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How will clients find me? How will they know that I am a travel agent and can book their trips? Why do I have to have a Facebook page? 

 

In this day and age, to find new clients it really isn't that hard. I honestly think we overcomplicate things. However in saying that, there are a number of things we can do to make sure our clients know we are their Go-To person for anything travel related. 

 

This episode is for the travel agent needing a lift, needing some inspiration or just some ideas on what they can do to ensure that clients will come to them for all their travel needs. 

 

We don't need EVERYONE... We just need a few people to get started with. Our business is mainly referral and repeat. Let's wow clients initially and then build a strong relationship for the future. You've got this! 

Show Transcription: 

 

Announcer: Welcome to Travel Agent Achievers! The place to learn how to grow your travel business and have fun with it. Join Roslyn and her guests as they walk you through proven steps to a fulfilling and profitable business. 

 

Roslyn Ranse: Hey there, welcome back to another episode of Travel Agent Achievers, I am your host Ros and today we are talking about becoming the Go-To person. And how to do this if you are just starting out as a mobile agent - working from home, or even if you want to become known as the go-to person for a special market. 

 

Becoming a mobile travel agent is not a decision I recommend people take lightly. 

 

As we have spoken about, not only are you a travel agent, but you are also a business person. 

 

You need to understand the numbers, 

you need to manage social media, 

you have to know more than one computer program. 

 

OMG - there are SO MANY! 

 

Where do you actually stop choosing these and know that you’re the person that people are trying to book their travel?  You need to have many hats on and I get it, I absolutely get it and it’s not easy being a travel agent.

 

But one of the hardest things to get your head around is even though you may have a loyal following or people walk into your shop front when you are on your own, you are on your own. 

I was asked the other day, how do you get clients to value your service and what you actually do for them. This is a topic I want to discuss in further detail down the track and I don’t think it is just relevant to mobile consultants but to everyone. I may have to bring in an expert on this one. :-) 

 

If you have been a travel consultant in the shop front, I will tell you a story of a consultant I know that decided to leave and start her own mobile business. She was very successful working in the shopfront, but when deciding to go out on her own, she often went to the same cafe she uses to go to daily when working in a store. 

 

After a while and working from home can be quite lonely, she decided to work in the cafe for an hour or so a day. At this time, there were a number of her old clients that would also get their coffee there and then see her. 

 

TA-DA! … they then found her again and she would start booking their holidays again for them. It was the PERSON they were drawn to, not necessarily the office. 

 

And for me, I completely believe that as a mobile travel agent or a consultant that works from home, you need to be known for YOU.

 

This is also a note to agencies that have storefronts. Please look after your staff. How bad would that be if your top seller left and then became a competition? 

 

Now I believe there is enough business out there for everyone, however, I know sometimes I can be alone with this. Please shout out if you don’t think I’m alone because others don’t see it this way. 

 

I honestly detest petty behavior, like oh I was here first, oh they are my clients. 

In all honesty, if a client chooses to book through another agent or a different platform. That is their decision, it is also their choice to work with people they want to. 

 

Now they may have a bad experience and return to you, however, PLEASE….. Don’t feel threatened. 

Take it as an opportunity to do things better, be smarter. Learn and implement more and then use the things you learned and get better clients. There is enough business for everyone and if you are good at what you do and I am sure this is you, as you are listening to this podcast, then you will be rewarded with the bookings and the clients that love and recommend you. 

 

You’ve got this. 

Together we can do incredible things and I am so glad you are here and taking the time to understand, learn and grow as these are all positive things that will help you on a daily basis to continue to build a business you absolutely love. 

 

Becoming the Go-TO person isn’t a one-off or a fluke. 

You have to become known. How do you do this? 

 

Well, here are the 5 things you can do to become known as the go-to person in your area or what you want to specialize in. 

 

 

• VISIBILITY

 

 

 

• If you aren’t on social media talking about the type of travel you book and what you love about your job, people won’t find you. 

• Think about doing some facebook live videos, answering questions that your clients ask you all the time. 

• Attend functions, seminars, conferences. 

• Join clubs, associations, and groups that are of interest to you and meet the people that are in those groups. 

 

 

My Goal for 2019 was to become more visible. Well, it's still 2019 and the consistency and regular visible things I am doing are working. 

 

Hey - this podcast has been something I have wanted to do for YEARS!! And now I am here and I am actually making a difference globally. I love that I can help others and I get it, being visible can be scary but just know that you can do it. You can do hard things.

 

 

• EXPERIENCE

 

 

 

• If you have been somewhere, do you talk about it? How much more enthusiasm and excitement comes into your voice when you actually have been there, seen it and experienced it. The joy and excitement I know for myself just roll off my tongue when describing something. Please get out there and see and experience what you actually sell. 

 

 

 

• Knowledge and Experience. Have you studied something? Is this an area that you then promote? For instance - archaeology - now it may not be everyone's cup of tea. I personally love ancient history. The stories, the details, what we have learned from past civilizations. 

 

 

• So - is talking about Egypt and ancient ruins easy for me? Yes - this is an example of how talking about something that you are passionate about and have experienced can make an impact. 

 

 

• SMARTER MARKETING

 

 

• So anyone can have a newsletter… right? 

 

But do you have one? 

Do you actually commit to sending one out? 

Do you know how many people open it each time you send it out? 

Do you have a schedule of what goes in it and when it is to be sent? 

Is it regular or sporadic? 

Do you just promote specials or are you actually providing value? 

 

I believe that newsletters/EDM (Email Direct Marketing) can still work. Do I think that live videos and being on social media also works? YES, but I believe that if someone receives a well thought out newsletter or information regarding your services and what is happening in the industry, this will also help them trust and know you. 

 

Be real. Nothing fake, just you and about what you do to book the best trips for your clients. 

 

• Social Media - This is a HUGE One! 
• Do you need a Facebook Business Page? YES. 
• Do you need an Instagram Business Page? YES. 
• Do you need an up to date LinkedIn profile? YES. 
• Do you need a website? Absolutely - whether you have your own or you are a part of a host agency site. You need an online presence. 

 

• I recently spoke about having an about.me page. This is FREE and is another form of actually having search engines like YouTube, Facebook and Google find you. Do it … Log in and get one. 

 

• In the online world. Consistency and authenticity are key. You need to also build engagement, but if you are at least consistent with your posting and you are a REAL person sharing life and then engaging with real human conversations with people, you are off to a great start! 

 

 

• NICHE/SPECIALIST

 

 

• So you want to be the Go-To person. But to be the go-to person, you need to be the person that knows something and usually a lot about one thing. It may be a country, a tour operator, cruising, Disney, traveling worldwide by train, specializing in weddings, or Formula One travel, traveling with children. The list is endless and you are in a unique opportunity and position to talk about one thing and promote it. 

 

• Suppliers will love you for this. If you are promoting one destination, then ensure you have the Tourism Board on speed dial, attend all their special events, speak to all the suppliers, get to know the hotels, understand what about that country people love and then talk about it in your media and marketing messages. 

 

People will naturally be drawn to you when they see these things. 

 

• Personally, I have had a great experience with a number of tourism boards and also suppliers as they know that I promote what they are promoting and we are aligned together. Even Skiing! That’s worldwide. 

 

I LOVE skiing and snowboarding and it is something I do every year all over the world. 

 

My clients also know I specialize in this area because I talk about it and I talk about it with passion. Now I have a loyal following of skiers, but they also book other trips with me, they refer people to me and they also come with me on my own trips. 

 

The referral business from something I LOVE doing is ongoing. 

 

I also ensure I take care of these people and they are also then loyal to me and are willing to share their experience with other people as well. 

 

• Being a specialist in an area is a unique opportunity for you to grow and grow quickly. Think about something you love, what could you talk about on social media one post a day for say, 2 weeks? Make it a destination highlight and talk about it till the cows come home. I have done this and let’s be honest, not all bookings will be for this destination, however, they will be showcasing what you do know and it will remind your clients that they can book any sort of travel with you. 

 

• WE AREN’T KIDS ANYMORE AND CAN GET AWAY WITH WHINGING

 

 

We sometimes have to pull up our big girl pants, wash our face and stand tall.

 

If you don’t ask, you won’t get it. 

Network and ask those around you if they are thinking of a trip that you can assist them with. 

 

You’ve got this. 

You don’t need anyone's permission to start. 

You just need to do it. 

 

Being the person that clients will be drawn to is based on YOU. 

If you don’t get out there, don’t promote yourself and your services, no one will ever find you. 

 

Start small, think big. Set yourself a goal to go and meet 2-5 new people this week. You don’t have to ask them for their business, but I do want you to introduce yourself, tell them what you do and then build a relationship. 

 

This is OK to be your local cafe or restaurant staff, the local school staff, and teachers, other parents, someone you meet at a kid jungle gym. Be interested in others and when asked, tell them what you do. 

 

You’ve got this. I believe in you and I know you can become the go-to person if you want to be. You just have to take the leap and make it happen. 

 

Have an awesome rest of the week everyone. 

 

Announcer: Welcome to Travel Agent Achievers! The place to learn how to grow your travel business and have fun with it. Join Roslyn and her guests as they walk you through proven steps to a fulfilling and profitable business.