Become a Home Based Travel Agent

New Agent Marketing
By Laura Frazier
Bliss Honeymoons

I was perusing a travel agent message board the other day that is frequently used by newer agents.

One of these agents was seeking advice from some of the more experienced agents about how to get the word out about her new business. While there were many experienced agents who jumped in to offer advice to this person about how to get started, what I found interesting is that so many of these solutions were singular in nature.

I would love it if there were a one-stop silver bullet solution to sales. Who wouldn’t! But if you’re just getting started, you’ll likely need multiple avenues of marketing to get your new business off the ground. All too often I see a new agent ready to give up because they’ve tried building a website or running an ad that produced very little results. But it’s not abnormal at all to have a single marketing tactic that doesn’t appear to be working well. You’ll need several different tactics, working in tandem with one another, before you’ll start to see the results that you’re seeking.

I know what you’re thinking right now-you’re thinking “But gosh this is a brand new business and I have little to no money to invest.”  The good news is that there are many low cost activities to engage in that can help spread the word about your business. Here are some examples:

Can you write? Offer to contribute some articles for your local paper or online publication. This will give you instant free advertising, with your name in the bi-line.

Do you have a hobby? Many cities offer adult education classes in everything from wine tasting to tango lessons. This is a great way to meet people that you’ll have a common bond with that also are likely to enjoy travel.

Have you been to a trade show? Attending a trade show is a low cost way to meet others within the industry just like you! You’ll have the opportunity to attend workshops and presentations that offer you valuable insight. Increasing your knowledge and staying current about the industry will increase your credibility. Attending at least one industry trade show a year should be a part of your marketing budget.

Got a Facebook page? Facebook and other social networking sites are a great way to meet other people who are huge travel fans. If you can’t find a group of travelers seeking the niche you specialize in, why not start one! In a couple of hours a day you can meet hundreds of potential clients from all over the world.

Remember, it takes time to build a business and establish a reputation. People need to see your name or ad several times before they will take action and contact you. Seeing your company name in multiple places will help build your reputation. Why not try two or three of these low cost activities at a time? After a few months you’ll be able to determine what activities make the most sense for you and your new business.