Why Disney specialists should be generalists, too: Travel Weekly

Jamie Biesiada

Are you one of many many advisors who focuses on promoting Disney? If that’s the case, Beci Mahnken, proprietor of MEI-Journey, Mouse Fan Journey and Common Fan Journey, has a message for you: Hold an open thoughts.

“Open your thoughts to Common,” Mahnken mentioned. “Open your thoughts to cruise traces. Open your thoughts to journeys to Europe, as a result of your purchasers are going to wish to uncover this world, and that is going to be extra enterprise alternative for you.”

Mahnken was talking on “Selling the Mouse,” my new podcast miniseries that focuses on companies that promote theme parks. In reality, she was my first guest, which can proceed to air by way of January. As I plan to do with all my friends, Mahnken and I talked theme park information, together with Disney’s new mega ship, her enterprise mannequin and extra.

She herself began in journey by promoting Disney, however has expanded her enterprise into Common, cruising, Europe and extra. She has round 107 staff and impartial.

Along with preserving an open thoughts to promoting extra merchandise, Mahnken supplied one other piece of recommendation, one in all her “ardour items:” “Do not rebate your fee. I believe that is one of many largest errors that we’re making on this trade to draw new enterprise whenever you’re first into it.”

It is not an unusual apply, Mahnken mentioned, particularly amongst newer brokers.

“For me, you are price each single penny that you simply’re incomes,” she mentioned. “Do not give it again.”

Customers are keen to pay for worth, Mahnken mentioned, so as an alternative of contemplating rebating, share your worth as an advisor and how one can serve them.

Mahnken and I talked about a variety of different topics — some regarding Disney and Common and lots of about enterprise practices and the journey company neighborhood. I hope you may give it a pay attention and search for the subsequent episode Monday, Dec. 5.

“Promoting the Mouse” might be a five-episode miniseries. You’ll find the podcast within the “Trade Secrets” feed, the place episodes will mechanically seem. You’ll find “Commerce Secrets and techniques” wherever you take heed to podcasts.