In its simplest form, marketing consists of generating new business and keeping old. Any new customer may spend money with you once, but a loyal customer provides a lifetime of business! Read the rest of this entry »

In 2009, the comedian Eddie Izzard set the almost unbelievable goal of running all the way around the circumference of England and Scotland, the equivalent of 43 marathons in 50 days,  for charity and again in 2016 for 27 days in honor of Nelson Mandela.

He had never run a marathon before that time. I think it may be possible to learn something from Mr. Izzard. Read the rest of this entry »

As business people, it behooves us to think cautiously about any business strategy focusing on price as a way of attracting attention to our services.  We are a “deal” obsessed culture, and the “lowest price” mentality seems to be predominant everywhere. Not only are we training our clients to hone in on exactly the wrong issues, we also deeply damage the integrity of our own brands in the process.

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Everyone in business has to learn to blow their own horn. Of course, it helps to practice first. We have all heard the advice to develop a short answer to explain to others what we do as travel consultants, but how many of us have actually done so? Jay Conrad Levinson calls it a “sound bite.” You may have heard it called an “elevator pitch.” Whatever you call it, it’s pretty important to be able to intelligently answer THE QUESTION: “What do you do?” Read the rest of this entry »

Running an agency is tough no matter the size. Owners must wear all the hats to make it run efficiently and profitably. It is a delicate balance because your time and expertise are valuable. Does it make sense to spend time doing the vital busywork?  Maybe it’s time to consider hiring a virtual assistant. Read the rest of this entry »

We have devoted this series to Guerrilla Marketing and to the type of tactics that require very little capital but lots of initiative and work. Let’s finish off with a few ways to spend your small marketing budget on tools that will help you more effectively market for many months to come.  Specifically, look to all of your “Points of Contact” – those areas where clients come into contact with your brand, and polish them just a bit.  An occasional upgrade to your points of contact is a necessary part of keeping your business personality fresh and smart-looking.

Friday’s guerrilla marketing tactics for $150: Read the rest of this entry »

“Guerrilla Marketing” is all about being smart with your marketing budget by using a lot of elbow grease to make each dollar go farther. If $150 is what you have to work with, you will want to find marketing venues that are tightly focused around your target demographic and then put in the requisite face-time with the prospective clients. The combination of a little bit of money and a whole lot of personality and physical effort will pay off for the travel agent willing to go the extra mile. Read the rest of this entry »