Smart Advertising

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Dear Travel Agents,

I know travel agents, new and old in the business, who struggle with the question of where they should advertise for new clients. I am asked this question in emails or via messenger at least once a week. I totally understand the need to know which places work when spending time and money on advertising. If I claim to know so much about the travel business and volunteer my help for free, I should be able to guide you to all the best places to find new clients.
Fair enough!

Advertising works to reinforce brands and names. The more exposed a name or a brand is, the more the public believes it is good. The best places to advertise cost more than places with less exposure. To produce and place a good advertisement, a chunk of money will need to be spent. It will assure the right people that your company is a good and reputable one. It will not guarantee that your prospective clients will not try to get a bargain on your prices, or copy and paste packages from another company to try to get the same price, or be rude.

In my opinion, for the best advertising, you should value your clients more. Remember their birthdays and important dates, and acknowledge these by sending a card, a little gift, or something that matters. Keep in touch with them. Befriend them on different social media sites, and take your time to comment and like their postings. Send them information about specials to different places, and times of the year. Good clients will help you build your reputation.  Happy people who have received the generosity of their travel agent/friend will go out of their way to spread the word about you and your business. And the cost is almost FREE!

There are many prospective clients out there. They can come to you through advertisements or by recommendation. Be the smart one who has a great reputation and is known for your kindness. Meanwhile, spend your money on acquiring more knowledge, and by traveling the world. Take the time to send pictures of great places you have the opportunity of seeing. It really pays to discover the world.

Happy journeys!

Follow me at:
Facebook @ travelwithrosana
Instagram @ travelwithrosana
Twitter @ travelRosana
Blogs @ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

 

 

Lemonade

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Dear Travel Agents,

If you could make one wish that would change your life, make things easier, and with that, have all your other wishes come true, what would you wish? Or, if you could make a change in your life to make things much easier, what would you change?

It is a rhetorical question: I am not a therapist, nor can I grant your wishes, but I want you to think about it, and visualize what you think detracts from your success.

Allow me to tell a few of my stories, and how I changed and worked around certain issues I faced. Actually, I have had many challenges, and maybe one day I will write a book, if I believe I can help people change the way they see things and move on in their lives. For now, I will focus on just travel stories, so you can identify with me.

For those of you who still don’t know, I was born and raised in Brazil and came to Los Angeles 30 years ago, at the age of 25. At the time, I spoke no English. I learned English by watching Sesame Street, and was able to start a travel company in 1993. The company grew to be a large-sized Tour Operator, specializing in Latin America. But, because of medication I was taking, my hands shook a lot, which made it look as though I was nervous even when I wasn’t.

In the beginning, I used to wish that my hands wouldn’t shake so much. I was embarrassed, and I tried to cover it up. Suddenly, I decided to show my hands and even used them to my advantage. When dealing with contracts, people thought I was nervous when they saw my hands shaking. They felt they had the upper hand, but since I really wasn’t nervous, I got my way in most of the contracts. Basically, I used something I wanted so badly to change to work in my favor.

More stories about this subject will be coming up in the following weeks. Keep tuned in, and follow me at:
Facebook @ travelwithrosana
Instagram @ travelwithrosana
Twitter @ travelRosana
Blogs @ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

 

 

 

Crossing Paths

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Dear Friends,

Sometimes we need to take a good pause in our lives, like a delicious long cruise. This allows us the chance to stop the craziness of everyday life, and pay attention to the little things – like crossing paths, especially with people you would never have expected to meet, because they are from other parts of the country, or even other countries. I also wonder why people cross our paths, and what it is we can add to each other’s life.

Yes, people definitely cross in each other’s lives almost everyday, but when we travel abroad in groups with strangers it is more obvious.

It is exciting. Many times, you feel very comfortable talking to someone on a cruise because you are so sure you will never see this person again once you are back home. You tell your “secrets,” you discuss your problems, and most of the time you gain a perspective that you would never get from someone closer to you.

We have done many cruises and somehow, we always seem to end up making good friends. Quite a few times we have met a couple with whom we became very friendly; we spent a good time together on excursions and at lunch, only to learn a day or two later that they were our neighbors on the cruise ship. Kind of funny.

Sometimes we have had a good time with people during the day on an excursion, then bump into them again while visiting the city or during leisure time after the excursion, only to find out that our tables in the dining room are next to each other.

These coincidences are not only fun, they assure me that we all cross each other’s path for a reason, which allows us to feel more comfortable spending time with each other.

My husband and I like to cruise with friends, but our schedule and bucket lists don’t always need to match with our friends. We are happy to travel on our own, and have faith that more good people will cross our paths, allowing us to enjoy every minute with new friends.

Feel free to share my story with your clients or prospective clients who feel overwhelmed by going on a big cruise alone, or with only one other person. Tell them to play “crossing paths” while they travel.

How about you? Do you have crossing paths story to share?

Follow me at:
Facebook @ travelwithrosana
Instagram @ travelwithrosana
Twitter @ travelRosana
Blogs @ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

Achieving Goals

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Dear Travel Agents,

Let’s talk about goals.

Success is about setting goals and achieving them, and once we get there, we celebrate and …..

Well, allow me to tell you about my personal goals. Since the time I was a little child in Brazil from a very simple background, I dreamed of visiting 75 countries. At that time, I had not even imagined going to live in the US, but I always nurtured this dream. Why 75? Probably because that was the total number of safe countries I could think of in the entire world, back in the late 70s when I was 18.

Fast forward – I am in Australia, celebrating my 75th country, and going to New Zealand – number 76.

So what is next? Should I “retire” and live happily ever after, or should I set another goal? If I set another goal, what does that say about me? That I am never happy?

Interesting thoughts, especially if we apply them to all other kinds of goals in life. Then what?

In my case, I have decided to set other goals and visit 120 countries, including Antarctica, (then having traveled on 7 continents). I’ll plan these trips better, because I have so much experience from achieving my first goal. I am more mature, and am treating myself in a more kind way. All this comes from experience and age, for sure.

I googled how many countries there are in the world NOW. According to my search: “There are 195 countries in the world today. This total comprises 193 countries that are member states of the United Nations and 2 countries that are non-member observer states: the Holy See and the State of Palestine.” Politics aside, most websites agree with these numbers. However, some countries are unsafe, so that limits me a lot in achieving my next goal.

Fortunately, I found one website that says there are 247 countries in the world, because it counts every single island, even Twain, and others.

It will be my choice to decide how I will achieve my new goal. After all, it is my goal and if I do it, it will be my way.

How about you? Are you working on achieving your goals?

Follow me at:
Facebook @ travelwithrosana
Instagram @ travelwithrosana
Twitter @ travelRosana
Blogs @ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

 

Falling in love with Africa

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Dear Travel Agent,

How many of you sell some of the countries in Africa to your clients?

Personally, I love Africa for every reason: cultural, adventure, beaches, history, animals and awesome hospitality.

I haven’t been to all the countries, and not all are safe, but many are. We should all take advantage and visit.

I could spend hours talking about each of one of the countries I have visited, and the others that are on my bucket list. Let me give you a little teaser and ask you to investigate more about these places, ask suppliers for more material, and promote them to your clients.

EGYPT – I have been there twice, and took one of my favorite pictures there (I am not such a good photographer), of the Nile River. It is a safe place to visit, and people feel very embraced by the rich history and the beauty of the country. My suggestion is to do 4 days on the Nile River, and if time allows, don’t miss Abu Simbel on the way back to Cairo from Aswan.

SOUTH AFRICA – when we went in August (winter time in the southern hemisphere), it was great. Not so cold, and not crowded at all. I fell in love with the diversity of activities in Cape Town and the history of Johannesburg. Safari was delightful, since most of the trees had no foliage so we could see far ahead. We incorporated Victoria Falls into this trip, so we also experienced ZIMBABWE and did a safari in BOTSWANA as well.

KENYA and TANZANIA – If you can, offer this trip to your clients during the migration (in May or October). It is great to combine the two countries. As they say: “Hakuna Matata,” or “Poli Poli!” You can see the beauty of the cycle of life, and find the serenity one feels there.

On my short bucket list are: UGANDA, MOROCCO and SEYCHELLES.

What countries in Africa do you recommend to your clients?

Follow me at: Instagram @ travelwithrosana
Facebook @ travelwithrosana
Twitter @ travelRosana
Blogs@ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordspress.com

 

 

How I wish…

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Dear Travel Agent,

Have you ever wished that you started your business years ago? Or wished for more friends? More followers? More money……

How easy is to go on in the land of “How I Wish”!

People do all the time, and this causes frustration and anxiety. These thoughts can happen to anyone at any time. It also happens to people who you believe have everything, because truly, no one has everything!

I love reading the posts of travel agents celebrating their first booking. I still remember mine, and the emotions I felt. The feeling of accomplishment was gigantic, it couldn’t fit it inside myself.

Or how I felt on my first trip to Europe… My first time in an airplane… My first cruise… (I brought so many medications because I was sure I was going to be seasick!)

I love the feeling of arriving in a new country and being amazed by a different culture, colors, smell, etc.

I also love the posts of people thanking God for another day, and celebrate having another opportunity to start again.

What happens to the memory of those wonderful feelings when people spend their time thinking, “How I wish I had …..?”

How can we guide our thoughts to think about our blessings instead of “How I Wish?”

How many of us imagine that others wish to be just like us?

Life is not always fair, and I am writing all of this not only to remind you, but also to remind myself to be less critical of myself, to treat myself more kindly, and to be my own real best friend.

Life is too short, especially when we spend our time frowning and wishing we had, or we were, or we did.

To all the beauty in the world that only those who really love themselves can see and celebrate, raise your head high and smile. You deserve to see the beauty and feel happy! Cheers to you!

Follow me at:
Instagram @travelwithrosana
Facebook @travelwithrosana
Twitter @travelRosana
Blog @ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

Budgets and Travel

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Dear Travel Agent,    money-1502843_960_720

How many of your clients can travel often, and how many clients have been referred to you?

This is a rhetorical question; I am not actually trying to do a survey, but just want you to reflect on these questions.

A travel agent’s world would be a perfect place if only all their clients would travel few times a year, and if they all referred their friends and families, and their friends and families would take their recommendation and become perfect clients, and so on….

Unfortunately, not every client can travel that often because a word in the dictionary, “budget.”  Others don’t travel to some destinations or even cancel their plans because of another word, “fear” (of hurricanes, terrorism, earthquakes, security, epidemics, etc.)

Let’s focus on BUDGET. It is definitely a very personal and delicate subject that needs to be discussed with each of our clients. Some wise posts on social media, or comments in general when socializing can put a great spin of this conversation, and demonstrate the benefit of the business of travel. I do that quite often in my posts, by using comparisons:

  •  Travel is cheaper than Botox, it doesn’t hurt, and it lasts longer!
  •  An experienced travel agent may be able to help you better than a therapist can. Tell them your problems and she/he will send you to a paradise destination.
  •  For cigarette smokers, quitting a pack a day habit can pay for travel once a year
  •  Traveling once a year keeps the doctor away. (Think how much more relaxed and less stressed one feels, which can help reduce the effects of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.)

By giving your clients food for thought, you can help them prioritize things in their lives, and provide incentive to budget more for travel. You are just stating the truth, and showing them reasons that living a full and enjoyable life has an impact on the other word: FEAR.

We need to live every day to the fullest, enjoy every picture, every place and every memory. Life in this world happens only once, so we need to make the most of it.

Follow me at:
Instagram @travelwithrosana
Facebook @travelwithrosana
Twitter @travelRosana
Blog @ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

 

A Calling Versus a Profession

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Dear Travel Agent,

I try to read the posts, Tweets, blogs and check the Instagram accounts of as many of my friends and followers as I can possibly can.

It is important to me to know what travel agents think, and how they deal with their current and prospective clients. I see how much each and every travel agent cares, and how important it is to them to do a good job. Rarely (almost never) do I see questions about which vendors pay more commission, but only about which ones give better service.

There are no classes for CARING, nor there are classes for wanting to make a client happy. Some people are born that way, and some aren’t. Self-centered people do not care as much about making others happy, nor do they put their clients center stage.

The travel agents who succeed are the nurturing ones – self-assured, caring, respectful and who want to make their clients happy. Having a backbone is as important as the nurturing, because the CARE needs to be pointed at both sides: the client/prospective client, and the travel agent/self.

Being a travel agent is more than a profession, it is a calling. There are many times that agents are connected 24/7 to make sure everything is alright, that the client is safe, even before he/she knows that there could be a problem. It is like a big successful play where the actors are the clients, and the travel agent is the backstage crew. The actors look beautiful and get standing ovations, thanks to the caring and loving work from backstage. The play is the beautiful world they travel and enjoy – taking many pictures, smiling throughout, and telling others what a journey it has been!

To all the travel agents and those who work backstage making sure life is a great success to many, cheers!

Follow me at:
Instagram @travelwithrosana
Facebook @travelwithrosana
Twitter @travelRosana
Blog @ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

 

 

Life happens and Travel Agents Rock!

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Dear Travel Agent,

The travel industry has been through different challenges throughout the years, and now, more than ever, I see a big reason to be united.

Just sixteen years ago, right after 09/11, it was hard to sell Europe. I discovered how much easier it was to sell South America at that time, and my tour company prospered and actually sold more than we expected.

Then came the search engines, which strongly tried to put all travel agents out of jobs. What we can now see is that search engines better assist the cheaper clients; taking the self-helpers to one side, and leaving the smart and savvy travelers looking for the expertise of travel agents.

Now, it seems that the world is upside down. There have been so many hurricanes and earthquakes, affecting so many places and hurting so many people. It hurts, it leaves us speechless, and somehow helpless.

How can we come together and do something? We can definitely do something to help!

  • Give a little portion of your sales to a cause to rebuild a country.
  • Pre-sell some of the affected destinations for travel as soon as they are ready (tourism always brings money and promotes the economy of a country).
  • Promote groups going to those countries to rebuild through church groups and other venues. (Contact churches, YMCA, Red Cross and other venues about how to bring in people to help.
  • Use any venue to collect money, such as a Telethon to raise money to send it to those countries.
  • Develop and promote your own ideas to help the affected countries.

Remember you don’t need to do it anonymously. Proudly connect what you are doing to the name of your company, or your name. Prospective clients can and should know how much you care. If we all care, we will build a better world. Catastrophes happen, life happens, travel agents care and they show it. I am sure that those who show more caring will end up getting more business, and they deserve to.

Do you have a plan on how you can help?

Follow me at:
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Facebook @travelwithrosana
Twitter @travelRosana
Blogs @ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

 

 

 

Personal Versus Automated

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volunteers-2654000_960_720Dear Travel Agent,

Do you still remember the way you felt when you patiently called your suppliers about Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, to learn what was canceled and what wasn’t? What did you tell your clients? I saw the posts of many travel agents who said that they waited no longer than 15 minutes for an answer, and that even though the vendor was overwhelmed by many calls, he/she was very polite and gave all the necessary answers and information.

Talking to a real person, and getting private, one-on-one attention is priceless. If you feel like that as a person who works in tourism, imagine how your prospective clients feel! They have a lot invested in their trip (many times it is their first one, or they have saved long and hard for the money). They deserve to feel special!

Online automation is great for paying for parking lots, trains, subways, etc. It is great when you don’t have any questions, and if you lose that little bit of money or time, it will not be a burden to you. Otherwise, we all need a human being who speaks good English, or whatever our native language is, who can explain all pros and cons of our trip; a person who will give us choices and suggestions. An actual human who will take the time to understand us better, and hold our hand until the end of the planning, and even be there to welcome us back to make sure we had a super time.

Working with people offers a great value that automation will never, ever be able to take over.

Think about this next time you promote yourself. You have so much more to give! Forget about online websites or search engines – your personal service is much more valuable and important to everyone!

Follow me at:
Instagram @ travelwithrosana
Facebook @ travelwithrosana
Twitter @ travelRosana
blog @ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com