Travel agents, your booking is probably not the most interesting part of the story.

In Part 2 of my PLOT Framework series, we're digging into the P: PICK, and the Decision Story hiding inside the proposals and bookings you're already creating.

Because a “just booked” post tells me what happened. A Decision Story tells me why it happened.

Why did you choose that resort over another one? Why did you tell your client to spend more on the hotel and save somewhere else? Why did you rule out the option they originally thought they wanted? What did you know, notice or consider that helped you make the recommendation?

THAT is the part that shows me your expertise.

And we're also talking about why I've changed my mind about the educational content I used to tell travel agents to create. When information was harder to access, sharing information could help demonstrate what you knew. But your clients now have Google, AI and endless information at their fingertips.

Your marketing can't stop at “look what I know.”

It needs to let people watch what you do with what you know.

In this episode, I'm unpacking how to:

• Tell a Decision Story instead of a Booking Story
• Turn educational content from telling your expertise into showing it
• Find the PICK hiding inside even the most “run-of-the-mill” proposal
• Use three questions to uncover the actual story: What did I pick? Why did I pick it? What would have made me pick differently?
• Find the piece of your decision your potential client wouldn't know to consider
• Take ONE Decision Story and turn it into carousels, Reels, talking-head videos, emails, LinkedIn content and long-form content
• Build PLOT into your workflow so creating marketing content stops feeling like an entirely separate job

I also walk through one Decision Story and show you exactly how I'd change the angle and format to use that same story across different platforms.

Because that's the bigger goal of PLOT:

Story first. Format second.

You don't need to sit down and come up with an Instagram idea, an email idea, a LinkedIn idea and a blog idea.

Do the work you're already doing. Find the PLOT. Then decide where you want to tell the story.

Next week, we're moving to L: LISTEN and the Client Story: the questions, conversations and things your clients say that are already giving you another entire category of content.

Your homework: Pull up your most recent proposal and ask yourself:

What did I pick?
Why did I pick it?
What would have made me pick something different?

Come hang out with me:

📲 Instagram: instagram.com/kellihayessmith

💻 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kellihayessmith

Travel agents, what if your biggest content problem isn't that you don't know what to post, but that you aren't recognizing the content you're already creating?

In this episode, I'm introducing The PLOT Framework, a new framework I've developed to help travel agents find the stories hiding inside the work they're already doing.

Because every time you create a proposal, you're making decisions. You're listening to what your client is actually telling you. You're navigating challenges. And you're noticing tiny details that can completely change the vacation you recommend.

That's the content.

PLOT gives you four places to look:

P — PICK: The Decision Story
What did you pick, and why?

L — LISTEN: The Client Story
What did your client say that mattered?

O — OBSTACLE: The Challenge Story
What did you have to work around or solve?

T — TINY DETAIL: The Difference Story

What small detail changed the recommendation or experience?

We're also talking about why storytelling matters more than ever in travel agent marketing, how AI is changing the research and booking process, and why showing your discernment is more powerful than simply telling potential clients you're an expert.

And this is only the beginning. Over the next four episodes, we're breaking down each part of PLOT and talking about how to recognize these stories, frame them, and turn them into Reels, carousels, emails, captions, Stories, blogs and more.

YOUR HOMEWORK: Pull up the last proposal you sent and find the PLOT. Then come tell me what you found in my Instagram DMs.

Come talk marketing with me on Instagram

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Watch The Social Takeoff on YouTube

Most travel advisors think they need better marketing.

More reels.
More visibility.
More followers.

But visibility without positioning is just noise.

In this episode of The Social Takeoff Podcast, Kelli Hayes Smith breaks down the difference between marketing and positioning for travel advisors.. and why you need both to build a predictable, scalable travel business.

You’ll learn:

• The real difference between travel marketing and travel positioning
• Why you can go viral and still make no sales
• How positioning builds trust while marketing builds visibility
• Why authority is what turns followers into booked clients
• The FAME Framework for travel advisors who want consistent growth

The FAME Framework:

F — Find Your Person
A — Articulate the Problem
M — Market With Intention
E — Establish Authority

If you’ve been creating content but not seeing consistent bookings, this episode will help you audit your strategy and fix what’s missing.

Want more strategy like this?

Get your free Wanderlust Campus account at:
👉 wanderlust-ceo.com

Connect with Kelli on Instagram:
👉 www.instagram.com/kellihayessmith

New episodes every Tuesday.

Episode Description

Most travel agents think clients book once they’ve seen the right destination, deal, or itinerary.

That’s not actually how decisions get made.

In this episode, Kelli breaks down how questions — not explanations — are what help potential clients move from researching and scrolling… to feeling ready to book.

These are the kinds of questions you can use in your content, emails, conversations, and social media that help clients understand themselves.. which is what actually leads to confident decisions.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why clients don’t struggle with where to go — but with what they want from the trip
• How to use questions to surface emotional and logistical friction
• The difference between pressure-based CTAs and momentum-based clarity
• How to reframe your value without talking about price
• How to turn one topic into multiple pieces of content that guide clients forward

If you’ve ever felt like people are “almost ready” but never quite booking, this episode will change how you think about marketing.

Key Topics Covered

• Questions that reveal the real problem clients are facing
• Clarifying expectations before destinations or itineraries
• Identifying friction without shaming or pressure
• Reframing value away from price and toward support
• Inviting momentum without urgency or scarcity tactics

Action Step
Pick one upcoming trip type you sell (family travel, cruises, Disney, honeymoons, etc.), Create content using questions, not explanations, and watch how your conversations change.

Ever feel like you’re saying the “right” things… and still not getting the DMs, leads, or bookings you expected? In today’s episode, I’m breaking down why that happens — and how to fix it without posting more.

Here’s the truth: different buyers need different things to feel comfortable spending money. So if you’re only creating content that makes you feel confident… you’re going to miss entire groups of your ideal clients.

In this episode, I’m walking you through 4 buyer personalities and exactly how to create content that speaks to each one — using the same topic, just said in a different way.

And yes… I’m giving you an assignment. 😄

What you’ll learn:

• Why “more content ideas” isn’t the answer
• How to stretch one topic into 4 conversion-ready pieces
• The 4 buyer personalities (and what each one needs to hear)
• Why this isn’t manipulation — it’s clarity + kindness
• How to use data to figure out which types you connect with most

Your homework:
Pick one topic this week → create 4 pieces of content (one for each buyer type) → watch what your audience does.

Links:
Get your free Wanderlust Campus account: wanderlust-ceo.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kellihayessmith

Chapters:
00:00 – Why this episode matters (and why last week didn’t go out)
02:00 – You don’t need more ideas… you need to say the same thing differently
04:22 – Buyer personalities: how to use one topic for multiple types
05:20 – Buyer #1: The Connector (trust, relatability, “do you get me?”)
13:55 – What this buyer really needs (safe, seen, understood)
14:10 – Buyer #2: The Confident Chooser (authority, decisiveness)
18:38 – How to create content for “decide for me” people
20:51 – Buyer #3: The Researcher (clarity, logic, process)
25:36 – What content formats work best for this type
26:45 – Buyer #4: The Momentum Buyer (easy next step, low friction)
30:20 – Soapbox moment: your content doesn’t need to chase promos
32:13 – The strategy: 1 topic → 4 doorways
34:37 – Why this isn’t manipulation (it’s communication)
36:47 – Assignment + DM me your buyer type

Kelli Hayes Smith discusses the challenges of content creation and posting on social media, emphasizing the importance of intention, clarity, and purpose in marketing strategies for travel advisors. She highlights the pitfalls of posting without substance, the impact of industry jargon, and the need for a structured content plan and calendar.

Takeaways

• Posting without clarity leads to frustration and burnout.
• Consistency and intention are more important than quantity in content creation.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to the Social Takeoff Podcast
• 05:24 The Importance of Substance in Content
• 11:09 The Use of Acronyms in Content
• 17:01 Avoiding Panic Posting

Trends aren’t bad.
Views aren’t bad.
Engagement isn’t bad.

But hollow views are useless.

In this episode, I’m breaking down why so many travel advisors feel like their content is “working” — but their business isn’t moving. We talk about the difference between being liked and being hired, why instant gratification keeps you stuck, and the four questions every post should answer before you hit publish.

This is not an episode about trends vs. no trends.
It’s about turning attention into traction — without losing yourself, your voice, or your confidence along the way.

If you’ve ever:

• Chased views that didn’t turn into clients
• Felt discouraged by likes not leading to bookings
• Wondered why your content feels hollow even when it performs

This one’s for you.

• The 4 questions every piece of content should answer
• Why being “liked” and being “hired” are not the same thing
• How validation-driven content keeps you stuck
• Why followers don’t equal growth (and never really did)
• What client content actually looks like in practice
• How to show your value without “proving” yourself
• Why perspective beats facts every time

Lyric: “I can change everything about me to fit in”
Song: Mirrorball — folklore

(And why we’re done doing that.)

👉 Get your free Wanderlust Campus account:
https://wanderlust-ceo.com

👉 Follow me on Instagram for daily marketing insight:
https://www.instagram.com/kellihayessmith

✨ If this episode resonated, please leave a quick review — it helps this show reach more advisors who need to hear it.

00:00 – Real life, real marketing (and why views aren’t the enemy)
01:10 – When trends become useless
02:05 – The 4 questions every post should answer
03:20 – Why instant gratification keeps us stuck
04:45 – Do you want to be liked… or hired?
06:50 – Showcasing value without proving worth
08:55 – The follower myth (and why it’s outdated)
10:40 – What client content actually looks like
13:00 – Storytelling, decision-making & real examples
15:45 – Why validation-driven content feels hollow
18:10 – Confidence vs. performance
20:25 – How to shift your mindset before you post
22:45 – Mirrorball, people-pleasing & showing up as you
24:20 – Final thoughts + what to do next

A lot of travel advisors think their marketing isn’t working — when really, their expectations are off.

In this episode of Social Takeoff, we reset how social media actually fits into your business, why checklist marketing is holding you back, and what it really takes to build trust, community, and momentum online.

This conversation is about letting go of pressure, unrealistic metrics, and comparison — and replacing them with clarity, perspective, and intention.

If you’ve been posting, following the rules, and still feeling frustrated… this episode is for you.

• Why “posting more” doesn’t equal bookings
• The unrealistic expectations most advisors place on social media
• Why likes, views, and followers don’t measure success
• How checklist marketing creates burnout and false failure
• The real role social media plays as a gap closer in your business
• Why perspective builds trust more than facts ever will
• How your language (even one word) can shrink or strengthen your value
• Why community changes businesses — and virality doesn’t
• A healthier way to look at metrics without letting them control you

You’re allowed one data day per month.

That’s it.

One day to review metrics as data, not validation — and then you get back to building with clarity and confidence.

➡️ Get your free Wanderlust Campus account: https://wanderlust-ceo.com
➡️ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellihayessmith

🎧 New full episodes of Social Takeoff drop every Tuesday
🧼 Bonus Friday episodes: The Soapbox

Song: You’re On Your Own, Kid
Lyric: “Everything you lose is a step you take.”

Let go of pressure. Let go of comparison. Let go of checklist marketing.

Clarity comes next.

Most travel advisors aren’t “bad at marketing.”
They’re letting platforms decide whether their marketing is working.

In this final Reset Episode, we’re talking about what happens when you let algorithms, trends, and engagement metrics dictate your confidence, your content, and your strategy — and why that approach quietly steals momentum from your business.

We’ll talk about:

• Why likes, views, and comments are not real KPIs
• How reacting to trends and algorithm chatter pulls you off-center
• The difference between content that’s “good for Instagram” and content that’s good for your business
• Why proactive marketing creates clarity, confidence, and compounding growth
• How to identify the conversations and lanes you actually want to lead

And I’ll leave you with one clear action to reset how you approach content moving forward — without chasing trends, burning out, or second-guessing yourself.

✨ This episode is part of the Reset Series, all tied to the Taylor Swift song This Is Me Trying — because showing up, recalibrating, and choosing clarity counts.

Resources & Links

• Create your free Wanderlust Campus account: https://wanderlust-ceo.com
• Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellihayessmith

🎧 New full episodes drop Tuesdays.
🔥 Bonus mini-episodes (The Soapbox) drop Fridays.

Welcome back to Social Takeoff — and to reset episode two.

If marketing has felt overwhelming, frustrating, or like one more thing on an already full to-do list, this episode is for you.

In this reset, we talk about why marketing feels so heavy for travel advisors — and why the problem usually isn’t effort, discipline, or motivation.

It’s expectations.

We’ve been taught that marketing should:

• work quickly
• create instant results
• reward consistency immediately
• look like what’s working for everyone else

And when it doesn’t, we assume we’re doing something wrong.

In this episode, we unpack:

• Why marketing overwhelm is often caused by unclear expectations
• How comparison and constant consumption make marketing feel impossible
• Why doing more isn’t the answer
• How to release pressure without giving up momentum
• What it looks like to reset instead of quit

This episode isn’t about fixing everything.

It’s about understanding what marketing is actually responsible for — and what it’s not.

👉 Get your free Wanderlust Campus account:
https://wanderlust-ceo.com

👉 Follow me on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kellihayessmith