FAM (familiarization) trips are essential for travel advisors to learn about destinations firsthand.
They allow you to experience what your clients will and to return home with content and insights that help you sell the destination.
However, many advisors fall into common pitfalls when selecting and executing FAMs, treating it as a personal vacation rather than a business-building opportunity.
We’ll explore advisors' top five mistakes when choosing and participating in a FAM and how to avoid them.
1. Choosing the Wrong FAM Trip for Your Niche
A significant mistake advisors often make is choosing a FAM based on personal interest or destination popularity without considering how it aligns with their business niche.
If your clients are primarily luxury travelers, attending a budget-friendly FAM may not give you the right material to promote to them.
Selecting FAMs that cater to your client’s preferences and your business model is crucial.
Ask yourself: Will this FAM help me sell more trips to my ideal clients? By choosing the right FAM, you’ll gain knowledge and experiences that will directly benefit your sales and marketing efforts.
Take Action: If you haven’t yet used our Commission Calculator, now is the time! This tool helps you create a tailored marketing plan for this specific supplier or destination.
It will guide you in calculating the commission you want to earn, determining how many clients you’ll need to reach your revenue goals, estimating how many email subscribers you’ll need to generate those clients, and calculating the average booking per client.
By aligning these insights with your niche and the suppliers you're working with, you’ll have a clear, data-driven strategy to market this destination effectively and integrate it into your overall business plan.
2. Not Having a Strategic Plan for Content Creation
Showing up to a FAM without a clear content strategy is a missed opportunity.
While most advisors know they need photos and videos, they often need a detailed plan for what content will resonate with their clients.
Before you go, define your content goals. What are the essential experiences, accommodations, or activities your clients are most interested in?
Think about how you’ll use this content across different platforms—whether it’s for social media, blog posts, or emails.
Consider the angles that will help you tell the destination's story in a way that connects with your audience.
Tip: Create a detailed shot list before you leave so you know exactly what to prioritize capturing during the trip.
Ask Yourself: What images or videos do my clients need to see to inspire action?
Think about how each image in a brochure is carefully selected to evoke emotion, create desire, or instill FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).
These visuals are strategic and meant to drive potential travelers to book.
Take Action: Complete our Content Planner before your trip. This tool will help you outline exactly what images and videos you must capture, ensuring your content strategically aligns with your marketing plan.
3. Not Capturing Engaging Content During the Trip
Even with a great plan, execution matters. While on the FAM, make sure you capture visually appealing, engaging, and meaningful content for your audience.
Don’t just take a few photos of the hotel room—focus on capturing the experience of staying there.
Video clips, interviews with local guides, or even short segments sharing your impressions can add depth to your content.
Storytelling is key.
Aim to capture moments that resonate with your client’s dreams and desires and think beyond basic photos.
Gather content that reflects the true essence of the destination, its culture, and the unique experiences your clients would love.
Tip: Diversify your content—photos, video clips, personal commentary—to create a rich narrative that can be repurposed across multiple platforms.
Take Action: Learn how to get the most out of your smartphone.
For iPhone users, sign up for Apple’s free in-store Photography Workshop, where you can sharpen your skills.
Alternatively, search for online tutorials on platforms like YouTube to master the art of framing and editing photos like a pro.
4. Not Putting Your Plan into Action Post-FAM
After the trip, many advisors drop the ball when it comes to implementing their content and insights.
Without an action plan, the photos and videos from the FAM often sit unused on phones or computers.
The real value of a FAM trip comes after you return, so be sure to schedule time to sort through your material, create social media posts, write blogs, and share your expertise with your clients.
This step is critical in positioning yourself as an expert on the destination.
By showcasing your firsthand experience, you’ll be able to engage potential clients and drive inquiries and bookings.
Tip: Set aside time in your calendar after the FAM to organize your content and execute your marketing plan.
Take Action: Before your trip, create an accountability group with a fellow travel advisor who shares your goals.
You can help each other stay on track, provide support, and hold yourself accountable for meeting your goals post-trip.
5. Not Measuring the Success of the FAM
One of the most overlooked aspects of a FAM trip is tracking its success.
Advisors rarely measure the impact of their FAMs, meaning they miss key insights into what worked and what didn’t.
Did the trip lead to more inquiries? Were your social media posts well-received? Have you seen a boost in bookings for the destination?
Tracking the results helps you understand the trip's ROI and can guide your decisions on future FAMs.
By measuring your success, you can refine your strategy and ensure your time and money are well spent.
Tip: Use metrics like social media engagement, client inquiries, and actual bookings to evaluate the success of your FAM trip.
Take Action: Mark your calendar to check in with yourself to be sure you’ve accomplished the goals you set out to do.
Bonus Tip: Selecting FAMs That Go Beyond the Destination
Some FAMs offer workshops, but they often focus solely on the destination.
Ideally, the best FAMs will showcase the destination and offer business development opportunities.
Look for FAMs that include workshops on marketing, sales techniques, and strategies for business growth.
These trips will give you the tools you need to sell the destination and grow your business strategically.
Tip: Choose FAMs that offer destination experiences and actionable business insights so you can return home with a solid plan for content and business growth.
FAM trips can be an incredible tool for travel advisors—offering firsthand experiences that help you better understand the destinations you sell.
However, maximizing the value of these trips requires strategic planning, mindful participation, and a focus on turning knowledge into actionable marketing that benefits your business.
By avoiding these common mistakes—choosing the wrong FAM, skipping pre-trip training, treating it like a vacation, and neglecting content planning—you’ll be well-positioned to use FAMs as a powerful business development tool.
The real success of a FAM trip happens after you return home.
It’s not just about experiencing a destination—it’s about leveraging what you’ve learned to grow your business, better serve your clients, and position yourself as an expert.
With the right approach, every FAM you take can bring you one step closer to achieving your business goals.
Comments