The Social Takeoff Podcast with Kelli Hayes Smith

You worked hard to earn the client. So why would your marketing stop once they book?

In the final episode of the PLOT series, we're talking about the T: Tiny Detail. And this one is a little different.

Instead of finding another piece of content to post on social media, we're using the tiny details you learn about your clients to create better loyalty marketing and turn first-time clients into repeat clients.

Because by the time someone has planned and taken a trip with you, you know A LOT about them. You know what they loved, what they didn't love, what they were willing to spend more on, what surprised them, what their kids couldn't stop talking about, what they would never do again, and maybe even where they're dreaming about going next.

The question is: are you actually capturing that information and using it?

In this episode, we're talking about how to:

• collect Tiny Details before, during, and after a client's trip
• use post-trip feedback to build a living client profile
• create personal, one-to-one touchpoints that don't feel like sales pitches
• segment past clients based on what they actually care about
• make mass email marketing feel more personal without pretending a first-name field is personalization
• use your CRM to help you remember what your brain absolutely will not
• create marketing that makes your clients think, “She knows us.”

Your CRM shouldn't just tell you where someone traveled. It should get smarter every time they travel with you.

Because the proposal gives you marketing material. The relationship gives you marketing intelligence.

And some of the most powerful marketing you do may never be posted publicly at all. This is the final piece of PLOT, and it's all about keeping the clients you've already worked so hard to earn.

Come find me on Instagram: @kellihayessmith
https://www.instagram.com/kellihayessmith/

Travel agents, when I say Challenge Story, I am NOT telling you to wait until somebody loses a passport, gets stranded somewhere, or has a full-blown travel emergency before you have something worth talking about.

Most of the obstacles you solve are a whole lot more ordinary than that.

The budget doesn’t quite match the wish list. The better flight costs more. The resort your client found on TikTok doesn’t actually fit the vacation they described. The perfect family resort doesn’t have the room setup they need. Two people on the same trip have completely different priorities.

Nothing went wrong. Something just made the answer less straightforward.

In Part 4 of my PLOT series, we’re unpacking O: OBSTACLE → the Challenge Story.

We’re talking about how to recognize the ordinary obstacles hiding inside the proposals you’re already working on, the difference between a Challenge Story and the Decision Stories we talked about in Part 2, and why showing the problem-solving between a client’s request and your eventual recommendation can make some of your most valuable work visible to potential clients.

I’m also breaking down the boundaries I think matter when telling these stories, because this isn’t about manufacturing drama, making a client look difficult, sharing private information, or positioning yourself as the hero who swooped in and saved the day.

And we’ll get practical about turning one Challenge Story into a talking-head Reel, carousel, B-roll Reel, email or Stories.

Your assignment this week is simple: go back to your last proposal and don’t look for what went wrong. Look for what wasn’t completely straightforward.

What did you have to solve, balance, adjust or work around?

That’s your Challenge Story. Ordinary obstacles count, too.

CONNECT WITH KELLI

Instagram: @kellihayessmith
LinkedIn: Kelli Hayes Smith

Travel agents, some of your best content is already happening in conversations with your clients. The question is: are you listening for it?

In Part 3 of the PLOT framework, we're digging into LISTEN and the Client Story.

This is the content that shows what you do with what your clients tell you, including the tiny comments they may not even realize completely changed what you recommended.

We're also rethinking social proof. Because no, I don't want you taking another great Google review, putting it on a pretty Canva graphic, adding five stars and calling it content.

Your testimonials are valuable, but the story behind those words is where the good stuff is.

In this episode, we're talking about how to recognize those stories in client conversations, mine your existing reviews and testimonials for content, use the actual language your clients use, and let potential clients watch you be good at your job instead of simply telling them you are.

And if you're a brand-new travel agent without a bunch of bookings or testimonials yet, we're talking about you too. Your own travel, training, questions you're asked and conversations with real travelers can all help you start building this skill now.

Because your clients don't have to tell people you're good at your job.

Your content can let people watch you be good at your job.

PLOT: Part 3
LISTEN → Client Story

The question: What did they say that mattered?

Next week: OBSTACLE → Challenge Story

Let’s Connect

Instagram: @kellihayessmith
LinkedIn: Kelli Hayes Smith

And if this episode gives you a Client Story idea, come tell me about it on Instagram. I want to hear what you found.

And if The Social Takeoff is helping you market your travel business differently, I’d love it if you’d leave a rating or review wherever you listen. It helps more travel agents find the show, and yes, I’m absolutely a words-of-affirmation girl.

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