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.
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We’re all aware of the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. We know that in order to succeed in our travel business, we need to step out of our comfort zones, step into our fears, and start marketing.
Yet, many travel professionals continue to put marketing on the back burner and wonder why they are so tired, stressed, and frustrated. And wonder why they aren’t making more money. Working with travel professionals in my Safari2Success bootcamp and mastermind groups, I’ve seen the trap of procrastination that prevents so many entrepreneurs from building profitable travel businesses.
If you are serious about growing your travel business, do not put off what can be done today. It sounds overly simple, I know, but you’d be amazed at how a slight change in behavior (and mindset) can impact your revenue and your life.
If you find yourself saying, I’ll send that newsletter next week or I’ll learn about Facebook tomorrow, it’s time to stop and do it now! I challenge you to start the process of rebranding your company, of planning your 2011 marketing schedule, of doing whatever it is that you’ve been putting off.
The key is to commit to something today so you cannot back out later. Pick one or two things on your list, and get the ball rolling right now.
Here is your Safari2Success assignment:
- Put together a calendar for yourself and write all the things you need to do daily, weekly, and monthly. Schedule appointments with yourself for all these tasks. Try and visualize your to do list and get clear on what you need to do each day, each week, each month to keep the momentum going.
- Add daily tasks to your calendar in advance. Tasks might include scheduling time for social media activities, time to answer emails, and return phone calls.
- Create weekly tasks on your calendar, such as writing and distributing your weekly ezine, writing and posting blog posts, following up with clients and JV partners, or reaching out to potential JVs.
- Create a monthly calendar that includes more high-level tasks such as reaching out to 5 – 10 people for speaking engagements, creating a series of videos, and creating and hosting a webinar or teleseminar.
While working on this assignment, if you find yourself making excuses or find that your fear of trying something new starts to overwhelm you, I urge you to keep moving forward. Create the calendar and commit to completing your tasks. Doing things with deliberate intent will help you generate business and grow your travel business.
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I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Nora D. Richardson, owner of Spot-On Branding and author of The Branding Spot Blog, for the Safari2Success blog to discuss travel industry marketing and branding. Specifically, Nora focuses on how important a clear brand message and image is when it comes to travel business success, and offers tips for enhancing and marketing your unique brand image.
Below is the interview:
1. So much has changed in the travel industry in the last 5 – 10 years and many travel entrepreneurs and travel professionals are forced to market their company in a new way. Specifically, they must create a niche brand message that speaks to a specific target audience. What advice do you have for travel professionals who have never had to deal with creating a personal brand image? Specifically, what are the first steps they should take to create this brand image?
First of all, if you are thinking of branding your business, a big cheers to you and your company. Just a decade ago all a travel professional needed was a name and a website to be found and have a lucrative business. As many in the travel industry have discovered, it just isn’t enough to compete in today’s web world. How do you attract the right people to your site? Your blog? Your social media? Big business has always realized that clear and consistent branding is the key to setting your company up for success. Branding by most small businesses is looked upon as overwhelming and costly, but it doesn’t have to if you hire the right team for your specific needs.
The first step you need to do is understand who you are as a company. You need to ask yourself the hard questions: What are my company’s strengths, weaknesses, target audience, and goals? You need to assess what you have done in the past and figure out what works and what doesn’t. You need to find out why you attract the people you do and if they really are the people you want to attract in the future. You need to research your colleagues and competitors to see whom they are attracting and what their strengths and weaknesses are.
Once you have that information, you can then start to assess what makes you different and develop a brand identity and message that really attracts your ideal audience. Armed with this information, you can now hire a branding specialist.
2. What do travel professionals need to consider when hiring a brander / graphic designer to create their online brand image? What do they need to express to the designer to ensure that their website is in line with their brand image?
Not all graphic designers are branding specialists. Branding specialists are focused on results: getting you to your goals and attracting your ideal clients. You want to hire a branding specialist that is interested in you and your business and that asks all the hard questions. If they don’t want to understand you and your business, how are they going to design a brand that resonates with your ideal clientele?
It also helps if the branding specialist that you hire enjoys traveling so they can relate to you and your industry.
3. What other online marketing materials work to express a brand image? How can you ensure that all of these materials complement each other?
Your website, blog, all social media sites—whether it’s Facebook or Tripatini—web advertising, guest blogs, webinars, ezines, emails (as in your email signature), ebooks, podcasts, and videos are some ways to represent your brand consistently.
One way you can ensure that all of marketing materials complement each other is to use one company to design your brand needs. Not only will your image and messaging will be clear and consistent across all platforms, but when your image needs to grow, they will be able to easily make the transition.
4. In your professional opinion, when is it time for a travel professional to get new online marketing materials or redo an old website?
You want a brand image and a website for your company that not only creates awareness but also encourages prospects to buy and cultivates loyalty.
You should seriously consider getting new online marketing materials . . .
- If your brand identity isn’t strong and recognizable.
- If there’s a disconnect between what you do and what your audience thinks you do.
- If you’re sending the wrong message or sending too many jumbled messages.
- If your company has experienced a transformation like a new company direction or a merger.
- If your brand identity looks like it was created in 1995.
- If your website was created in 1995.
Most companies freshen up their brand image by doing minor alterations every 7–10 years, regardless of circumstances. Most companies redesign their websites every two – three years just to keep up with the trends. Changing fonts and color combinations, as well as updating the logo can keep your company from looking outdated and stale.
5. Is there anything else you would like to add?
A well-designed brand instantly gives your company credibility, which speeds up your success timeline. Although it is tempting to create your own brand and branding materials, in the long run it saves time and money to hire a professional.
About Nora:
As a branding expert, graphic designer, and owner of Spot-On Branding, Nora D. Richardson works with businesses to help them grow and create a strong brand image. She also works with them to have a strong brand presence and emotionally engaging marketing materials including online graphics, logos, and print collateral. Check out her blog, The Branding Spot.
