TravelResearchOnline.com Blog

Whether you are an employee in a travel agency, or own your travel business, marketing should be your constant companion. Too often, travel agents treat marketing like a hand tool that is pulled out of the box only when needed. Marketing, however, is not a part-time activity or something to be used only because business [...]

This week we are working through some principles that any travel agent can apply to bolster their market identity. How would you answer if challenged with the simple question of “who are you and why are you here?” The travel agent seeking to also be a good marketer should be able to clearly communicate their brand [...]

Over the last two days we have discussed the concept of positioning a travel practice and the key elements of differentiation and credentials. Once the travel agency has established these fundamentals, the next step is to make the agency highly visible in the community. The idea is to raise the market profile of the agent [...]

Establishing credentials with your clients is one of the best ways to ensure that they look to you for consultation. Consumers go to accountants with a CPA, to physicians with an MD and even their massage therapist has the designation of “LMT” (Licensed Massage Therapists). These credentials speak to insider knowledge, expertise and authority and [...]

Travel agents know travel. The best have a passion for their craft and put much time and energy into learning about new destinations and product. They attend webinars and spend countless hours earning advanced certifications and destination specialist designations. What is often lacking, however, is a solid foundation in marketing. Passion for travel will not [...]

Invest in yourself. Most knowledgeable marketing guides will indicate that for small service businesses, between 1% to 3% of your gross proceeds should be reinvested in marketing. Thus, if your Gross Revenues are $1,000,000 (commission income of approximately $100,000) a marketing budget of between $10,000 and $30,000 is a norm. However, not every outlay needs [...]

Many travel agents will openly confess that marketing is not their forte. After all, a large percentage of travel agents, if not the overwhelming majority, very rightly are travel agents not because they love marketing but because they love travel.  Many have a very limited background or formal training in marketing, but manage to conduct [...]

TRO is devoting the next few weeks to assisting agents in developing a 2009 Marketing Plan. Follow along with us each day to gain the traction you need to make 2009 your best year ever. You can find all of the previous articles in this series by clicking on the 365 Guide link at the [...]

They get no respect. They are used for note taking and for bookmarking. Too often, they are an after-thought ordered at the last minute with little care put into their design. But business cards are important marketing tools, small paper ambassadors for your business that remain in the field constantly reminding others of your brand. [...]

Networking, the art of generating new clients through social and business contacts, is easier for some travel agents than others. Extroverts have it made – meeting and talking with others at social functions, volunteer opportunities and community gatherings is a cinch to some outgoing souls. Others find socializing a bit more difficult, however. Regardless of [...]