The headline read: “All Indications Point Toward a Banner Year For Travel Professionals According to James T. Bigelow”

You don’t know the writer, and he doesn’t know you. Yet I am quite certain that you are feeling better about your travel business knowing there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel. Things are looking up, according to some person known as an “authority.” In this case it’s James T. Bigelow Read the rest of this entry »

I love to visit early morning coffee shops when I am away from home. I listen to the locals meet and greet their friends during their daily ritual on their way to work. It truly is better entertainment for me than today’s TV selections.

A recent visit brought me to The White Castle on Central Avenue in Clark, N.J. This could very well have been the birthplace of the famous New Jersey “Death Ball”—a greasy hamburger about the size of a quarter. (Their coffee is their redeeming factor.)

I was nestled in the corner hiding behind my open laptop when Read the rest of this entry »

I am not sure if you can call this my “signature story” but it’s true that I have been sharing this particular point for over 30-years in my speaking business. It involves a single PowerPoint slide where I ask the audience to count the number of times they spot a particular letter clearly printed on the slide. It is not a trick. It calls for a single answer. The result for over 30 years? I get four different answers to the question. Read the rest of this entry »

Science tells us that water boils at 212 degrees. This is not an opinion. The boiling point doesn’t change depending on the day of the week or the economy. Your political persuasion does not affect the exact time that water boils nor does the price of gas on any one particular day. Water boils as expected: 212 degrees. 211 degrees? No boiling. 212? Let the bubbles begin. Art on the other hand shows us details and then allows us to interpret it as we see it. The exact same picture can be interpreted Read the rest of this entry »

Regardless of your age or musical preference, you undoubtedly have heard of Taylor Swift. Like her sound or not, this young lady is incredibly successful based on numerous reference points.

In a recent Inc. Magazine, the author positioned Ms. Swift’s successful strategy as one that other “successful want-to-be’s” could easily follow. There were four points to consider. Read the rest of this entry »

Inc. Magazine is a well-known content-driven periodical very much worth reading. In short, it shares a whole bunch of good stuff every month when it comes to entrepreneurial recommendations, ideas, case studies, and overall information. I look forward to receiving their e-zine every month. In most instances, I find myself agreeing with the authors, finding myself interested and stimulated by their views and examples. That is until I read today’s featured article. Read the rest of this entry »

From time to time, my wife interrupts my morning crossword puzzle concentration by sharing an article she feels I will connect with. Such was the case this morning. In this particular scenario, a woman wrote a letter to a celebrity entertainer on a whim and was surprised when he accepted her invitation to show him around Denver. This lesson in “asking” reminded me of a similar story from an agent I once interviewed having been impressed with Read the rest of this entry »

Probably not unlike you, my mind works in funny ways. This morning, I was having a cup of coffee on my back porch allowing my mind to wander. I soon began thinking about the difference between an amateur and a professional. I am sure you share my appreciation for watching a true professional ply their craft. It was approaching 6:30 am when I pictured a professional golfer starting his daily routine of hitting about 500 balls Read the rest of this entry »

On Memorial Day a few weeks ago, I was sitting on my couch browsing through some old articles and came across this one. It was first written back in 2016, but I feel the message is just as prudent today. With the understanding that I have shared this before, I would like to offer this “do-over.” The travel bug is alive and well, and once it gets a hold of you it is very difficult to shake. There are a number of ways the bug takes hold, but that is another story for another day. Today, I want to focus on the five mistakes you must avoid if you have an interest in sustaining a healthy (spelled profitable) home-based travel business. Read the rest of this entry »

Being a “non-automechanic” I blamed it on the cold weather. I soon caved in and determined the screeching sound coming from the engine area of my Ford Explorer might be a little more pressing than just a cool breeze rushing across the “frigus diametric.” This is an auto term pronounced FREE-Guz Die-a-met-tris. Read the rest of this entry »

How’s that for kicking off this article with a positive suggestion? “Are you telling us we should actually fail… faster.” There are a couple of facts in life that you will soon be experiencing, some more pleasurable than others. I can guarantee you that, sooner or later, you will be experiencing failure in some way, shape, or form. The worst thing you can do is try to avoid this aspect of life. If success is something you want to achieve in the coming years, failure will become a key ingredient. Read the rest of this entry »

It was a crisp fall day back in 1984 when I stumbled upon the travel industry…  totally by accident. Not a day goes by that I don’t thank my lucky stars that I did. At the time, I was interested in turning the page (changing jobs) and my strategy was to spread the word via those vendors whom I had established a good relationship with. My company’s travel agency was high on the list since I traveled quite a bit. As luck would have it Read the rest of this entry »

Let’s begin by focusing on the first word in the title of this report: “Get.” This little 3-letter word is “g-e-t.” Not hope. Not pray. Not wish. Not wait. But “get.” This by the way, is an action word. It infers that you must do something. You must go out and get some more business. The truth is that your future lies entirely in your hands. You are in control. You are driving the bus. All you must do is make up your mind to get up, get out, and get more travel business. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m sitting next to the bubbling water fountain at the Gaylord Opryland Conference Center in Nashville, TN. I have just completed three presentations and by the audience reaction, and the size of each crowd, I am considering this trip a success. Did I mention my programs were scheduled for 7 am, and each one was filled to capacity. This speaks volumes for the professionalism of these travel agents and their interest in becoming more skillful at what they do. I recognized them and saluted them for their commitment in growing their businesses. Did I mention we started at 7 am? Read the rest of this entry »

After reading the book by the title above, I find myself noticing a number of items that, yesterday, would have gone unnoticed and perhaps untouched. I figured if I was not going to complete the task at hand in one sitting, I would wait until I could find the time to do so. This has proven over time to be a wasteful decision.

The Kaizen philosophy goes against the popular teaching that you must finish what you start… at one sitting. Kaizen implies that you will eventually complete the task, but not as quickly as you first imagined. Read the rest of this entry »

I have always endorsed the practice of identifying one’s strengths and focusing on that strength to make even stronger, or more prominent. Many sales professionals think it is time well-spent to isolate a particular weakness and focus on improving upon that lacking skill. I suppose there will always be two sides to that coin. Read the rest of this entry »

Question: Mike, are you implying that the simple practice of “follow up” is a skill?

Answer: Yes I am.

Question: Are you also implying that professionals in the travel industry do not know the importance of, nor practice on a regular basis, the simple task of following up? Read the rest of this entry »

I have been known to suggest that when somebody crosses your mind for no apparent reason, it would be in your (and their) best interest to contact them… sooner rather than later.

The mysticism in this advice escapes me, but I hold firm in my belief the effectiveness behind this practice. This past week, I was the recipient of such a contact when an agent from the west coast sent me an email with an article of supposed interest attached. In this case, the agent thought I might want to discuss the topic at one of my future workshops or podcasts. I opened. I read. I agreed. And here it is.

Read the rest of this entry »

There is an old proverb that suggests, “The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know.” This adage first appeared in John Taverner’s Proverbs of Erasmus (1539).

This infers that it just might be easier to put up with what you are already familiar with, rather than roll the dice on something unknown. I suppose you could also justify your tendency to remain put by reminding yourself that “the grass always appears greener on the other side of the fence.” (Whatever make you feel better.)

Note: Today’s article is adapted from an article published in Forbes Magazine.

I added my two bits when I thought it appropriate and cut the length to fit my space.

Communication, customer service, and driving have something very much in common. Everybody thinks they are good at these skills when, in fact, very few are even adequate with any consistency.

This overestimation of our communication abilities is magnified when interacting with people we are familiar with.

… or do anything that can lead them to believe that they are not important to you.

Where to begin? So much material. So many messages. Mostly reminders of how not to do things.

I just spent a week filled with negative people. Whining couples conversing over their appetizers at a lovely restaurant. Little eye contact at Best Buy. No acknowledgment when you pull over to allow an oncoming car to pass through a narrow street first. Then, culminating with my insurance agent of nine years actually raising his voice at me when I asked him why he thought it was in his best interest not to return my phone calls.