Author Archives: Richard Earls
There are 208 articles by Richard Earls published on this site.
I like both endings and beginnings. In less than two weeks, 2025 will come walking through the bar door like a character in a Western movie. There are many uncertainties in the plot line, absolutely. Given recent events, with all the twists and turns lately, most crystal balls have been downgraded to paperweights. What is certain, however, is the need for planning. If you have delayed crafting a 2025 business plan, there is still a bit of time to do so, and here are a few ideas to help you along the way.
A business plan has the following two goals:
- the retention of existing clients; and,
- the acquisition of new clients.
Your existing clients are your base and represent your steady income. New clients represent growth and replace clients you may lose or fire along the way. Whatever steps we take in building a plan, we will want to ensure that we are acting to either retain desirable existing clients or acquire desirable new ones.
Read the rest of this entry »
“Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” -Dalai Lama
In many ways, Thanksgiving is the greatest of holidays, a reminder of the debt of gratitude we owe to everyone and everything around us. It is always tempting to magnify our losses and minimize the ordinary, daily miracle. We long for big, outrageous fortunes and forget the small, mundane but truly astonishing gifts. One day of the year, however, is a reminder to contemplate the undeniably interdependent nature of our existence. How amazingly special is it when a client takes the time and effort to say “Thanks”? Being on the receiving or giving end of gratitude is a pretty special thing. Especially now.
Everything is connected. We don’t have to look far to find people and institutions deserving of our thanks. Every success we enjoy, every small achievement, is the result of an interplay of grace and circumstance.
Let me ask a question for your consideration: What Are You Worth?
Let me provide the answer for you: “It depends.”
The reason you have to give a less than precise answer regarding this question is simple: the value of any product or service is not entirely inherent in the product or service by itself. You cannot answer the question without asking about the context.
For example, consider a six night Western Caribbean cruise on Disney Cruise Line in March, inside cabin, for $1,296. Is that a good deal? What if you upgrade me to a balcony cabin for free? That cabin on the same cruise is listed for $2,490. Is it a good “deal” now?
Steve Jobs of Apple Computers once used the phrase “insanely great” as a way of describing his products, and it became an anthem for his vision of Apple’s brand. Go to any Apple store and look at the people crowding around, staring at the products, touching them, playing with computers, phones, and iPods, and listening to music. You won’t find that kind of zealous activity in the computer section at Best Buy…unless they are looking at the Apple computers. iPhone. iPad. iPod. iTunes. Their products are benchmarks, what all competing products compare themselves against and want to be. Read the rest of this entry »
Tasmania, Australia’s southernmost state, is separated from mainland Australia across the Bass Strait by 150 miles. This small, heart-shaped island is too often overlooked by international travelers. Tasmania boasts both rugged coastlines and pristine beaches, as well as ancient rainforests and alpine regions. Fascinating wildlife and diverse topography make Australia’s island state a destination worthy of consideration for any visitor to Australia.
“Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.” ~ Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle.
You probably think of yourself as a travel agent, travel advisor, a travel counselor or a travel planner or some variation thereof. People entrust you with their vacations, their dreams, travel plans, their travel ambitions. You, in turn, access the tools at hand and make your clients’ dreams come true. Your tools are your experience, your relationships with suppliers, your sense of detail and customer service. Every now and then, however, maybe you glimpse that you are something more than a travel agent, counselor or planner. Sometimes you might just sense that you pass right over into the realm of the magician – that ability to transform travel from a trip into an experience. Read the rest of this entry »
Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
~ Calvin Coolidge
All manner of personalities take on travel consulting. Those who remain in the business for more than a couple of years, however, share some common traits that serve to explain their ability to remain in place in an industry so challenging. As President Coolidge indicated, if you are not persistent, there is no other quality to take its place. Read the rest of this entry »
Travel consultants who build a successful and thriving clientele base think nearly constantly about marketing, often without labeling it “marketing.” It is important, however, to place marketing in its proper context. Marketing is not a hunger for client acquisition, a desperate rush of activity designed to make consumers notice your business. Rather, marketing is client-centric. Read the rest of this entry »
International travel becomes a bit more complicated when navigating with a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) conviction in your client’s rearview mirror. DUIs, seemingly straightforward in their nature, can actually vary significantly in their impact on travel opportunities, depending on the destination and the severity of the offense.
While some nations may treat a DUI as a minor offense, akin to a misdemeanor, others elevate its seriousness to that of a felony, especially if it involved harm to others or property. This distinction is crucial, as it directly impacts a traveler’s eligibility to enter certain countries. Read the rest of this entry »
If you are a travel planner, marketing is by necessity your constant companion. Too often, however, travel professionals treat marketing like a hand tool that is pulled out of the box only when sales are “needed,” when business seems a little slow. But effective marketing is a mindset, a constant preoccupation for the successful travel professional intent on growing their business.
Marketing drives sales. The marketing you do today may not have an effect for weeks or even months. Business a bit quiet right now? Want this time next year to look better? It’s a good idea to begin marketing more thoughtfully and consistently. It is absolutely possible for you to enhance the arc of your travel practice by learning fundamental marketing strategies and tactics. However, the techniques you need to master are not “tricks” or clever negotiating. Read the rest of this entry »
I recently returned from a trip to Anchorage, and while I was there, I was struck by the local concern for the well-being of the indigenous community and local economies. I have seen those same concerns expressed to an even greater degree by native Hawaiian travel advocates. At a time when our planet and its cultures are as accessible as they are vulnerable, the importance of traveling responsibly has to be taken seriously. Read the rest of this entry »
“We cannot protect something we do not love, we cannot love what we do not know, and we cannot know what we do not see. Or hear. Or sense.”
~ Richard Louv
Non-profit organizations dedicated to conservation and animal welfare play a critical role in safeguarding our planet’s biodiversity. From protecting endangered species and their habitats to advocating for better animal welfare practices, these groups work tirelessly to ensure a healthier future for all living things. Here’s a closer look at some of the most respected organizations making a difference around the world. Read the rest of this entry »
The growth of sites such as Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay have so revolutionized the stock photography landscape that giants like Getty Images, which owns Unsplash, and Canva (Pixabay and Pexels) are now major players. It all seems most attractive. A no-cost registration gives the travel professional millions of images to use on their website, Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms without laying out any money at all. It is the best of all worlds for the travel marketer.
Or is it?
We have previously discussed the need to train clients. Let’s revisit the discussion. It is not an exaggeration to indicate the success or failure of your travel business will depend on the extent to which you are capable of taking charge of your client relationships and professionally leading them into behavior conducive to traveling safely and well. Top travel professionals train their clients to be good clients. Training your client assists both you and the client to achieve optimal results from every travel planning effort. Read the rest of this entry »
We have noted a decided uptick in the number of actions being taken against travel advisors by “copyright trolls.” Copyright trolls are entities or individuals who scour the internet for the purpose of finding copyright infringements, no matter how slight. These predators primarily target unwitting breaches where images, music, or text have been used without proper permission or license. Once they’ve found a potential infringement, they swiftly send out legal threats or demands for licensing fees, often exorbitant in nature, preying on the fear of costly litigation to compel a quick settlement. Read the rest of this entry »
Public relations includes:
- media (articles about you),
- networking
- speaking opportunities,
- events; and
- writing (articles by you).
In each of these efforts, your personality is at the core of the marketing tactic. When the public reads an article about your agency, hears you speak, works with you at an event, or reads an article you have written, they engage you as an individual, not as a faceless company. That encounter is intensely personal and carries an authority that an advertisement cannot. People are trained to ignore advertising. They are equally well-trained to engage those in their presence. Read the rest of this entry »
I want to end this year by thanking our readers and sponsors for their support with one of my favorite columns.
Raise your right hand if you have ever had a problem client, the type of individual that made you reconsider your entire career as a travel professional. Keep your hands raised. Now, raise your left hand if you currently have a problem client. Even at this distance, I can see most of you have both hands in the air. Go ahead and lower your hands, you are going to need them to assist some of these clients to the door. Read the rest of this entry »
As a nation, we are a jaded lot. From Willy Loman to the used-auto hucksters in countless movies, the public in general holds sales people rather low on the scale of esteem. Indeed, most of the people you encounter are so afraid of being “sold” something that they refuse to speak with salespeople when they enter a store or walk onto a car lot. “I’m just looking” is used as the warding spell against the salesperson, and woe to the one who persists beyond that point.
Most travel consultants share this cultural bias against “sales.” Ironic, isn’t it?
Over the next two years, Patrick and Beth McIntyre are acquiring Image Tours from Monique and Mike Kasmauskis. The purchase was initiated on December 1, 2023.
Founded in the Netherlands in 1939, Grand Rapids, MI-based Image Tours offers escorted European tours dedicated to providing Superior Value with a Personal Touch. “This has been a family company since its founding, and while we are not part of the founding family, we are excited to continue running Image Tours as a family-owned and operated business”, said Patrick McIntyre, who is transitioning into the President and General Manager roles for the company.
Monique Kasmauskis wishes to convey, “Mike and I feel confident passing the torch onto Patrick and Beth McIntyre to provide leadership and strategic implementations which will preserve the quality and authenticity of the product while also making improvements throughout the operation.”
Monique and Mike will remain involved in the business operations as the sale process will be completed in November of 2025, ensuring a smooth and effective transition to the McIntyres. Beth’s career focus has been in advertising and marketing at an advertising agency in Chicago and as owner of a retail business in Traverse City. Patrick has an extensive background in the travel industry as he grew up in the family that founded, owned, and operated Passageways Travel in Traverse City, MI, and then worked at the travel agency from 2005 through April of 2012 in a variety of leadership roles. Since 2012, Patrick has owned and operated Management Reporting Services, a consulting and data management company in the travel industry.
“Beth and I are committed to living up to the standards set by Monique, Mike, and everyone that’s part of the Image Tours team both now and into the future”, stated Patrick McIntyre. The business plans to continue operations in its current location with the same staff team as it enters this next phase of leadership.
While I am a proponent of the thoughtful use of “artificial intelligence” (AI), I understand and fully appreciate the concerns many have voiced regarding the training of AI on existing creative works. Critics of AI often raise charges of plagiarism and copyright violation because of the way in which AI integrates existing text, graphics, and art into its generative efforts. Read the rest of this entry »
Branding is a vitally important component of your overall business and marketing plan. A strong branding strategy ensures the public will clearly understand your company’s value proposition. Poorly implemented, however, a brand strategy can leave clients perplexed and unimpressed.
