So, what kind of questions
do I ask and why are they so important?
For starters, I need to
know about THIS particular vacation. We
need a place to start. Knowing what you
are looking for is a perfect place to start.
I need to know who is
going. Is it just your family? Maybe the grandparents? A couple of cousins,
or maybe you are taking a friend or two of the kids. Speaking of kids, what are the ages of the
kids? Some places, for instance Disney,
have different prices and plans for different ages of children.
Then I will need some
information about past vacations. What
worked, and what didn’t work? What did
you like? What didn’t you like? The more I know about your past vacations the
better I can help plan this perfect vacation.
Where did you stay on your
past vacations? Did you stay at a motel
on the highway? Or did you stay at a
chain hotel close to the center of the city?
Or did you choose a five star resort recommended by a business
associate? What did you like or not like about those stays?
What do you like to do in
your spare time? Don’t have any spare
time? Then we really need to get busy on
this vacation! Having leisure time with
your family is very important to both your wellbeing and theirs!
Describe to me your
perfect vacation. Is it relaxing with a
good book by the beach? Is it hiking to
historical sites? Is it a relaxing spa
day? An exhilarating shopping excursion
looking for that one perfect gift? A day
full of family memories? A day without the kids?
Now, remember I said
perfect, not necessarily what you are looking for in THIS trip. Why?
It gives me an idea about your personality. Are you a hustle and bustle 9 to 5 type
person who is looking for a relaxing family vacation to reconnect with your
family, or are you a hustle and bustle 9 to 5 type person who is looking to
spend a vacation showing your family every possible inch of an amusement park?
Are your dates
flexible? Do you only get one week for
vacation at the same time each year? Are
the kids in school and you can only travel during school breaks?
What about the kids? What are they into? Roller Coasters or pirates? Princesses or robots? Do they love history? Are they into animals so much you would have
a zoo in your back yard if you would let them?
Are you still with
me? I know you told me right off the bat
you want to take Johnny and Susie to their first Disney trip, just like your
parents did when you were younger. But you
came to me for my expertise. Either
because you don’t have the time for the research, or you don’t know where to
start. Anyone can pull up the Disney
site and book a room. But then, that
wouldn’t be YOUR perfect vacation.
So far I have asked lots
of questions, listened to your answers and taken a ton of notes. And we have only just begun. But you notice, I have not mentioned budget
yet. We will get to that point a little
later. Right now I want to get to know
you a bit better. I need to know how
upset little Susie is going to be if she has to miss that presentation on castles
she has been working so hard on for school.
I need to know that while Johnny is a thrill junkie, he has a secret
crush on Belle. I need to know that
while Grandma is a very active person, she needs her quiet time and space…
No comments:
Post a Comment