TIQUE Talks: The Business Podcast for Travel Advisors

By Robin Bradley and Jennifer JacobSociety & Culture Business Entrepreneurship Places & Travel Marketing

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TIQUE Talks: The Business Podcast for Travel Advisors episodes

February 07, 20238. Choosing The Best CRM For Your Business with Ashlyn Puckett
A customer relationship management (CRM) platform is one of the most important tools for a small business. There seem to be so many to choose from, yet it's hard to find one that is capable of EVERY function needed for business. Each CRM has its own strengths and weaknesses. The key is deciding which one is best based on what's most important to you; whether it be reporting, client communications, or task management.

In this episode, we are joined by our community director and resident CRM expert, Ashlyn Puckett, to discuss what goes into choosing the best CRM for your business. Ashlyn was previously the Client Experience Manager for Exploratory Travel and now manages all of Tique's workflow implementation. She is also a TravelJoy and Travefy guru, and an absolute ray of sunshine!

As an online business owner, it is extremely important to make sure your business is organized and optimized. Hustle culture is so outdated - working smarter, not harder is the goal!

THE LEGAL PAIGE:
Contracts for travel advisors

Today, we will cover:
(04:45) All about workflows, client communication and automation
(05:49) Traveljoy vs Vacation CRM
(15:20) Legal protection throughout different points of your workflow
(19:34) Dubsado and managing your CRM on the go
(21:13) The importance of being able to incorporate your branding
(25:01) Integration of itineraries and proposals
(41:45) Invoicing capabilities
(47:55) Tech updates and cost

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54 min
January 31, 20237. How To Detect Client Red Flags & How To Navigate Them
Creating dream trips around the world sounds like a dream job, right? Well, it truly is as long as you also are working with dream clients! Paying attention to red flags is SO important because more than likely that client is not an ideal fit for your business. Also, remember that it is a mutual relationship and the client can also see those red flags. Evaluating your business model and workflows are key to making sure a potential client is the right fit.

We also recognize that everyone has a different idea of a target audience, so please note that these are OUR red flags and they may or may not be concerns for your own. However, we discuss behavioral patterns that allow you to see if the client/advisor relationship may not be mutually beneficial.

Tune in now as we discuss the unfortunate situation of working with someone who doesn't jive with your business model!

DEFINING YOUR DREAM CLIENT GUIDE

Today, we will cover:
(01:16) The benefits of having an intake process for potential clients
(02:53) Having a fee structure and allowing people to see the value that you provide. Also, check out Episode 2 for more input on this topic!
(08:30) Doing a reset! Are there any red flags within your business model?
(09:52) How taking a vacation can actually benefit your business workflows
(12:10) Why you need to reevaluate your client testimonial form
(13:00) The #1 business process that makes Jen’s skin crawl AND why we don’t do it!
(21:18) Time blocking and allowing yourself to get in your zone of genius
(23:20) The two most valuable resources as a travel advisor
(28:32) One of the most important client experience documents to infuse into your workflow
(33:52) One of the BIGGEST red flags you can come across as a trip advisor
(37:51) Improve your business and change your outlook on the people you're working with.

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40 min
January 24, 20236. How To Get Considered For FAM Trips
FAM opportunities are not just a chance to sip champagne and stay in fancy hotels. They should be viewed as an opportunity where a supplier is investing in an advisor's education. However, this investment is definitely not one-sided. Advisors who attend FAMs often have to pay for their own flights while stepping away from their business and turning their full attention to site visits, sales meetings, and local experiences.

In this episode, we dive into how you can be considered for more FAMs, as well as how to evaluate if the opportunity is going to provide your business with the proper ROI.

Today we will cover:
(01:33) The importance of working with a host that aligns with your needs/wants
(02:33) Building relationships with suppliers and letting go of the intimidation factor
(09:25) Utilizing tourism boards
(13:49) How to know if a FAM is right for you
(23:25) Focusing on your ROI; why every business decision should be mathematical
(30:00) Not all FAMs are free; budgeting appropriately
(32:50) How to gracefully decline a FAM and maintain a positive relationship

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JOIN OUR NICHE COMMUNITY: www.tiquehq.com/niche
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39 min
January 17, 20235. How To Implement Or Raise Your Service Fees
Last week we discussed why we believe that advisors should consider charging fees, and so today we are back to talk about how to actually implement those fees and- if you are currently charging, how to know when to increase your rates. By the end of this episode, we hope that you will be able to create a plan on how to implement and/ or raise your own service fees.

Today we will cover:
How to implement fees & how to do the math on what you want to make
Creating plans and packages that match your trip bookings
Adjusting your systems to support the new process & educating repeat inquiries/return clients on your new process
How to communicate your fees & how "How we work" guides can benefit you
How newsletters & social media can be beneficial in alerting the masses
When to increase fees for your business

JOIN OUR NICHE COMMUNITY: www.tiquehq.com/niche
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45 min
January 10, 20234. Should You Be Charging Fees As A Travel Advisor?
Today we're broaching one of the most debated and controversial topics within the travel industry: Fees! So, what made us feel so bold as to tackle this subject? In case you haven't heard, ASTA just officially adopted the philosophy that all advisors should be charging fees for their services. With this shift in the industry, it's time to talk through the benefits of implementing and charging fees. For those who are charging fees already, we're going to talk about what additional fees you may want to implement.

We also talk about:
Why we went from being anti-fee to fee-lovers
Attracting clients who value your time
The price of your knowledge and establishing yourself as a professional service
Creating year-round and non-cancellable income
Protecting your income from service recovery
Creating a budget for gifts and amenities
What your fee structure should look like
Giving yourself an "out" from non-ideal clients

JOIN OUR NICHE COMMUNITY: www.tiquehq.com/niche
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50 min
January 03, 20233. Preparing To Go OOO? Do These Things First
As travel advisors, it's easy to believe that you need to be on call all the time and that you can truly never take a day off. If you know us, you know that we are big on boundaries and we simply don't prescribe to the philosophy that advisors have to hustle and grind 24/7 to become successful in their business. In fact, we think that by setting boundaries, you become viewed as more professional and respectable by your audience.
Today we are discussing how you can prepare to take a real vacation or go on a FAM and feel like you can be fully present. By the end of this episode, we hope to empower you to take back your time, while also feeling confident that your clients are fully taken care of while you're away.

We also talk about:
What to do for your clients as soon as possible to prepare them for your departure
What to do for your clients one month, two weeks, and one week prior to your departure
What to do for your clients the day before you depart
What to do for your clients on the day of going OOO
What to do when you return from being OOO

JOIN OUR NICHE COMMUNITY: www.tiquehq.com/niche
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CHECK OUT OUR SERVICES & PROGRAMS: www.tiquehq.com
1 hr
January 03, 20231. So We Launched A Podcast... Here's Why!
Welcome to the first episode of TIQUE Talk, where we are going to have no frills conversations about the obstacles we had when we started in the travel industry, and how we took an efficiency based approach to modernize and streamline our business. Through creating boundaries, processes, cultivating relationships, and updating our initial website and logo, we scaled a daily itinerary creation company to a tried and true full service agency with 13 independent contractors and a full time support staff.
If you're looking for advice on how to increase your productivity, work smarter not harder, and level up your sales game you've come to the right place!
Today, we are going to share a little bit more about our why, and share more about each of us so that you feel right at home each time you tune in.

We also talk about:
Our backgrounds & how we found our way to the travel industry
The why & how behind our transition to an independent travel agency
How TravelJoy changed our lives
Why client experience is a crucial part of your travel business
Ways we can implement what is missing in the travel industry
How our name, TIQUE, came to fruition

JOIN OUR NICHE COMMUNITY: www.tiquehq.com/niche
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CHECK OUT OUR SERVICES & PROGRAMS: www.tiquehq.com/
49 min
January 03, 20232. How We Graduated Our Clients & Increased Our Average Ticket Sales
Today, we are covering one of our absolute favorite topics, which is how to increase your average ticket sale. We'll be honest, this did not happen overnight for us, but with some consistent marketing and tailoring our message. We were able to gradually attract a new clientele with a more generous budget and elevated style while simultaneously graduating our existing clients into that same category.
So let’s dig in and talk through exactly how we did it.

We also talk about:
Our initial approach to travel was the Airbnb crowd with itinerary creation
We transitioned away from sharing deals
Shifted our verbiage to value-based and added an inquiry step
Highlighted properties and destinations with higher price points
Invested in trips that showcased the level of travel that we wanted to sell
Partnered with DMC's and hotels that provided education on how to sell certain destinations
Constantly showed up via social, newsletters, birthday emails, passport reminders, and referral "thank you" emails

JOIN OUR NICHE COMMUNITY: www.tiquehq.com/niche
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39 min

About TIQUE Talks: The Business Podcast for Travel Advisors

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to TIQUE Talks Podcast - a live-workshop style travel business podcast packed with actionable step-by-step tips that are helping hundreds of travel advisors redefine success, grow their bottom line, and find balance in their business. Join us, Florida-based business partners Robin Bradley and Jennifer Jacob, for value-packed, hilarious conversations and impactful interviews with other industry leaders.