Last Monday was about the CTA, the line that gets someone to respond.

This week is about what happens right after that: someone actually says something back, and you have to answer.

This is where a lot of advisors get stuck.

Some answer the question and stop, worried about sounding pushy.

Others jump straight into pitch mode the moment someone shows a flicker of interest.

Both miss the actual opportunity.

Here's a simpler way to think about it:

Respond → Ask → Listen → Identify → Invite.

Not every exchange needs all five steps.

Some end after one message.

But it helps to know what each step is for.

If someone comments "We loved Tuscany," the natural reply is "So did I. What part did you enjoy most?" Not "I'd love to help you plan a trip there, send me a DM!" That line might be true, but it usually arrives too early. Let the person tell you what's actually going on first.

Not an intake form, just one question that helps you understand them a little better. Someone says "We're thinking about Greece next year," you ask "What kind of trip are you imagining?" That's it.

"We're trying to decide between Italy and Spain" isn't really about destinations. It's about what's making the decision hard, food versus beach, eight days versus fourteen, two adults versus a family with teenagers. That's the real information.

Watch for signals stacking up together: dates, number of travelers, a special occasion, specific hotels, a planning problem they can't solve. One signal alone doesn't mean much. Several together usually do.

Once there's a real need, keep it simple: "It sounds like you're getting serious about this trip. The easiest next step is my short inquiry form so I can see the whole picture." Match the wording to whatever your actual process already is.

One guardrail worth naming: Don't solve the whole trip in the DM.

It's easy to drift from one question into a full itinerary, free, in someone's inbox.

Answer enough to be useful, then notice when the conversation has moved past a casual exchange.

Something like: "If you're actively planning this, we should probably look at the whole trip rather than solve it one hotel at a time."

That's still helpful, and it opens the door to the next step instead of doing the work for free.

Next Monday: Instagram Stories, and why they're often an easier place to start these conversations than posts.

Want all 10 ready-to-use DM replies for common situations like these? Reply CONTENT and I'll send them over.

If you'd rather hand the whole thing off, my team runs social media for luxury travel advisors full time. Reply SOCIAL and I'll tell you how it works.

See you next Monday.

Alex

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