You have worked so hard to follow the advice of your loved ones and open your own travel agency. After all, you plan everyone’s trips already! You are in a hurry to get every system in place before you can start taking bookings, and you are feeling stressed because you have list of inquiries from friends and family. They’ve been messaging you on Facebook and calling you asking for travel advice and you are frustrated. It’s time to forgive them. Close your eyes, picture their faces and say these words: “I love you so much, I forgive you”.
Are you wondering what I’m even talking about? Well, if you haven’t experienced what it’s like to work with friends and family you will very soon. Most don’t understand that you are running a ‘real’ business and in order to make money you have to book travel, for ‘real’ clients.
They will call, text and message you asking for your opinions. Better yet, they will call you, tell you they booked the plane tickets but need your help choosing a hotel. You will pause, mute the phone and shout a few choice words – this is totally okay. Go ahead, take a deep breath and then forgive them.
If you have time, answer their questions, if you don’t, just tell them that you are busy with clients and will have to get back to them later. Maybe they will get the hint, maybe they won’t, just forgive them and love them anyway.
If you think you are the only one who is going through this, please know you are not alone. All of us have gone through this same scenario with our friends and family. You will probably be hurt more than once but in the end you have to tell yourself:
“My friends and family are not my ideal clients. I love them and our relationship is worth way more than the small commission I am losing by not booking their travel. They love to travel and I will see their pictures on Facebook but it won’t bring me down because I know they are not my ideal clients”.
And just like that you will have released yourself from the pain of feeling betrayed or used, and you will be freed to move on without the hurt to attract and serve your ideal clients.
Love & Success,
Heidi and Your Travel Team
