If you guessed website, digital newsletter, social media or video platforms, you would be close, but not correct. In time, there is a critical place for every marketing tool. Yet without a list of ideal customers, it is like having a high-performance car, without the fuel.
It’s not that social media isn’t valuable. It’s like a billboard your customers drive by every day—great for visibility, but not enough to fuel your business. Your list of personal connections is the heart of your business. It is who you serve and why you do what you do.
I’m often asked, “What’s the one thing you suggest for growing my business?” My answer never changes: Grow your list.
Your list isn’t just a collection of names. It’s made up of the people most likely to buy from you—those who have given you permission to engage beyond social media. You have their email, their phone number, and, most importantly, their trust.
As Vicki Freed, SVP of Royal Caribbean, says, “A phone call moves you from a monologue to a dialogue.” When leads slow down, your list is what keeps your business moving forward. It gives you control over who you work with and ensures you’re building relationships—not just followers.
1. Know Your People—Really Know Them
To grow your list, you need to know your list.
The strongest client relationships aren’t built on demographics like age, income, or generic travel preferences. They’re built on understanding how travel fits into your client’s life priorities.
An empty nester and a growing family may both prioritize travel, but for very different reasons. Some clients are adventure seekers, others are looking for deep relaxation. When you truly know your people, and you can see yourself in them, and they feel how much you care.
When I was with Princess Cruises at a consumer event engaging with clients in meaningful conversations about their travel plans and the clients would say, “are you coming with us?” We had chemistry!
2. Consistent, Yet Varied Connections
Consistency matters—but not in the way most people think. Just because someone is on your list doesn’t mean they’re buying from you. They might open your emails, like your posts, and comment on your content—but that’s not the same as being a client.
Engagement is not action.
If you want to move people from passive interest to active buying, you need to interrupt the pattern. Pick up the phone. Send a personal message. Host an event. Let them know you see them as more than a name in a database. If you never ask, you’ll never know who is truly ready to buy.
3. Get Your Message Heard
A list built with intention cuts through the noise. Your people have a problem you can solve. The question is: Do they know it?
Donald Miller says it best:“People don’t buy the best products; they buy the ones they understand the fastest.”
If your message isn’t crystal clear, people will move on. Too often, advisors lose sales because their clients didn’t realize what they offered. How many times has someone said, “I didn’t know you booked X”?!
Your list is your opportunity to own your message. It’s where you tell people exactly who you help and how you do it. See the difference:
· “Check out my latest travel tips.”
· “I help high-achieving professionals book incredible adventures they don’t have time to plan. Get outrageous travel ideas in your inbox weekly.”
A growing list isn’t just a marketing tool—it’s a fountain that generates a steady flow of lifetime customers.
If you’re a business owner or leader looking for more strategies to drive early sales, join our next Masterclass. Leading Sales: The First 90 Days.
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