her blog and Facebook fan page.  Check out the screen shots below to see how she did it!

1.  Joan logs into Agent SociaLink and selects the A&K Guest Blog post.

2.  Joan copies and pastes the article into her own blog.

3.  The post is published to her blog, where it can get picked up by the search engines and viewed by consumers.  She also has her blog importing to her Facebook fan page, where all her followers will see it show up in their news feed.

4.  Since Joan is a Passport Online customer, Agent SociaLink has automatically imbedded links within the article to direct potential customers back to Joan’s website.  From there, they can contact her to book their next A & K vacation.

We’re looking forward to see what our Focus Group members have to say.  If all goes well, we will be launching Agent SociaLink to the public next week.  Stay tuned for updates!