Become a Home Based Travel Agent

We get so many email ads and email news daily in the travel business. I am other professionals have this same onslaught of constant messaging, but what is it that makes us read and continue to open newsletters and news advisories?

It has become relatively easy to create a great-looking email template and it is certainly very important to establish credibility and brand recognition with your readers. However, it might be said to be cautious to not judge a book by its cover. Pretty graphics and a cool design do not hold our attention. Content is critical to the success of any email campaign. Whether the focus of the campaign in to build sales, simply create awareness or build on your customer’s loyalty, what you say is most important element and will keep them coming back to ready more.

In the morning when my inbox is flooded with emails and news blasts, I typically read the subject and from line to decide what my early morning tired eyes will read. I have my first cup of coffee on my desk and I am only ready to read what I want to read. I ask myself, what is in it for me? Surveys say that we have seven seconds to answer that question in an email campaign.

Following are some keys to getting your travel email campaign to provide you with terrific results.

Some of you may have attended my recent seminars and workshops and if you have you know that I am all about branding and how important it is to carry your brand and theme throughout all your marketing programs. In many cased that brand is YOU! When your readers open your offerings or newsletters, your brand should be front and center. While that will not hold them indefinitely, it will take them to a familiar place in their mind. That place where they remember enjoying the content of your most recent communication and are anxious to see what this one will bring. The real magic for getting past that seven-second mark lies in the content of your communication.

What you say (otherwise referred to as content) should be relevant to the reader and should engage them to want to continue to read on. You want to assure that they do not shut down their interest in your content and hit delete, block future emails from you or unsubscribe to your newsletter.

How relevant your message is to your reader is the answer to the all-important “What is in it for me?” question. The goal is to ensure that your readers do the following:

Knowing who your target audience is will allow you to write and provide content relevant to them. If that means you have to do multiple newsletters targeted at varying audiences, then do so. Get yourself inside the mind of your audience and write to them.

YOU are the reason your clients buy from you, right? Don’t send out the generic email broadcasts that are available from sources at every turn. Instead, personalize your messages to reflect who you are and to establish the tone and personality that will endear you to your readers. IT helps to build a connection and fosters relationships. There is no question the reader will be more inclined to open your next message if they feel a personal tie to you.

If so, stop! Keep it relevant but simple. If there is too much to muddle through, the reader is likely to tune out and might miss the key point or offer you are trying to promote. Some say the more you email, the shorter they should be.

You should be! Use well-placed hyperlinks and buttons throughout your message so the reader can go someplace for more complete information. Of course, that someplace is always your website! This is where the ever-popular call to action can really work well.

The content and personalization you provide to current and potential travelers is the main reason they subscribe and look forward to receiving your email messages. The content, personalization and timeliness of your messaging are sure to keep them reading and wanting more.

Joanie Ogg CTC MCC
Joanie Ogg Marketing Group
Editor

Joanie Ogg is a thirty-five year veteran of the travel industry and has been involved with the independent contractor evolution since 1988. She is the principal of Joanie Ogg Marketing Group, which specializes in consulting and speaking on the topic of Home-Based Travel. She also provides marketing and sales for wide variety of products under the umbrella HomeBasedTravelAgent.com.

A demonstrated industry leader, Joanie most recently served as the President of the National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents (NACTA) and TravelSellers. She and her husband Tom acquired NACTA in 1996 and sold it to The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) in 2000. Joanie’s tenure in the travel industry includes owning and operating one of the first successful host agency models. She has owned and operated several storefront travel agencies (both commercial and leisure), as well as a Hawaii wholesale tour company.

Her decades of success have garnered her numerous accolades over the years. Her accomplishments have been recognized by receipt of two Lifetime Achievement Awards from major trade groups, being named as one of the “100 Most Powerful Women in Travel” by Travel Agent magazine on several occasions, voted as “Travel Agent of the Year” by the readers of Travel Trade magazine, and has been recognized by many other industry organizations throughout her tenure in the industry. In 2008 Joanie Ogg was inducted into the CLIA Hall of Fame, an honor held by some of the most influential executives in the travel industry.

Joanie is a Master Cruise Counselor (MCC) and a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC). Joanie has co-authored two popular travel industry books for cruise specialists and home-based travel agents and has authored hundreds of travel trade articles. She has inspired tens of thousands of travel agents attending her presentations at trade events, cruise seminars, international trade gatherings and numerous local educational venues throughout the United States. With a time-honored background and forward-looking vision, she is often featured as a speaker at many of the travel industry’s major conferences and events. Joanie’s speaking talents are widely sought as a travel industry emcee by the most recognized travel organizations. She has emceed such events as Cruise-A-Thons, ASTA’s CruiseFest, The Trade Show, The Travel Institute Forum and all of NACTA’s National and International Conferences.


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