There are tons of people looking for a travel agent on a daily, and you may just be the perfect choice for them! But how can you maintain a lasting connection with clients as a home-based or fully remote independent travel agent? Rest assured: there are plenty of simple ways to attract loyal clients. Here are some tips from BNT Travel Group to grab more attention as a travel agent working from home! Make yourself known The universality of the love for travel is a great advantage to remember about your career as an independent travel agent. After being cooped up at home due to quarantine, the masses are itching to get back out into the world and fulfill their traveling needs. All they need is a point in the right direction and they’ll know exactly who to consult when going on a trip! If you think about it, travel is a topic that comes up easily in a conversation, which means that you can bring it up in just about any situation and with just about anybody. Get in contact with people you know, especially if they have influenced your career or helped you in some way, as they will be very likely to assist you on your way to success. Connections will naturally come about as people share their experiences and talk to one another. You are here for your clients to get the best experience possible, and they will talk all about it with their friends and family. So don’t hesitate to reach out to everybody you have a connection with. Even if they do not immediately decide to take the initiative to go on a vacation, your offer will be fresh in their minds. Besides, they will share any possible clients they can think of with you. Know the power of travel: people come together on trips and the passion for travel is ever-present! Pitching your business in public is another effective way to make your name known. If you’re having trouble thinking of a way to connect with people whom you don’t often contact or have not met before, you can always ask your coworkers or friends to give you a hand or even accompany you. Make yourself available and noticeable Customers will be interested to hear what you have to offer, but you must keep their attention to convince them to stay with you long-term. Join groups in your community, as well as local business networks, as doing this can help you both connect with possible customers in your area and gain valuable expertise and assistance from a variety of business owners. When taking part in trade shows and other events, you will have the chance to connect with knowledgeable business owners. Consider forming partnerships that will allow you to share customers, grow sales and promote your business twice as loudly. For instance, holding a collaborative giveaway on social media or hosting an event with other local brands will get your name out to a broader audience. Attending events and gatherings to connect with possible clients will also help you better understand your clientele as people with interests and preferences. Knowing what your clients want is important, particularly when setting up an email newsletter or posting on social media. Customers are not only looking for your expertise in travel—but they are also expecting to be understood when it comes to their preferences for activities, locations, and other travel-related details. This means that they will look for a travel advisor who both knows their stuff and can use it to make a trip personalized and special. Make what you’re offering clear Use your power base to provide customers with experiences out of this world. This will not only grow your business but will also make your name known as a consistent and approachable travel agent. Most people belong to more than one community and readily share the details of their mind-blowing trips across groups, between friends and among family members. Every successful trip you plan will bring you profit, reputation and the possibility of clients. So the more you do, the better you’ll know how to meet clients’ demands. You’ll be a sought-after travel agent in no time! Doing what you have experience with and building on a specific set of skills will get you noticed. For instance, a family-oriented parent will be more likely to find success booking family trips than romantic getaways. All in all, focusing on building clients in the right travel niche for you may be the best bet to grow your business and consistently receive great reviews. Make promotions regularly and efficiently In the digital age, promotion has become easier than ever. Consider making yourself known on multiple social media websites, engaging with clients through email marketing, setting up a blog and making appearances on fellow business’s socials. To target a broader audience, set up social media groups to advertise your services where existing clients can write their reviews and attract new clientele. But don’t forget that people do engage with the outside world daily. Local ads, flyers, and even merchandise such as t-shirts that you can give out for people to wear and promote your business may bring in clients that you may never have expected. Conferences and other in-person events, especially those you plan yourself for your clients and/or local community, can also make a difference in the engagement level with your business. Make optimal financial decisions Promoting trust and reliability between you and your clients will improve your chances of gaining loyal customers who will continue coming back to you for advice on more trips and who will refer anyone they can to your business. However, only keeping repeat customers by your side will not increase your sales by much. All independent travel agents who aim to grow in the sales department also consistently cater to incoming clientele who may or may not stick around. It’s always a good idea to advertise your business constantly in-person and over social media. Consider keeping in contact with your clients before their trip and after they return, sending both personalized and generalized messages to encourage their loyalty to your services when they travel in the future. Staying in touch with people who can benefit your career is a huge plus when working independently! Maintaining contact with clients becomes easier when you set up a schedule that is right for you. Remember: a series of small steps will get you farther than a couple of large leaps. Setting goals and a time range during which you work will help you get used to your work-at-home schedule. Complete more pending tasks such as bookings before checking emails and posting on social media. Set aside some time to plan ahead on marketing techniques and consider keeping some social media posts in queue so that you can consistently post without any worries. Focus on providing a satisfactory experience for all customers, whether they decide to book a vacation immediately or warm up to the idea over time, and regardless of how often they seek your travel consultation. Another important factor to think about when engaging clients is the time of year. Do your best to offer your existing customers promotions and valuable travel advice in order to entice them to book travel during peak travel seasons. Increasing marketing when travel is in the air will allow you to not only have way more clients to appeal to than usual, but to also earn higher commissions from your newfound clients because of the rise in travel prices. Unsure about peak travel seasons, commission rates or other travel-related information? Applying to the right host travel group for you is one of the best ways to get the right information at the right time. Who doesn’t enjoy receiving benefits and advice from top professionals in the industry? Our support team at BNT Travel Group is always available to inform our travel agents about possible promotions and peak seasons. In addition, joining our team of independent travel agents will allow you to access countless useful marketing resources that will start you on your way to success in both the advertising and sales departments without having to pay any monthly or yearly fees for these benefits. Getting started with your own schedule for marketing and client retention may seem intimidating, particularly if you are launching your career as an independent travel agent from home. That’s why our host travel agency’s support system is designed to make it simple for all BNT travel agents to access the resources and receive the expert advice required to thrive.
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