Finding New Business In Unexpected Places | Travel Research Online

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Finding New Business In Unexpected Places

Almost everyone hates sales calls – right? I don’t. I used to make them myself. Yes, I used to be one of those people selling timeshares to Granny over the phone, and I was so successful at it, the company asked me to help write their sales scripts and train their call staff. That experience not only taught me how to make a sale under the worst possible conditions, but also taught me this very important fact: Telemarketers are people too. And I never throw a person away.

Last week, a telemarketer from a paper shredding company called my offices at Elite Travel, and I picked up the phone myself. I told the young man that we didn’t do very much shredding – maybe four boxes a year – and, disappointed, he prepared to hang up the phone. “But wait,” I told him. “I have an idea for you. I work in a building with a lot of medical reps who probably shred a lot of paper, so why don’t you send someone out here?” The guy thanked me, and thanked me again for being nice to him (hardly anyone ever is), and one of the sales reps from his office made an appointment with me for the following week.

When the paper-shredding company sales rep walked into my office, I asked if I could get my paper shredding done for free if I helped her land clients in the building. Done. Next, I suggested that since she is in contact with corporations every day, we should become Strategic Partners – I’d give her a referral bonus for any incentive travel business she pointed my way. Then we began chatting about her personal plans for a girlfriend’s getaway to a resort – she named one I would never recommend – and I suggested a few of my favorite properties as possible alternatives. She called her girlfriend, one thing led to another, and the next day she booked a $10,000 trip with me.

Yes, I made a $10,000 sale from answering a telemarketing call – because telemarketers are people too, and you should never throw people away.

Take Aways:

  • You can find business everywhere if you’re open to it.
  • Never throw people away, even if you’re sure they can do nothing for you.
  • Strategic Partnerships are one of the most powerful tools you can use to expand your business – that sales rep may be peddling paper-shredding, but she’s carrying my cards in her pocket.

In the 1990’s, Tammy Levent’s family experienced a series of traumatic losses, beginning with a robbery that forced their jewelry business to close, and ending with Tammy’s two children recovering in the ICU after a fatal car accident. Tammy Levent’s future changed when an ICU nurse asked her, “If it had nothing to do with money, what would you do?” Tammy said, “I would travel the world.”

With a family to feed, no assets, mounting medical bills, and a deficit of $180 thousand dollars, Tammy Levent leveraged strategic partnerships to build Elite Travel, which has become one of the fastest growing, most trusted travel groups in the nation.

In 2013, Levent partnered with several top entrepreneurs, including Kevin Harrington (Shark Tank and As Seen on TV), and the multi-billion dollar company, Gogo Worldwide Vacations to develop The Travel Agent’s Success Kit ™ to help struggling travel agencies successfully adapt to this new age of travel. 

  4 thoughts on “Finding New Business In Unexpected Places

  1. Eric Ehrhardt says:

    Excellent reminder that Opportunity does not always knock — sometimes you have to go out that door to find it, and that once you find it, you need to know what to do with it!

  2. Heidi Byrnes says:

    Positive attitude and an open mind will go a long way. Something to remember especially when cold calling;-)

  3. Peter Watson says:

    A different approach but clearly an effective one, as has already been said keeping an open mind helps a lot

  4. Peter Davies says:

    A very interesting article. I agree completely with the sentiments. If you ever see an open door don’t close it walk through. You might be pleasantly surprised at what’s on the other side.

    We also have a philosophy of sharing and helping. Far to many Companies are frightened to give a helping hand.

    If you start giving you will be pleasantly surprised when you start receiving, which you most certainly will

    Life is simple all we have to do is enjoy it

    Tammy Da bo’ch chi !! (good on you)

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