I know I don’t have to tell you that there are low-paid travel agents and high-paid travel agents…
And in today’s video I’m going to share with you the difference between the two – and here’s the BEST part – it’s actually less work to be a higher paid travel agent.
I’m going to share with you how this works so you can be a high paid travel agent with plenty of time to live the life you are working so hard for in the first place.
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VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
If you’re just starting out as a travel agent, or thinking about becoming a travel agent, you may be wondering… how do travel agents make money?
There are two primary ways travel agents get paid…
#1 – booking commissions. They get commissions from suppliers on the trips they book.
#2 – planing fees. They get a planning fee from the clients they work with.
Many travel agents get paid via both of these means – they charge their clients a planning fee AND they get booking commissions on each trip they book.
That’s the basics of how travel agents make money, but even more important than that… there low paid travel agents and high paid travel agents. And in this video I’m going to share with you the difference between the two… and here’s the best part – it’s actually less work to be a higher paid travel agent.
Yes, you get paid more and you work less. Pretty cool right? I’m going to share with you how this works so you can be a high paid travel agent with plenty of time for vacations and FAM Trips.
In order to be a high paid travel agent you need to have a tight well defined niche and you need to know…Who exactly is your IDEAL client? And a big hint here, it’s not everyone.
Low paid travel agents are not specific enough about who their IDEAL clients are, what destinations they book, and the types of trips they plan and book. There is a cheesy old adage that says “The riches are in the niches”, and it’s absolutely true. I know it seems counter-intuitive to narrow your market, however, you will work fewer hours, love your work more, and earn a lot more money if you have a narrow well-defined niche and a specific ideal client avatar that all of your marketing is focused around.
Think about doctors. General Practitioners are among the lowest paid doctors. Specialists are the highest paid. Why is that? Because they are specialist. People value specialists more than generalists.
People pay more to work with specialists. AND, your job is easier. If you’re only booking a specific set of destinations and working with a specific type of client – you don’t have to know everything about everything. You just need to be educated and savvy about one set of destinations and one type of client.
You’ll deliver better service for your clients, doing your job will be easier, more fun, AND you’re a higher paid travel agent.
After you narrow your niche and identify your ideal client, you’ll find that people are much more willing to pay a planning fee to a travel expert who specializes because people value specialists AND getting new clients is easier too.
Your ideal clients, the ones who are spending a significant amount of money on their trip – they are seeking out travel experts who specialize in the exact type of trip they want to take. So when you become a specialist they are more likely to seek you out and hire you.
Below this video you can download a guide that walks you through a basic process for narrowing your niche and identifying your ideal client avatar.
Inside the Travel Expert Marketing Academy we show you how to get so specific that you’re IDEAL clients think that you are living inside their head. Which is actually the key to effortless selling.
You now know how travel agents make money, and what one of the primary differences between low paid agents and high paid agents.
Now I’d love to hear from you. Are you currently charging planning fees or thinking about it? Please share in the comments below.
If you like this video, hit the like button and share it with your travel agent friends. For more videos like this one, click the “subscribe” button.
It’s your time to shine…. so what are you going to do to break through to the next level in your travel business? Thank you for watching and I’ll see you in the next video.
Love & Success,
Heidi and Your Marketing Team
P.S. Do you have a highly effective marketing system in place that continually brings you in new IDEAL clients? If no, come to my upcoming free marketing training on how to get one set up in your travel business.
Free Discovery Guide
Discover the perfect niche and ideal client avatar for you
Your info is secure and will never be shared.
Very good reminder. We don’t need to service everyone. I am struggling with this. Friends, Chamber members, need them for networking but not great clients. Wine, Gardens, Golf, Corporate Events are supposed to be my focus. Newsletter has gone out for general information but not a wine newsletter. Not enough time due to the FIT I have chosen to take on.
But it is two fold. FIT usually travel within 3-6 months. Groups 1 1/2 yrs – 2 years. I need some income now. Choosing to do both but I do need to put the groups above the FIT in my daily schedule.
Me too! And the struggle is real and its hard
Lynn, have you been to our new free marketing training on setting up a marketing system that continually brings in new ideal clients to your travel business? If not, I recommend checking it out. Details are here ==> http://travelexpertmarketing.com