Tropical Travelers — Going social | Travel Research Online

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Tropical Travelers — Going social

Some people re-arrange their bedroom every month or so. Military families move after every tour of duty (or so it seems). These people know how to get out of a rut. And as difficult as it is to admit, I am in a rut and I need some change.

I feel my business has been stagnating for a while and I’ve decided to take a new direction. How many years can you keep doing the same thing with approximately the same bottom line? Being a one woman show and wearing many hats, it leaves little time to think about the next step. I recently spoke  John Peters of Tripology about how to grow my business and which direction to take. He had some very good ideas for me. Because there are only so many hours in the day, I feel as though I can’t possibly take on any more business, therefore I’m not able to make more sales or commission. I would like to take on more independent agents who have a following, as well as the drive and passion for this business.

I implemented a new website about a year and a half ago. I really like the site and have received great feedback on it. However, can it be found? Probably not too easily. I have no search engine optimization in place. And if I am to compete in this market, SEO is key. I’ve decided to put this at the forefront of my list of things to do to grow the business. I’ve contacted a number of site designers and SEO companies to find the right fit for my small company. An SEO company would be key in establishing The Tropical Travelers as a key player in the online vacation company field. I also feel that my website is in need of more content, as well as more frequent updating to stay current with industry trends.

My next focus will be establishing a blog for my business. I am not sure where I will find the time, but I have seen the results (increased business) from other travel professionals. And believe me, new business is a big motivator! Clearly blogging about the industry and travel will attract visitors and give me the opportunity to “show them my stuff.” Clearly, this is something for which I need to make time.

I’ve also been asked to be a participant on a panel at a large travel show. Now, I’m no public speaker. I shun anything to do with public speaking. However, this could be a great opportunity for me and my company. I’m willing to give most anything a try, so why not?

I’ll be interested to see which of these projects works for my company and how I can grow my business in other ways. This time next year I hope to have my blog up and running with at least two entries per week. Also, I’m considering a booking engine for my site. I do prefer to have personal contact with each client, but I would be interested to see if this increases overall gross sales. I also am hoping to increase site traffic by 30% within the first 6 months. With a 40% increase in sales over the first year.

Have you enlisted an SEO company? Are you blogging? What are you thinking about for next year?

Jennifer Byrne is the owner of The Tropical Travelers (www.thetropicaltravelers.com) in Malvern, PA. For more information, you can contact Jennifer at jennifer@thetropicaltravelers.com.

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