February 20, 2026

Stop Saying “Use a Travel Agent”: The Language That’s Killing Your Value

40 minutes

Marcie Muensterman

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Stop Saying “Use a Travel Agent”: The Language That’s Killing Your Value

In this episode of the No BS Travel Advisor Podcast, Marcie Muensterman breaks down how phrases like “use a travel agent,” “I’m free,” and “agents should be free” quietly undermine the entire travel advisor industry. Using a powerful softball-life lesson about identity and mistakes, Marcie connects brain chemistry, confidence, and marketing language, then calls out the “free to use” messaging that attracts tire-kickers, ghosters, and bargain behavior. This is not a fee episode, it’s a positioning episode. Marcie shares her own history as a destination wedding specialist who did most weddings without charging, explains how “free” language contributed to burnout, and gives a simple script shift: hire me / partner with me / work with me.

What You’ll Learn:

Why “use a travel agent” makes you sound interchangeable and disposable

How “I’m free” attracts people who value free (and treat you accordingly)

The hidden harm of advisors shaming other advisors for charging fees

The mindset + marketing shift from “usable” to hireable

A simple language audit you can do today to elevate your brand instantly

Key Talking Points:

You are not defined by mistakes (softball lesson → business confidence)

Language changes how you perceive yourself and how prospects perceive you

“Free” doesn’t communicate value; it communicates scarcity and desperation

“Use” is commodity language. Professionals get hired, not used

“Free to use” = magnet for tire kickers, ghosters, and endless quoting

You don’t get paid until clients book + travel (so “free” is factually misleading in practice)

You can position professionally even if you don’t charge a fee

Industry reality: fee-charging is common and normalized publicly in the industry press and org messaging (but this episode isn’t about forcing fees)

Stats / Sources Mentioned:

Host Agency Reviews: At least 50% of advisors who are hosted charge fees.

Host Agency Reviews: 75% of independent advisors reported charging fees (2020 independent fee report): https://hostagencyreviews.com/

ASTA acknowledges that upwards of 72% of advisors charge professional fees: https://www.asta.org/Common/Uploaded%20files/ASTA/2025-astapresskit.pdf / https://www.travelagewest.com/Industry-Insight/Business-Features/asta-travel-agent-fees

Travel Weekly summary of a WTAAA report: 55% of agencies charge fees and Travel Weekly’s 2024 survey found 44% overall charge fees: https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Survey-shows-that-travel-advisors-have-lots-of-new-clients

“If you keep saying ‘use me’ and ‘I’m free,’ don’t be surprised when you become disposable.”

“Language is training your prospects how to treat you.”

“When you say ‘use me,’ you attract people who will use you.”

“You are not a Kleenex. No one is using you.”

Your Homework:

Do a “language audit” across your IG bio, website, pinned posts, DMs, and reels

Replace use / free with hire / partner / work with

Share this episode with a newer advisor who’s still using “free to use” messaging

DM Marcie and tell her what shift you made and what changed immediately

Chapters:

00:00 – Softball weekend + the mindset lesson (you are not your mistakes)
04:45 – Why language changes brain chemistry and confidence
07:10 – The phrases that are undermining advisors: “use” + “free”
10:25 – Why this is NOT a fee episode (it’s positioning)
13:05 – Marcie’s destination wedding era + burnout from “free” positioning
18:30 – “It’s giving desperate” — what prospects feel through your marketing
22:10 – Patty’s story: “use ChatGPT instead of an agent” + advisors defending “free”
26:40 – The Dollar Tree prostitute quote (and why it stings because it’s true)
31:10 – What “free” attracts: tire kickers, ghosters, endless quoting
35:35 – The “we don’t get paid until they travel” reality
39:10 – The language shift: hire me / partner with me / work with me
43:20 – How to coach others without being rude (and why we need industry accountability)
47:30 – Quick fee reality + why shaming either side hurts all of us
51:30 – The language audit challenge + closing hype

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Secondary keywords:

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Long-tail keywords (great for YouTube + blog):

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...more

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By Marcie Muensterman

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