We talk a lot about boundaries in the Travel Expert Marketing Academy. (If you’re in the TEMA, you can access an excellent workshop on boundaries for Travel Agents in your MTE Vault here.)
Strong, effective boundaries are VITAL to working with your ideal clients and having a successful travel business that you love. Sometimes we (especially those of us who are people pleasers – you know who you are 😉 ) feel guilty about setting boundaries, but you should actually feel GOOD about it!
Try this mindset shift about boundaries: boundaries are the rules you establish for how you operate your business that allow you to show up as your best self for your clients. Good boundaries are actually doing your clients a favor!
Sometimes the difference between dream clients and nightmare clients is boundaries.
Today we’re going to share with you 4 elements of effective boundaries to help you develop any boundaries that you might need in your business:
1. Effective boundaries are fair and balanced.
– Be considerate of what’s also good for your clients when setting boundaries. As a simple example, if one of your boundaries is that you absolutely don’t work on weekends, make sure you provide plenty of availability and access to yourself during the week.
2. Effective boundaries allow you to serve your clients better.
– Good boundaries allow you to perform at your best. Using the no-working-weekends example, this allows you to be well rested and refreshed for your clients during the week.
3. Effective boundaries are easy to understand and communicate.
– A simple “I’m available and happy to help you anytime Monday – Friday from 9-5, outside of that, if you leave a message I will respond as soon as possible during my available hours” lets your clients know when they can expect to communicate with you.
4. Effective boundaries protect you and your clients.
– Sending a clear message that you don’t work weekends (and sticking to that!) frees you up to take time off to rest and recharge. Letting your clients know when they CAN reach you, puts them at ease and ensures that you don’t resent them for intruding on your weekends off.
Here is a framework for stating your boundaries to your clients: this is my boundary, this is why/how it benefits you, here’s how you honor it.
For this we’ll use a different example. Let’s say one of your boundaries is that you only book appointments via your scheduling software on your website. You could state something like: Please book your Let’s Get Acquainted Session via my website, all appointments get scheduled this way to ensure that you can choose the most convenient time for you. Go to BookwithMe.com, and choose the day and time that work best for you.
This language is super clear and positive and is all about what’s best for your client. You don’t need to mention that it’s also what’s best for you, or say something negative like: “if you try to schedule an appointment any other way you’ll be ignored” – keep it positive! Make it all about what’s best for them and they will happily respect your boundaries.
A big part of establishing and being firm with boundaries is your mindset. Especially if you’re new to boundaries, you might have to work on convincing and reminding yourself that it’s actually GOOD for your clients and that you’re not being mean.
The right mindset is the foundation to being a successful travel agent. This is why we do so much mindset work in the Travel Expert Marketing Academy, and it’s also why we created the 7 Figure Travel Agent Mindset Challenge.
We like to kick off every new year with another round of the mindset challenge, and this year’s is starting next Monday – January 9th at 9am EST!
We’d love for you to join us! If you’re not in the Facebook group yet, click here to join.
Love & Success,
Galen, Heidi & Your Marketing Team
P.S. The 7 Figure Travel Agent Mindset Challenge is BRAND NEW this year and totally free and open to all travel professionals – the more the merrier! If you know any travel professionals who might benefit from a mindset reset in 2023, please forward them this email and invite them to join us here.
