Ships N Trips Travel — Moving disruption…or opportunity? | Travel Research Online

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Ships N Trips Travel — Moving disruption…or opportunity?

Last month I really did intend to start focusing on my 2013 marketing plan.  Well, that hasn’t happened yet.  Simply put, life in general and moving homes in particular,  got in the way of my best laid plans.  Whether you have moved a mile or 1,000 miles, you can attest to the topsy-turvy upheaval that it can do to your life.   Packing took weeks, not to mention cleaning, sorting and organizing in general.  So the marketing plan got set aside (packed actually) and has yet to see the light of day. 

However, I still found some marketing opportunities and took full advantage of them.  Movers are a naturally curious bunch, asking questions about where things go.  I made a point of telling them when things needed to go into the “travel office.”  That started a two day long conversation with them, as we talked about travel, and how travel agents aren’t dead, and ended with them all getting my business card.  Then there was the satellite TV installer, who was at the new house for over two hours.  I made sure that the conversation steered to the Travel Channel eventually (because it’s so important for me as a travel professional to watch all those shows of course).  And don’t forget about the Internet installer who had to enter the “travel office” as well looking for Internet cable connections.  Everyone walked out of here with a business card by the end of the day.

And new neighbors are always a gold mine for marketing.  They always start with the polite conversation about where you moved from, what you do for a living, etc.  So I’ve been taking full advantage of the opportunity, keeping an extra supply of business cards with me everywhere I go.  If I get any new business out of this move, the packing pain will have been well worth it.

As for the 2013 marketing plan, I think I know where it might be packed.  Hopefully I’ll be able to get started on it next month.  This month, I’m still unpacking.

Susan Schaefer is the owner of Ships N Trips Travel as well as niche operations trading as Kick Butt Vacations, focused on college students; Kick Butt Events focusing on fundraising; and Your Kiwi Specialist specializing in anything New Zealand. You can reach Susan by email at susan@shipsntripstravel.com.

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