Tomorrow: A Sales Lesson for Travel Agents From Annie

Sales is complex and is worthy of serious study if you plan on making a career out of it. There have been countless books written on the subject, in addition to an unending series of articles written by yours truly.

While there are more techniques and styles than could be ever committed to memory, there is one theme that is consistent. All the sales gurus, starting with the great Zig Ziglar, always say that there is one thing that the best sales people must have. It is far more important than techniques, approaches, skill sets or product knowledge. Without this one thing, all the studying and practicing will simply fail.

If you have perused this series of articles for a while, you know that I use musical theater as my running analogy to make points about sales that I hope will resonate through the power of song. As to my opening paragraph, the one thing that you must have to maximize your success in sales is best embodied by one entire musical, or at least its title character, Annie.

Unless you are jaded beyond repair, you can’t leave the show “Annie” without feeling uplifted and happy. It epitomizes a positive attitude, the not-so-secret, secret to sales success! The show espouses simple songs and a simple story, but the energy of the little orphan is contagious – as all positive outlooks are. I know you have heard it a million times, but this is the anthem of positive attitudes:

The sun’ll come out tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow
There’ll be sun!

The sun’ll come out tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on ‘til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You’re always a day away!

My youngest daughter was in about 100 performances of this show. But even though I may have grown a wee weary of the tune, the message never failed to lift me up. So, while I encourage you to study sales through books, tapes and classes, don’t bother unless you can also embrace the positive attitude of little orphan Annie.

Retail travel sales can be frustrating. You will experience trials and there will be intense competition. But you are still in a better position than Annie was when she sang “Tomorrow”! If you start to question if this is the right business for you, then move to one of the other uplifting songs in the show such as “I Think I’m Gonna Like it Here!”

Remember that we are in an amazing business and you help people fulfill their dreams. Sometimes we just need to look around again to remind ourselves that we are in the “mansions” of industries with really fun and exciting products to sell.

Now I am not going to suggest that you go into each day singing either of these two songs or one of the other attitude-lifting anthems from “Annie,” but if you want to join me in this strange and yet fulfilling habit, feel free!

Just remember that a positive attitude with expectations of great outcomes is the first and most important aspect of sales. So even if you lose a sale, have a bad conversation with a difficult client, or get frustrated with the realities of selling travel, remember to at least think to yourself:

The sun’ll come out tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on ‘til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You’re always a day away!