The Gordon Group Professional Travel Planners, located in Davie, Florida, consistently nets considerable additional cruise sales following each quarterly distribution of Cruise Observer to the agency's 3,000 clients and prospects.

Following a recent distribution of Cruise Observer, the Gordon Group sold 80 high-end cabins for a 16-day Asia/Orient sailing on Princess Cruises (the entire package is a 22-day trip).

Following another mailing, the Gordon Group booked 550 clients for a New Year's Eve sailing on Adventure of the Seas.

How has the Gordon Group done it? "It's not just a matter of putting the newsletter in front of the client and hoping they will call," says Jeffrey Gordon (pictured with his wife Karen). "When the newsletter hits the streets, which I time by when I get it in my own mailbox, we get on the phone to call clients and ask, 'Did you receive our newsletter? Did you see where we're going? How about joining us?' "

Gordon says in the past he mailed flyers to promote his New Year's Eve cruises but adds that the flyers were not as effective as Cruise Observer. The four-color piece shows clients that he's "professional and legitimate," he says. The Gordon Group advertises only a single cruise that takes up the entire back page. And he participates each quarter, year-round. "By keeping my face in front of my clients four times a year, they see that I'm here," he says. "It makes a big difference."