Become a Travel Agent

Tripology and You

With more than 45,000 trip requests processed since the consumer launch of Tripology.com in June 2007 and a rapidly growing network of 8,000+ travel specialists, Tripology offers the best of both worlds for agents and consumer travelers:  For agents, a way to recession proof their businesses with high-intent travel leads tailored to their areas of expertise…For consumers, access to travel specialists available to provide their insightful knowledge about destinations around the world, travel planning expertise, and personalized client service. 

Here’s a look at how you can use Tripology to help boost your business:

What is Tripology?

Tripology is an interactive travel referral service that connects travel specialists to consumers seeking their expert knowledge and travel planning experience. For specialists, Tripology is a cost-effective way to get qualified travel leads from high intent travelers.  Tripology enables specialists to harness the immense reach of the Web, then work one-on-one offering the personal attention and service they seek. We’ve given specialists a great new way to use the Internet to grow their business. Tripology provides these experts a timesaving, cost-effective medium to stand out from the crowd and find exactly the types of clients they seek.

How do agents use Tripology to get new business?

Here’s how it works: To become a Tripologist, travel specialists log on to www.Tripology.com/agent, complete the registration online, and create their profile.  Then, they select lead filters based on the exact types of trips they specialize in booking. The specialist’s profile is then reviewed, confirmed, and processed by Tripology. Once approved, the specialist starts to receive leads. 

In the meantime, consumers seeking travel specialists visit www.Tripology.com and complete detailed trip requests. When there is a match between what a consumer specifies and a specialist’s preferences, the specialist receives a ‘lead alert’ via email, with the details of the requested trip. 

If the travel specialist is interested in pursuing the lead, he or she clicks the "accept" link.  The first three specialists who "accept" a lead are then able to access the prospective client's contact information.  Limiting leads to three agents ensures that both agents and consumers receive the maximum value from Tripology.  The very detailed nature of the trip information gathering process by the consumer validates the lead for the specialist. We're not just passing a name and email.  Consumers complete a detailed trip request form, providing enough information -- A) for us to determine the best available specialists and -- B) for the specialist to prepare a response to the consumer that is tailored specifically to what the traveler wants. It's a win-win for both parties.

Creating a profile that best conveys the specialist’s area(s) of expertise and detailed trip planning experience is the principal key to making Tripology work most effectively for specialists in generating new clients that are seeking the specific knowledge of that specialist.

How can specialists tailor their profiles to receive targeted leads?

Tripology gives specialists (called Tripologists) complete control of their account. As a registered specialist, you have the power to indicate what type of lead alerts you would like to receive.

To make this possible, we have created several adjustable filters for your profile. Via these filters you can hone your profile to specifiy:
 - Minimum budget for each client’s request
 - Geographical area where clients are based
- How your clients would like to be contacted (whether by phone, email, or both)
- The client’s desired travel destination
- The travel related services they seek
- And, of course, the purpose of Trip Request (“A Unique personalized experience,” or “for competitive price quotes”)

What are some tips to creating the best profile?

SPECIFY EXPERTISE – BEING TOO GENERAL HINDERS FINDING YOUR BEST LEADS

When setting up a profile we tell specialists that it is usually best to start out very specific and expand your options later. This will ensure that you have a chance to get a good feel for how Tripology works and how to work with the lead alerts before becoming overwhelmed in your first week.

Obviously as an agent you can book pretty much anything, however, Tripology is really designed for specialists.  Based on feedback and success from other specialists, we find that the more you tailor you profile, the better your chances of reaching the consumer traveler who is seeking your specific knowledge and experience.   

For example, if you set up your profile as a generalist you could receive over 100 emails from Tripology a week. That’s a lot of emails and most likely not all of them are going to be for the types of clients you want. It is also no secret that consumer travelers are seeking specialists. In many surveys and research finding unveiled this year, consumers have expressed difficulty in finding experts that specialize in planning travel for their desired destinations or types of trips. That’s where we come in…Tripology makes finding the right specialist for each trip easy and convenient for travelers, as well as lucrative for qualified travel pros. 

If you really set up your profile to convey the top three areas you know best and adjust your budget, lifestyle and occasion filters appropriately, you limit your lead alerts to exactly what you seek that corresponds effectively with you area(s) of expertise. 

In other words, the right filters = the right clients

DETAIL SERVICES

It is important to consider the services you indicate proficiency in booking.  For example: If you are a cruise specialist and only want leads that include cruises, then it is important to select cruises as a service you provide and also the “Only send me leads if they contain cruises filter.”  This will ensure that all of your leads have a cruise component.

You should also consider indicating that you book flights, hotels, and ground transportation as well. If you don’t, you could miss out on any cruise leads that will need assistance booking flights, or pre- or post- cruise accommodations as well. 

SET NO MORE THAN ONE “ONLY SEND” FILTER

If you indicate your leads must contain too many specifics, chances are that you will not receive very many leads from Tripology. So it is best to limit your restrictions to no more than one “only send me leads that contain…” filter. 

For further information on how to adjust filters, specialists can access Tripology.com/agent and review the Travel  Agent Frequently Asked Questions located  on the FAQ link at the top of each specialist’s profile page.  Specialists can also contact the Tripology Customer Relationship Team at 800-924-0722.

How much does Tripology cost for specialists to use?

Tripology.com has been appropriately designed to be easy and risk free for specialists to join and use whenever they seek incremental business.  The site’s user friendly interface and tools helps ensure the success of the travel specialist.  Plus, registration is free; there are no membership fees and no minimum purchase necessary.  Specialists only purchase the leads they want, which are currently priced at $5 per lead. 

How can I learn more?
Simply go to www.tripology.com or as a travel specialist you can access the company’s dedicated agent website online at www.tripology.com/agent for information on how to become a registered Tripoligist.