You could be an amazingly knowledgeable and organized travel agent, but that won't matter unless you find effective ways to market yourself so that potential clients can find you.

Over time, you'll determine what the best marketing strategy is for you, but until then, here are some options for you to explore.

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Engage with People

If people don't know you are a travel agent, you can't expect them to book with you. Let people know, both online and off. Be sure to always have business cards with you - you never know when you'll meet a potential client.

 

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Stand out with Custom Packages

Inspire people with interesting packages (either supplier-provided or create one yourself). Resorts with excursions and flights, cruises with pre and post hotels and shore excursions, custom packages with hotels, flights, and activities/tickets. Sports, Broadway, museums, food tours... the options are endless. Once you have your custom package, post about it, print copies and pass them around.

 

 

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Be an Expert

 

If you've completely supplier training or industry certification, share it. The only person who can demonstrate your expertise is you. But be realistic - if you spent the weekend and did 20 different supplier programs, that's too much to share at once. Work it in when it's relevant - if you're telling a client about a great deal on a cruise with cruise line x and you've completed that line's training, tell them.

 

 

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Get Out There in Public

This is a business where the more people you meet, the more access you have to potential clients. Consider setting up a table at a farmers market or trade show, host a travel info session (reach out to appropriate BDMs for help), or join up with another complimentary business and do a presentation (for example, if you focus on adventure travel, talk to an outdoor equipment store). We've even had agents put a float in a parade!

Note: Please be sure to abide Go Travel guidelines for tradeshow participation.

 

Tradeshow guidelines
 

 

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Local Groups

Consider joining local networking groups like your local Chamber of Commerce, or use your connections to assist potential groups of travelers you already know. Does your kid's sports team need hotels? Suggest wellness getaways to gym owners? Maybe your church group would like to travel to religiously significant regions. 

 

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Build a Mailing List

 

While collecting followers on social media can be beneficial, collecting email addresses is even more so. When people consent to give you their email address so you can share regular travel information with them, you have an audience that wants to hear from you. This is much more effective than social media where you never know who is even seeing your posts. Subscribers must be able to opt out at any time and be sure to follow all privacy requirements in you use a mailing list. Do not ever add anyone to a mailing list without their consent.

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Be Consistent

 

With so many options for booking travel available, people want to get to know and trust you. Whatever method you use to promote yourself, be consistent. If you are posting on social media, do it regularly. A business page without any recent posts appears to visitors as closed.

 

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Get a Website

Potential customers expect businesses to have websites. You are a business and pointing them to the Go Travel website does not to reflect what you offer. If web design isn't a skill you have, hire someone to make you a website. It doesn't need to be complex, but it does go a long way to proving your legitimacy. 

See Personal websites for some basic tips.

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Fill in your Profiles

Fill in your Ensemble profile. Fill in your Sirev profile. Fill in your profiles with other suppliers. Free marketing is free marketing.

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Invest in Yourself

Once you're comfortable with booking travel components and are making some bookings and have money coming in, consider investing in yourself. There are many great books on marketing available, as well as marketing courses.
 

You Don't Work for our Suppliers

 

Many of our suppliers provide amazing print and online marketing materials for your use, but remember you are not part of their marketing department and you are not paid to market for them. You get paid if you sell them. Get out of the habit of always sharing their posts and information. Instead post destinations and experiences that align with what your preferred suppliers sell and position yourself as a destination/experience expert. 

Do make use of the supplier materials when appropriate - you have clients interested in a specific product, you have clients that prefer brochures to websites, etc.
 

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Marketing is something we discuss in the Facebook group quite often, so a search for marketing will bring you back some additional ideas.

 

 

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Additional Marketing Resources

Marketing Ideas for your Travel Agency Business

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Travel Marketing: 11 Tips for Marketing Your Hotel or Agency

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Marketing Ideas for Your Travel Agency or Tour Company​​​​​