Your travel business needs to evolve over time, and as a travel advisor, you evolve too. Your travel and destination expertise increases and changes, your ideal client becomes more defined, and your marketing becomes clearer. But how do you know what to change and what not to change?
The simple answer is to always be yourself, only better. Stay true to your values, your passions, and who you are. Keep your same beliefs, personality traits, and philosophies, and don’t change those unless absolutely necessary—that is what brands you. However, you do need to regularly assess how you market yourself and change it when it makes sense.
The five dos and don’ts of knowing what to change:
1. Don’t do nothing.
Do something constantly and consistently to get yourself out there. Network, speak regularly, send a weekly electronic newsletter, get on Facebook, collaborate with other small businesses that market to the same client. Think about what your clients need and what you can provide, then offer it. Let them know what you have and why they want it. The more often you contact your ideal clients, the more you will have to contact.
2. Don’t market only when you need more clients.
Do market all the time and do be systematic and strategic. Don’t ignore anyone—market to your current clients, and don’t forget past clients. It’s much easier to reactivate past clients than it is to acquire new ones. Marketing should be a regular part of your routine, and you should spend at least two hours a day on it.
3. Do be a specialist.
Don’t fall into the rut of being a generalist. Find a specific need and cater to it. You cannot be all things to all people, nor would you want to be. If you’re having problems with your eyes, do you see a generalist or a specialist? Specialists have less stress, are happier with their businesses, and make more money. Your clients want you to specialize in fixing their problems, and they’re willing to pay you very well to do it.
Remember, your brownies are a special recipe meant only for your ideal clients.
4. Don’t market just your products.
Do market your services and the value you provide. You’re marketing yourself, your brownies, and their benefits—then weave this in with the trips to Europe.
5. Do embrace the value you provide and the transformations you create in people’s lives.
Don’t underestimate your value. You are here to make a difference in people’s lives through travel, and that difference is valuable.
Share this post with your followers on Twitter.
In the video below, I share one of my most valuable business success secrets with travel professionals and travel business owners who are looking to take their business to a new level in 2011.
See the video below:
Want to receive more secrets to travel business success? Follow me on Twitter.
In my experience of working with travel consultants and being one for 9 years, charging ADEQUATE service fees is one of the most difficult things to do. I’ve been there, and completely understand the fear and difficulty. Your clients can easily go somewhere else and plan their travel for a lower fee or no fee. Because you could use the income, you are willing to overlook a planning fee because you will be making a commission. And a little bit of income is better than no income, right?
Wrong. One question I ask my clients who coach with me is: Have you ever done the math? In other words, have you ever figured out how much you are making per hour to earn that $150 in commission, because a little bit of income is better than no income? Most of the time, when you do the calculation, your per hour earnings are very disappointing and disheartening. Another way to put it – when you do the math, you realize it’s not worth your time.
Another piece of math you want to consider is your average revenue per booking. For example, if you generated a total of $30,000 in commissions and service fees and you had a total of 200 bookings this year, your average revenue per booking would be $150. Are you content with making $30,000 in revenue? Probably not. But can you realistically take on significantly more than 200 bookings? Also probably not. With 200 bookings for the year, I am guessing you are close to maximum capacity with your time. So what’s left to increase if you want to increase your revenue?
Answer: Your average revenue per booking
The $150 booking becomes worth your time when you can supplement it with $250 or more in service fees. Sounds great, right? But the person booking travel that generates a $150 commission is not likely to pay $250 more in service fees. That’s OK! This is exactly how I advise my clients to turn away business without insulting the client.
You need to set boundaries around what business you will work on and what business you won’t. The best way to set a boundary is to establish a minimum revenue per booking. When the client inquiry comes through, you can make an educated guess about the revenue the booking will generate and then make a decision. If you think it’s too low for you, you can tell them that you would love to help them, but will have to assess a minimum service fee of X dollars. Then give them an option to go elsewhere.
The other side of charging fees is embracing the value you provide. You need to be confident in yourself and what you can do for clients—and they need to see that confidence. If you’re not confident that what you offer is unique and different from what others offer, it shows, and prospects and clients can tell. They will lose confidence in you and work with someone else.
The key is to know yourself, your unique gifts, and the value in what you offer. If those aren’t crystal clear to you, then your message isn’t clear to prospects. Take some quiet time to reflect on who you are and what benefits your clients receive. How are you different? If you’re having a hard time determining your unique gifts and value to the marketplace, talk to your best clients and ask them why they chose you. They’ll be happy to tell you.
You can’t be all things to everyone, and if you don’t go after the clients you want, you’ll end up with those you don’t want. That shakes your confidence, tires you, and dilutes your unique gifts—and this lack of confidence pushes your ideal clients farther away.
When you doubt that clients will pay for your services, you won’t make the sale. You have to be clear on the value you provide and not be shy about letting others know. Stop trying to be of service to everybody and anybody that comes your way. It all comes back to picking your specialty and finding the people who need you the most—what do they need?
If you loved this post, why not share it with your friends on Facebook?
Did you choose to enter the travel business because you loved it, but lately you aren’t having much fun? Do you feel like your travel business is running you rather than the other way around?
If so, it’s time to let go and start having some fun with your clients and with your business. When you’re enjoying yourself, your clients sense it and love working with you. They come back and refer others, and opportunities abound for you to make more money. Following are a few ways to have more fun and success with your business.
Work only with those who crave your special gifts.
When you’re working within your strengths and with clients who appreciate them, you can’t help but have fun. Take an hour by yourself and figure out what you do better than anyone else does, what you love to do, and who needs you the most. Then go after that market. Believe in yourself and the unique gifts you offer, and your mindset will follow. And so will the fun and money.
Adopt the mindset of “Who can I help?” vs. “How many clients can I get?”
When you approach your business from a helping mindset, the magic starts to happen. You’ll find your clientele is excited about what you offer and more appreciative of you. When you open yourself up to help others, opportunities will appear from all directions. In turn, you’ll find dozens of ways to provide more value to these wonderful clients—and charge hefty service fees for doing it.
Open your mind to joint venture possibilities.
A joint venture (JV) is a business arrangement with one or more companies that benefits everyone involved, including clients. The more creative you can be when setting up joint ventures, the better. For example, you might partner with a jeweler to offer a night out for future wives or husbands to help them discover how to choose wedding rings and plan destination weddings or honeymoons.
You and the jeweler collect names for your lists, or pick up prospective clients, and those getting married discover what they need to know about rings and travel. And you get to have fun planning the night. You’ll find JVs everywhere if you think creatively.
Speaking engagements and networking.
Find some groups you’d enjoy speaking to or networking with. If you’ve always wanted to talk to interior decorators, find out where they congregate and ask to speak. Hold a drawing for a prize in exchange for their first names and email addresses so you can add them to your list.
Target high dollar markets.
Specialize in trips to exclusive destinations, or focus your marketing on a specific zip code. Work with people who are looking for the trip of a lifetime and don’t mind paying top dollar.
Don’t waste your time with those who won’t appreciate your special gifts or pay you what you’re worth. They’re the time wasters and the energy drainers that take all the fun out of your travel business. You’ll save frustration and make more money by focusing on those who need, want, and will pay top dollar for your unique services. And you’ll have more fun than you thought possible.
Love these tips? So will your friends–share this post with them on Facebook!
If you missed part I of this post, feel free to check it out here.
Read below for Part II:
Bundle services into packages and charge a set price for each package to add value and increase transaction value.
You can write your own paycheck and make as much money as you want in travel by systematizing your travel planning process. When you are working with a client for the first time, notice what you are asking them and what you are doing, then write every step down and create your system. Streamline it so you can spend less time with each client. For example, instead of spending time on the phone asking general questions, design a survey for them to complete before they talk to you.
Package your services, rather than charge per item. Have two or three service packages and give them choices. Include unusual items in your bundles, such as taking care of passports for them or sending a list of airline security guidelines. Make restaurant reservations and create a driving itinerary. Schedule house or pet sitting. To increase the dollar amount of your bookings, target high-dollar packages and markets, such as family reunions or corporate groups, and focus your attention on those. Find ways to receive commission on other products related to travel, such as travel insurance, affiliate products, and your own products.
Discipline yourself to spend 5 minutes a day visualizing your goals.
If you make the decision to move forward with a marketing plan, create your goals, and take action toward reaching them, you’ll be rewarded with even more opportunities to reach your goals. Your mindset creates your reality, so you want to spend a little time each day visualizing yourself having reached your goals.
Mindset is 99% of your success. People talk themselves out of goals because they don’t see how it will ever happen, but the “how” doesn’t show up until you make the decision. Everything you want to achieve is available to you now, but you need to make the decision to move and visualize yourself reaching the goals.
Figure out where you are and where you want to go.
You don’t plan a trip without knowing the destination, why would you plan your marketing without one? Know your business numbers: gross sales, revenue, number of bookings, average revenue per booking, conversion rate, and number of repeat bookings.
Now that you know where your business stands now, determine where you’re going. A fun and enlightening way to do this is to write down what you want in life and assign a dollar amount to it, and you’ll see how much you need to make every month. You have the hard numbers, so you can calculate exactly how many prospects and bookings you need each month.
As you create your marketing plan for 2011, remember that you can always self-correct later—the important thing is to get started. Always focus on the benefits, results, and solutions your clients receive.
Share this post with friends on Facebook.
If you are considering the Safari2Success Mastermind Program, I have a video I would like you to watch. I put together this video almost 2 years ago for a spiritual journey to Africa. The message is really powerful and I have this feeling you need to see it. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I ran across it today. It illustrates a mindset journey that I have been through and want to help you through, as well (click here to access the Mastermind Program application).
As you watch it, I want you to know that my special gift is seeing the “seed that lies far beneath the bitter snow.” When the second song in the video comes on, replace the journey to Africa with the Safari2Success Mastermind Program. The Mastermind Program, after all, is my offer to you to take your BUSINESS on safari—a safari that will lead you to business success and happiness.
Are you ready to uncover the secret to happiness and business success?
Imagine if you could connect with your passion for travel, work with your ideal clients, know where you want to go and how to get there, and make more money in your travel business. Would you make the active decision to take your business and your life to where you’ve always dreamed of?
For many travel business owners, transforming their dream into a reality can seem frightening and exhausting. But the truth is, with the right tools, strategies, and advice, you can accomplish your greatest goals and implement your vision for success. Just ask Melissa McKinley, owner and travel advisor of Want to Go Travel.
Melissa joined my Safari2Success mastermind group earlier this year and made a major transformation, accomplishing goals she never thought possible. (CLICK HERE for Safari2Success Mastermind Program Details and Application.)
In the below interview, Melissa shares her success story in hopes of offering other travel agents worldwide the inspiration to take their business to the next level:
1. What transformation has happened since you began the Safari2Success mastermind?
Below is a list of accomplishments and efforts that illustrates my transformation:
- I started a twice-per-week blog, a biweekly newsletter, and created a free offer for prospects.
- I have also become very active on social media including YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
- I held a grand opening event for one of Want to Go Travel’s upcoming tours at the Mansion on Turtle Creek that 65 people attended.
- I hosted a webinar for 400 people with world-renowned author, Jonathan Ellerby.
- I am a mentor for three people.
- I discovered my new fine-tuned message and target market, which led me to rework my website design and logo to create a cohesive branding across all my marketing materials.
- I created a process manual to delegate tasks as needed to a Virtual Assistant.
- I have been approached by several businesses and people for joint venture opportunities.
2. If only you knew then what you know now, what would that bit of information be?
What I wish I had known earlier on is that to be successful I really needed to market more than any other activity in my business and to narrow my focus to a very specific niche of travel. I feel these are true for all types of businesses.
Meredith really gave me the tools and direction I needed to set up a well-rounded marketing process, and she helped peel back the layers of the onion to narrow my niche. But the biggest thing I think I learned was that this process is not a single step and then you are done. Rather, it’s a journey of continuing discovery and fine-tuning.
3. Was there a specific benefit you received from participating in the mastermind that you weren’t expecting?
I wasn’t expecting to meet such a GREAT group of travel professionals, all with unique gifts, talents, and experiences to draw from. I had not thought about how valuable the group would be, in addition to Meredith’s program. I have some of the best new friends that I never expected to find.
4. After all that you’ve learned during the mastermind, what advice would you give other travel entrepreneurs who are struggling with running a successful travel business?
If you are serious about being successful as an advisor in the travel business, then I recommend Safari2Success to help you strengthen your business. It is an investment that pays you back in more ways than you realize at the time. Not everyone joins with the same set of issues for improvement, but everyone who completes the program has a foundation to build success on and gets the support they needed. Meredith gives you the tools, direction, and guidance to be the best you can be; all you have to do is take action.
If you are interested in applying for the Safari2Success Mastermind Program, just CLICK HERE for Safari2Success Mastermind Program Details and Application.
Melissa McKinley
About Melissa and Want to Go Travel
My mission is to help people maximize their vacation by reconnecting with friends and family, recharging their soul, and creating memories. My goal is not to be a “big” business but to be one of high impact. Recent research on happiness found people gain their greatest source of happiness and satisfaction from experiences. I am in the business of fun and dreams!
My true passion is taking small groups of people to experience destinations as they have not before. I am not a Jill of all trades travel advisor. What that means for you is that I am very focused. I help my clients save time and increase their experience without overscheduling their vacation. Because my focus is so narrow, what you get from me is undiluted expertise on what you are seeking from a luxury vacation. My firsthand experience, expertise, and personal relationships are why my clients get great vacations.
In a hurry? Click here to access the application
Have you realized that the travel industry is calling you to transform? The transformation being asked of you is from travel agent to travel entrepreneur. Do you realize what an exciting opportunity and time this is right now? As a student in the 6-Step SAFARI System Bootcamp, you have taken one giant leap forward in this direction.
Undoubtedly, you’ve gotten a LOT of information in the past 6 weeks. I want nothing more than to empower you with the tools and skills you need to make the transition (from travel agent to travel entrepreneur) and create the business of your dreams. I gave you real information and the proven tools we used to create the business of our dreams.
You may have plans for what you’ll do next with this information. I’ve given you the resources you’ll need and the step-by-step process. It’s now just a question of putting it all into place. Some of the things you might be wonder are:
- Will I really be able to implement it all, on my own?
- What happens if I have questions?
- What happens if I get stuck?
- How will I know I have found my “Why’?
- How will I stay accountable to myself, stay on track, and stay in the correct mindset, so that by this time next year, I am playing a much bigger game and my situation is unrecognizable, that I reach my goals, create more meaning in life and have more downtime?
What I have learned in my journey of entrepreneurship is that understanding the skills and tools of marketing and building a successful business are super important, but they are not everything. They are only the tip of the iceberg.
This is a great analogy, because the marketing and business building skills and tools are what we can see and measure, just like the tip of the iceberg. However, lying below the surface is much, much, more. Success is born on 3 other, critical pillars that are not so concrete, visible and measurable: 1) mindset; 2) passion; and 3) connection.
Without the awareness that fear will stop you, the understanding to move through the fear, the passion that will fuel you day in and day out, the accountability of others motivating you to keep moving forward and the advice and support of people who have been there, done that, your travel businesses will stay stuck or fail.
How did we get the other 3 critical pillars and give birth to our success? We joined a mastermind. NOTHING has catapulted our business faster, than being a part of a well-run, structured mastermind. To put it in numbers, one year after joining a mastermind, our sales were up 50%. Two years after being part of a mastermind, our sales had quadrupled. We continue to sit back and look at our business in absolute amazement, knowing that we never could have created it without the support and direction of a mastermind.
This is why I am so thrilled to announce the Safari2Success Mastermind Program. Now YOU have a chance to give you and your dreams a perfect environment to THRIVE!
In a hurry? Click here to access the application
Mastermind
So you might be asking, “What is a mastermind?” Before I answer that, I want to give you a mental image.
Think of your business as a runner in a marathon race. Imagine you are your business and you are running this race all alone, without anybody taking notice at all. There are no water stops, no people cheering you on, and not even markers on the marathon route to show you which way to go.
Now ask yourself: How well would you do in this race?
Now imagine, you waved a magic wand and created a huge crowd of cheering people, all there for YOU, shouting your name, during the entire marathon route. You now have water stations and can stop whenever you need a drink. The course is accurately laid out, so you don’t have to guess which way to go AND you have a coach running with you, constantly giving you tips on how to run your race better.
Now ask yourself: How well would you do in this race?
That image I created after waving a magic wand captures the essence of a mastermind. It is a group of inspired and motivated entrepreneurs, lead by an experienced mentor who share a single vision of growing their businesses way beyond what they could accomplish on their own.
Mastermind members raise the bar for each other by creating and implementing goals, sharing ideas and successes, and supporting each other with total honesty, respect and compassion. If you want more information about a Mastermind, please read the “insert” included in this document, titled: “What is a mastermind.”
Announcing the Safari2Success Mastermind Program
Today, through November 19, 2010, I will be accepting applications for my Safari2Success Mastermind Program. I will only be accepting a limited number of applicants into this program so that I can give each person my undivided attention.
In a hurry? Click here to access the application
It’s my intention and commitment to put together a remarkable group of travel industry business owners that are ready to play big, make a difference in the lives of others, have fun making more money, travel more freely, and support others in doing the same.
During this 6-month program, we will work together to identify your unique ability, help you connect with your true passions again, create a wonderful, magnetic marketing message around this ability and passion, confront all those fears that come up, face them head on so they no longer stop you, and put you on a plan to success.
Does this feel like something you have been searching for?
If yes, then please take action by completing the application. To access it, JUST CLICK HERE. You must complete the application fully, as I will not consider applications with missing information. How you complete your application tells me how serious you are about this and helps me uncover those that are 100% committed to being in the group and those who are not. Selecting members for the Safari2Success Mastermind will be on a first-come basis so the sooner you submit it to my team, the better your chances of being accepted.
When you open the application, you will find the detailed information sheet and application. If you know it’s time to get the cheering crowd shouting your name, all the water stations you can imagine, a perfectly laid out marathon route and a coach that is willing to run alongside you, then I’m here to show you the way!
Please complete the application and fax it to me at 1 (704) 644-7829, or e-mail it to meredith@hillsofafrica.com. Once you have done that, my assistant Marcia will contact you to schedule a private, one-on-one discussion with me so I can hear from you why you think you will be a valuable member of the Mastermind Group, and what you would like to get as a result of being accepted into this 6-month exclusive program.
Can’t wait to speak with you!
P.S. Just to recap (I don’t want anyone confused!)
1) Complete the application, by CLICKING HERE
2) Fax to me at 1 (704) 644-7829 or e-mail to Meredith@hillsofafrica.com, no later than November 19, 2010
3) One-on-one discussion with me to determine if you are a good fit for the program
4) Safari2Success Mastermind will begin December 1, 2010.
What is a Mastermind
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead
The most critical elements of a successful mastermind are:
- A mentor who leads the group and unwaveringly believes in your success, even when you don’t;
- The collective wisdom of its members and the incredible brainstorming and sharing of ideas that transpires;
- A group of people who “see” you better than you see yourself. This group will expect more of you and give you a new perspective on who you are, how valuable you can be to your clients and takes self discovery to a whole new level;
- Accountability;
- Support of a team of people who are cheering for you;
- Opportunity to help others by sharing your own success – this piece really helps build confidence and is incredibly fulfilling.
When all of these elements exist, mastermind members raise the bar for each other by creating and implementing goals, sharing ideas and successes, and supporting each other with total honesty, respect and compassion. Mastermind members act as catalysts for growth.
Did you know that the mastermind is the secret used by the most successful business leaders in our history, including Andrew Carnegie, Woodrow Wilson and Benjamin Franklin? I could argue that the concept of the mastermind goes back as far as human history and that Jesus and his disciples were a mastermind.
As common as mastermind groups are, they are NOT all successful. There are a few keys to success in a mastermind, and I only recommend a mastermind group if the following are present:
- An experienced mentor who has achieved a level of success you are aiming for;
- Structure – a clear understanding of meeting dates and time commitments;
- Financial commitment – if there is no “skin” in the game, no one takes it seriously, and nobody wins.
Twitter can serve as a great FREE list-building strategy for any travel consultant. Why is list-building important? Because you always want to “Acquire Contacts Consistently” (Step 2 in the SAFARI System) to increase your client base. This is a fundamental step in any marketing strategy.
Amidst the continued growing popularity and reign in the social sphere of Facebook, Twitter has come onto the online scene to change how people communicate with one another. Not just a fad, it doesn’t look as if Twitter is disappearing the same way that Myspace did. Travel has taken off on Twitter, with many travelers going to Twitter to help plan their trips. As such, it offers a great opportunity for travel professionals. Today we discuss some of the dos and don’ts for travel professionals using Twitter.
Do be an expert.
You’re a travel professional; therefore, establish yourself as an authority on your niche. Use Twitter to talk about statistics, trends, and other relevant information. This will make you a go-to person whom other travelers will depend on, while being a reference that other travel professionals will use.
Do share information.
Nobody on Twitter likes following people who just talk about their own business. Use Twitter to share information from other travel professionals and users. Use the retweet feature to share relevant information about others that your readers will be interested in. This will continue to establish yourself as an authority, while developing a relationship with other users.
Twitter Interface
Do talk with others.
Twitter is only as powerful as the real-world relationships that are a result of it. Twitter is more of a two-way radio than a megaphone. Ask and answer the questions of other users to make it a more personal connection and make yourself someone others can trust.
Do “Send the Love”.
One of the most refreshing things about Twitter is the lack of criticism and judgment and the abundance of support for each other. Retweet often, promote your colleagues freely, and you will get back what you deliver, while watching your followers increase. Check out “Travel Tuesday” #TT, and “Follow Friday” #FF as a way to begin this practice.
Don’t tweet only about yourself.
Many people tweet only their own blog posts and content, without any interaction or personalization behind it. As such, other Twitter users don’t connect with them, and they aren’t seen as the same authority as professionals who use it to connect and interact with their readers.
Don’t get in shouting matches.
Plenty of case studies demonstrate social media disasters that have come as a result of how a brand has used Twitter. Because everything is public, you have to be careful what you say and how you respond to people. If someone says something negative, never get into an argument with them and risk a chance of it blowing up into a social media disaster.
Now that we’ve shared with you our dos and don’ts of Twitter, are there ones you’ve learned firsthand that you can share?
