Welcome to The Home Based Travel Agent Show

Show Notes:

The cousin of marketing is public relations. Media outlets are constantly looking for sources to use in their publications. You can get free advertising because getting quoted in media serves the same purpose as advertising. People use Google to find travel agents, and when you are quoted in publications, Google will put you out there in search results. Your credibility as a thought leader is enhanced, and you establish credibility in your business as a travel advisor. Being quoted in a publication elevates you above other agents who are not using this form of advertising. An opportunity now presents itself to set yourself out as a subject matter expert in maneuvering through the complexities of travel caused by the pandemic and put that expertise out there in various publications. 

Links to Items We’ve Talked About:

* Tracey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracylamourieprmedia/

* Tracey on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lamourie

* Email Tracey: [email protected]

* Help a Reporter Out: https://www.helpareporter.com/

Podcasts Related to This Show:

* This is the first time we’ve talked about public relations on the Home Based Travel Agent Show. 

The Fine Print:

Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. Barry, or the Show, receives no compensation from the guests on our show, or from the companies they represent unless we state otherwise during the show. We invite guests to our show because they offer something of value to the travel trade community. The Home Based Travel Agent Show is funded from the resources of Barry Kantz.

© 2022 All Rights Reserved

 

 

Show Notes:

Planning is critical for any business and in particular for the travel agent. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”

In this show, Barry outlines a framework of strategic planning for the travel agent business. You will learn about some planning tools that can keep your business healthy and prepared for what may happen in 2022.

Please join me as we prepare our businesses for a new and prosperous business in the second year of this decade.

Links to Items We’ve Talked About:

* Here is a short video about strategic planning that offers a planning framework that fits well into what I’ve talked about in this podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is4RJZZwRmA.

Podcasts Related to This Show:

* Show 432 – Planning and Marketing Strategies for 2022 with Richard D’Ambrosio* 363 – Barry and Lorene Ring In 2016 Talking About Business Planning* 339 – Ideas, Planning, Action for the Travel Professional in 2014* 180 – Planning Your Business for 2009 – Tools, Tips and Ideas

The Fine Print:

Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. Barry, or the Show, receives no compensation from the guests on our show, or from the companies they represent unless we state otherwise during the show. We invite guests to our show because they offer something of value to the travel trade community. The Home Based Travel Agent Show is funded from the resources of Barry Kantz.© 2022 All Rights Reserved

Show Notes:

As the Coronavirus begins to wane and people begin thinking about leisure travel again, we hear the phrase, “pent up demand.” This term has a broad meaning relating to how anxious people are to take those vacations they’ve been waiting to take. But, the phrase “pent up demand” has little meaning unless you can put some data behind it, according to Richard D’Ambrosio, our guest for this show.

Why is this data necessary? For one thing, the data is important because it targets your marketing efforts to the right people. Another reason this data is vital is because it will help you understand how to develop a plan B strategy should we have travel restrictions re-imposed.

Would you please join us by listening to the show as we delve deeper into these topics?

Links to Items We’ve Talked About:

* The Travel Business Master Mind website* Travel insights from Destination Analysts

Podcasts Related to This Show:

* Show 399 – Sell Yourself First* Show 378 – The Sales Process – Do You Have One?

The Fine Print:

Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. Barry, or the Show, receives no compensation from the guests on our show, or from the companies they represent unless we state otherwise during the show. We invite guests to our show because they offer something of value to the travel trade community. The Home Based Travel Agent Show is funded from the resources of Barry Kantz.© 2021 All Rights Reserved

Show Notes

First of all, what is customer loyalty? A loyal customer is someone who engages with you and becomes your advocate. This is someone who is going to refer you to their family, friends, and everyone they talk to about travel. Creating a loyal client depends on three things: value, relevance, and experience. This is what Seth LaPierre calls the three-legged stool and remove one leg of this stool and your customers may seek another travel advisor. Focusing on each leg of this stool over the course of your business will create big rewards. Seth advises to pick one leg of the stool and spend a week, or a month, and focus on this in your business. 

 

A part of creating a great customer experience is to show gratitude to your clients. By showing them that you are honored to have them as a client you are creating an emotional bond between you and your client. This emotional bond is a key factor in creating a loyal customer. Think of how you create emotional bonds with your friends, with your family members. One way you do this is by showing your appreciation by helping them with tasks or by giving them gifts. This sends the message, “you are important to me, here let me help you with that,” or “I want you to have this gift because you are important to me.” 

 

Seth and I go into more detail in this podcast about how you can create, or maybe better said, how you can earn loyal clients. And a part of this is that Seth is sharing his knowledge with you in exchange for asking you to take a look at his product. Seth’s product is a gift that you can give to your clients that will enhance the emotional connection between you and your client plus Seth’s product, the SipnClip is a very practical product that will bring your business to mind every time your client travels. Seth’s SipnClip solves the problem I know we’ve all had when boarding a plane and trying to juggle our cup of coffee while struggling to stuff our carry-on bag into the overhead bin. Give this product to your clients before they travel and they will love you for that. 

 

Seth has created a promo code that you can use to receive 20% off your order of the SipnClip. The code is “thankyoubarry.” Seth’s website is in pre-launch until mid-November of 2021 so use the promo code as a password to enter the site at gosipnclip.com and then use the code when you order the SipnClip. The code is valid for 60 days beginning at the time of the official launch of his website.

 

 

 

 

Links to Items We’ve Talked About

* Seth’s product page at http://www.gosipnclip.com 

Podcasts Related to This Posts Topic

* In Show 418 we talk about creating client avatars to help you target your marketing and insuring your client experiences are relevant. 

The Fine Print

Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. Barry, or the Show, receives no compensation from the guests on our show, or from the companies they represent unless we state otherwise during the show. We invite guests to our show because they offer something of value to the travel trade co...

Show Notes

Mary Pat and Barry captured as they recorded the show

Many of us have missed those opportunities to mingle, face-to-face, with other travel agents and suppliers. That is what this month’s show is all about — the importance of making those face-to-face connections again.

Mary Pat Sullivan, Senior Vice President of the Northstar Travel Group, and I discuss the value of those connections for you personally and for your business.

Coming up on November 10th through the 12th is a great opportunity to do just that at CruiseWorld 2021. Miami Beach, Florida is hosting CruiseWorld 2021, and if you are like me living in the northern United States, there is no better place to visit in November than Miami Beach.

I was really impressed during our interview by the health safety precautions that are planned by CruiseWorld to help protect participants against the Corona virus. So, if you have some hesitancy about attending you may want to listen to the podcast to learn what CruiseWorld is doing to protect you.

Even if you are not going to CruiseWorld you still want to listen to the show because there is a lot of content about the value of connecting with suppliers and why you should reach out to them now.

Links to Items We’ve Talked About

* CruiseWorld 2021 website – Register here and use the PROMOCODE – TAPOD to receive $25.00 off of your registration fee.

* Email Mary Pat Sullivan at [email protected]

Podcasts Related to This Posts Topic

* Cris Desouza from Celebrity Cruise Lines in Show # 315

The Fine Print

Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. Barry, or the Show, receives no compensation from the guests on our show, or from the companies they represent unless we state otherwise during the show. We invite guests to our show because they offer something of value to the travel trade community. The Home Based Travel Agent Show is funded from the resources of Barry Kantz.

© 2021 All Rights Reserved

Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn

 

Show Notes

Creating good content for your social media marketing channels is one of the most important things you can do for your business. Research has shown that the average person spends two hours and twenty-five minutes every day on social media. Another poll found that 79% of the people polled indicated that social media influences their purchasing decisions. These two numbers alone indicate that a travel agent is missing out on marketing and sales opportunities if they do not have a good social media presence.

You have to produce interesting content for your social media channels and interesting content will attract more people and will grow your influence (and sales) as a travel agent. Creating great content is the topic for this show and Barry breaks down what it takes to make your content interesting so you can grow on social media.

Links to Items We’ve Talked About

* Catherine Heeg’s Customized Management Solutions

Podcasts Related to This Posts Topic

* 428 – Why is SEO Important for the Travel Advisor?

* 418 – How to Find New Clients for Your Travel Business (Creating client personas or avatars)

* 351 – Using Social Media To Build Client Trust And Increase Sales

* 317 – Catherine Heeg Explains How to Find Content to Put Into Your Travel Agent Blog

Music Credits

* The song, “Zazzie” is by Keving McLoed and Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

* The song, “Mining by Moonlight” is by Keven McCloed and licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

The Fine Print

Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. Barry, or the Show, receives no compensation from the guests on our show, or from the companies they represent unless we state otherwise during the show. We invite guests to our show because they offer something of value to the travel trade community. The Home Based Travel Agent Show is funded from the resources of Barry Kantz.

© 2021 All Rights Reserved

Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn

 

 

SHOW NOTES

As a travel advisor, your own website or blog is essential. This is where you will put your customer testimonials, post photos of trips that you and your clients have taken. And, importantly, it is a place to show your expertise and where potential customers can go to get to know you.

But, you put all this work into your blog or website, and you discover that no one is finding you. Clients and potential clients search for you in Google, but they don’t find you because you are on page 10 of the search engine results. Most people don’t go past page 3 when they do a Google search. So, how do you go about moving your website up into the top three pages? Well, this is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes into play. This is the topic of our show for this month.

Our guest, Eric Seropyan, is a search engine and business marketing specialist. Eric gives us several tips on how to begin the journey of optimizing your website so the search engines will find you and move you up in the page ranking. SEO is a journey, so start yours today by listening to the show.

LINKS TO ITEMS WE TALKED ABOUT

 Eric Seropyan’s company, www.thisismysouthbay.com.

CONTACT US

The Home Based Travel Agent’s Facebook Page

Email Barry [email protected]

 

HBTAS RECOMMENDATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS

The Home Based Travel Agent Show is a proud affiliate of the ASTA Small Business Network – Formerly NACTA.

Build Your Knowledge and Earn Certifications at the Travel Institute

Do you want to create a podcast? Please check out Blubrry.com.

Music Credits

The song, “Zazzie” is by Keving McLoed and Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

The song, “Mining by Moonlight” is by Keven McCloed and licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

The Fine Print

Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. Barry, or the Show, receives no compensation from the guests on our show, or from the companies they represent unless we state otherwise during the show. We invite guests to our show because they offer something of value to the travel trade community. The Home Based Travel Agent Show is funded from the resources of Barry Kantz.

© 2021 All Rights Reserved

SHOW NOTES

Tours are a great way to expand your business income and at the same time expand your client base of FIT travelers. When you book a tour, whether with five people or fifty people, and you create an excellent experience for the people on your tour, you are influencing those five or fifty people to continue a relationship with your business.

However, creating a tour has a few more challenges than booking a FIT vacation. Keeping track of the capacity of your tour, the number of people booking and canceling, working with vendors, and who has paid and who hasn’t paid can challenge the most experienced spreadsheet user. Our guests in this month’s show are offering a service to remove the complexities of creating tours. If you have hesitated in creating a tour because of those challenges then your worries are over. You can now take advantage of the profitable tour business and bring in those new clients to your agency simply by listening to this podcast and taking advantage of the special offers.

During the month of August 2021, Group Travel Odyssey is offering the first month free to travel agents. If you are not a travel agent but a group planner then you will get $20.00 off the setup fee reducing it to just $39.00. Email Kevin Cabe at [email protected] and mention the promo code GEHomebased1 in your email and Kevin will get you set up.

LINKS TO ITEMS WE TALKED ABOUT

 www.groupexperience.com

CONTACT US

The Home Based Travel Agent’s Facebook Page

Email Barry [email protected]

 

HBTAS RECOMMENDATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS

The Home Based Travel Agent Show is a proud affiliate of the ASTA Small Business Network – Formerly NACTA.

Build Your Knowledge and Earn Certifications at the Travel Institute

Do you want to create a podcast? Please check out Blubrry.com.

Music Credits

The song, “Zazzie” is by Keving McLoed and Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

The song, “Mining by Moonlight” is by Keven McCloed and licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

The Fine Print

Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. Barry, or the Show, receives no compensation from the guests on our show, or from the companies they represent unless we state otherwise during the show. We invite guests to our show because they offer something of value to the travel trade community. The Home Based Travel Agent Show is funded from the resources of Barry Kantz.

© 2021 All Rights Reserved

SHOW NOTES

If you are not familiar with the Galapagos Islands or you think a wildlife expedition is something you would like to add to your specialties then this podcast is a great place to start. Chris Christensen describes his cruise around the Galapagos Islands on a Quasar Expedition cruise ship. You will learn about the wildlife, accommodations, and what to expect on a Quasar Expedition.

Chris Christensen is the producer of the blog and podcast at amateurtraveler.com. Chris’s podcast and blog have won numerous awards for his travel journalism. Chris’s website features over 400 destinations around the world and is a fantastic resource for travel agents.

LINKS TO ITEMS WE TALKED ABOUT

The Amateur Traveler website, blog, and podcast

Quasar Expeditions

Direct link to Chris’s blog article about the Galapagos Islands

CONTACT US

The Home Based Travel Agent’s Facebook Page

Email Barry [email protected]

 

HBTAS RECOMMENDATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS

The Home Based Travel Agent Show is a proud affiliate of the ASTA Small Business Network – Formerly NACTA.

Build Your Knowledge and Earn Certifications at the Travel Institute

Do you want to create a podcast? Please check out Blubrry.com.

Music Credits

The song, “Zazzie” is by Keving McLoed and Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

The song, “Mining by Moonlight” is by Keven McCloed and licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

The Fine Print

Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. Barry, or the Show, receives no compensation from the guests on our show, or from the companies they represent unless we state otherwise during the show. We invite guests to our show because they offer something of value to the travel trade community. The Home Based Travel Agent Show is funded from the resources of Barry Kantz.

© 2021 All Rights Reserved

SHOW NOTES

Imagine moving to a small rural town where you know no one and the population is not wealthy but the people are hardworking. Then imagine yourself starting a travel business in your new home town. It seems like the odds may be against you but not for Michele Cartwright. Michele started her travel business in just those circumstances and now she has a successful travel business. Michele tells us her story and talks about what it takes to build a thriving business. Michele started with no knowledge of the travel business and moved from that point to success. She is willing to share her business experience, keeping you on the right track, and perhaps saving you from costly mistakes.

LINKS TO ITEMS WE TALKED ABOUT

Email Michele at [email protected] or [email protected]

The Savvy Advisor website where you can learn more about growing your business – https://www.thesavvyadvisor.com

Michele’s travel agent website – https://www.dbdtravel.net

CONTACT US

The Home Based Travel Agent’s Facebook Page

Email Barry [email protected]

 

HBTAS RECOMMENDATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS

The Home Based Travel Agent Show is a proud affiliate of the ASTA Small Business Network – Formerly NACTA.

Build Your Knowledge and Earn Certifications at the Travel Institute

Do you want to create a podcast? Please check out Blubrry.com.

Music Credits

The song, “Zazzie” is by Keving McLoed and Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

The song, “Mining by Moonlight” is by Keven McCloed and licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

The Fine Print

Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. Barry, or the Show, receives no compensation from the guests on our show, or from the companies they represent unless we state otherwise during the show. We invite guests to our show because they offer something of value to the travel trade community. The Home Based Travel Agent Show is funded from the resources of Barry Kantz.

© 2021 All Rights Reserved