Happy New Year! As we ring in 2014, it’s time to once again take stock of your business and vow to increase your cruise sales. Sounds good, but how, exactly, do you do that? To find out, we went to cruise industry executives, who know what works because they see it day in and day out.

We also sought advice from one of the best cruise travel agents in the business, Mara Hargarther, who owns a CruiseOne franchise in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., with her sister, Claudia Thaler. Their business was named CruiseOne Franchise of the Year at the organization’s national conference in October. Their sales rocketed up about 40 percent in 2013. “We had a really fantastic year and are hoping to continue that into 2014,” Hargarther says.

To repeat that performance or even top it, Hargarther has definite ideas about how to grow your cruise business. She’s agreed to share them with us, as she often does when she talks to new CruiseOne franchisees.

Focus on groups

Her first piece of advice should come as no surprise. “Focus on groups. It’s our bread and butter,” Hargarther says. “Don’t just rely on past groups, really look to cultivate new groups. Instead of relying on family reunions and weddings, I try to build groups — create the concept, put the players together and then promote it — because that’s not something that anybody else is doing or can get.”

For example, she is finding success with crafting groups, especially those that focus on knitting. Among her upcoming knitting cruises is the New Year’s cruise on AmaWaterways’ AmaBella on the Danube River, which departs Dec. 23, 2014. It will be hosted by pattern designer Barry Klein, who owns Trendsetter Yarns near Los Angeles and is a past president of the National Needlework Association.

“I take people like him, a world-renowned knitting instructor and designer, and put a cruise together with knitting stores and I promote it to knitters,” Hargarther says. “It’s competition-proof because nobody else is doing it. I’m constantly looking to put together groups that we can market. If a group is big enough, and they usually are, I escort the group. I have the next cruise already planned so that I can promote it and sell it on board. Typically, at least 75 percent of people rebook.”

Building a strong groups business means you’re spreading your revenue throughout the year, instead of primarily in the first quarter, the traditional Wave Season. “Typically, it used to be bookings in the first quarter were 50 percent of our annual sales, but that’s no longer the case,” Hargarther says. “Our best month was July last year.”

Read the newspaper

If you’re at a loss, her next suggestion can help find groups. And that is to read your local newspaper. Not necessarily the major big-city dailies, but the small paper chock-full of news about local clubs, charity organizations, theater performances, symphony boards, wine tastings, support groups — the list goes on and on. “Sit down on a Saturday with the local newspaper, take out a pen or highlighter and you can come up with so many ideas for contacts for new cruises that way,” Hargarther says. “Anything cultural is just a fantastic opportunity to find new groups. Those people love the idea of doing something at sea, especially if you tie it into a fund-raiser. Be a little creative in picking up the phone and seeing if you can start something that is new.”

Pick up the phone

The telephone also is part of Hargarther’s next tip, which is to “cultivate existing clients.” She asks her associates to create a list of all clients, contact them by telephone instead of email, and survey them. “Ask them what’s on their bucket list, what target destinations they’re looking for, what cruise lines they’d like to try. See if they have a new email address or home address. Ask if we can we put the client on our radar screen for anything in particular. In my opinion, calling someone is better than email marketing or anything else. A personal phone call gives you a personal connection. Agents are afraid to pick up and phone, but for the most part people are glad to hear from you.”

Try something new

“Every year, I try something new, something I’ve never done before,” Hargarther says. “This year, I’m going to a trade association event.” She’ll take a booth at a non-traditional tradeshow, an industry gathering that likely could net some incentive clients. “Most travel agents just go to bridal shows or chamber of commerce things,” she explains. “I want to do something where there aren’t seven other travel agents.”

Promote preferred suppliers

Hargarther says her final piece of advice is extremely important. “Work with your preferred suppliers,” she says. “We have wonderful relationships with our preferred suppliers, and we work with them very closely. It’s not just about what we need, it’s also about what they need. Sometimes I’ll ask my reps, ‘Where do you need help? What destination do you need help with?’ If I can help them, it makes them look good and makes them want to help me. When I exhibit at tradeshows, I promote my preferred suppliers, including their logos in my banners. I promote them through marketing and social media. I’m a huge proponent of promoting our preferred suppliers. It’s really a win-win situation.”

It comes back to you when you need help. “If I have a client with a problem, I pretty much know that I can fix the problem, get an answer or make it right,” she says.

Why are you in business?

Beyond her specific advice for increasing cruise sales, Hargarther believes it’s important to know why you’re in the business and why people should come to you to book cruises. It’s important to know that deep down, especially if you’re a new travel seller. When she meets new CruiseOne franchisees, that’s the question she asks: “Why should someone book with you?”

“That is so important,” she explains. “You have your ‘why’ and you know your ‘why’ and you should be prepared to share your ‘why.’ There is so much competition, and people come in thinking it will be so easy and so fun to sell cruises. But that’s not really how it is, it’s not really about traveling, it’s about being in business. Your ‘why’ is something about you that differentiates you from the competition.”

So what is Hargarther’s “why”? “My ‘why’ is I’ve been in the business for 20 years, I’ve been on 100 cruises and I have wonderful relationships with my cruise line partners,” she says. “Literally from the first phone call to the welcome-home call, I treat everybody like it’s their first cruise. I remember that excitement when they went on their first cruise, and I don’t forget what that felt like. It’s important for everyone, whether it’s their first, 10th or 50th cruise.”

What about someone new who doesn’t have all that experience? “Think about why I would want to be your client,” she says. “I think a lot of people get into this business for wrong reasons, like they want to travel. It’s a really good business to be in and a high-growth business. To me, you should know how to sell, and be able to guide people through the process. That’s what differentiates you; otherwise they can just go online.”