I am a home-based travel agent, what type of marketing strategies should I use?

Question

How can I compete with the brick and morter agencies?

Answer 1

get yourself out there....look in your local area for business groups such as BNI...become involved in your community and let people know what you do...go to the chamber of commerence after hours...if your not a mamber of the chamber the fee to go is only slightly higher then the members pay....put flyers up any where you can like local super markets...book a booth at your local mall...target specfic business in your area...one month anyone who works in the health care field would get a special discount..do to the offices of these business and tell them you are offering something special and ask to leave flyers there..do this in person..i hate getting stuff on my fax machine from people i dont know...in person is best....the more involved you are and the more networking you do will help spread the word of what you do.....good luck

Answer 2

Have you thought about pay per click programs? The two biggest, I think, are Yahoo! and Google

A few free resources – check out the sources box for links:

1) Create a blog pertaining to your field

2) Use Yahoo! Local & Yahoo! Groups – Be sure to read the TOS for each one!

3) Write articles pertaining to your field and/or expertise.

4) Advertise on Craiglist

Also, consider signing up for an affiliate program. These programs enable you to advertise on other's sites (your affiliates) and once a sale is made to you, your affiliates & the program are paid a commission.

Associations may be a good avenue to explore as well. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links.

I listed a few handy sites & articles relating to marketing, promotion & advertising. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* The Complete Idiot's Guide ® to Marketing Basics by Sarah White
* The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries, Jack Trout
* Creative Advertising: Ideas and Techniques from the World's Best Campaigns by Mario Pricken
* Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Small Business Marketing Guide: Over 1500 Great Marketing Tricks That Will Drive Your Business Through the Roof by James Stephenson
* 301 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas: From America's Most Innovative Small Companies by Sam Decker

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Answer 3

If you have a website (or even not) you should get in the habit of writing short (450-700 word) travel and travel related articles and submit them to travel related websites, newsletters, article directories.

At the end of your articles you should have a short (4 line max.) author info "blurb" where you can place your URL if you have a site online or, if not, your business phone number (or both).

Those articles you place in directories will be picked up all over the web and will bring you long term traffic (or phone calls - whichever the case may be)

Answer 4

Do you have a website? I know sometimes you have a joint one with another company but sometimes you should get your own, especially if you are computer saavy, or know someone who is.

Also even if you dont have a website you can take advantage of online marketing. There are websites that have a lot of traffic that you can advertise on for free. I know free advertising makes any business owner happy. Well, here is the link.

http://advertisesmallbusiness.com/free-online-ads

Answer 5

Top level customer service. Do everything you can for the clients. I mean everything. Write to them to thank them. Call them promptly when needed. Email them free useful advice.

Set up a referral system. You might need to reward clients. I take mine to lunch to thank them for a referral. They get free food, a nice chat and a relax, I get to be nice to them and find a little extra work.

Ask the clients for referrals when you write to them. Send them a separate letter explaining what you do, why you think you can do a great service for their friends and relatives and ask for them to 'think of you first' or something similar.

This needs to be done carefully, but if you get it right, it waill pay massive dividends.

Ideally make this all fit in with your USP. Do you have a USP yet?

This was what came off the top of my head, if you'd like more help, just message me.