The Truth About Your Travel Business

I’m headed to Durango Colorado on Friday, which happens to be my birthday.  Every year at this time I meet up with business buddies from around the globe in Durango to Mastermind on how we can improve our businesses and our lives – it’s one of my favorite trips of the year.

For some fun, behind-the-scenes updates – come follow me on Instagram.

In today’s Travel Expert Insider, I want to talk to you about one-hit-wonder marketing advice, which is EVERYWHERE right now, so I know you’ve seen it.

Here’s what I mean by that:

If you want a successful business, all you have to do is _______________!

And the list of The One Thing You Need To Do Right Now In Order To Succeed is (ironically) pretty long:

• Have an effective eNewsletter
• Get a great website with all the right call-to-actions
• Figure out SEO
• Develop amazing client-attraction systems
• Have an effective marketing/sales funnel
• Follow an effective social media strategy
• Focus on delivering fantastic service
• Follow an effective goal setting strategy
• Hack your productivity and master your time
• Get over your money blocks
• Join a mastermind group

So, which one is it? Which one will get you there?

The answer is…all of the above.

You do need great client-attraction systems. You’re going to have to get over your money and abundance blocks. You absolutely need an effective eNewsletter and high-quality marketing.

You will have to deal with personal stuff — your sense of self-worth, your level of assertiveness, the way you deal with conflict. People are not kidding when they say the best personal development program on the planet is starting a business!

The reality of owning your own business is that it takes most of that and more to be successful. There’s nothing wrong with the one-hit advice — other than the fact that it’s waaaaay too simplistic.  The truth is creating a WILDLY successful travel business in today’s market requires everything on that list and more.

Don’t get caught up in the one-hit wonder advice. There is no silver bullet. No magic pill. Having a successful business takes a lot — a lot of time, energy, and risk.

And you know what else? It’s incredibly FUN, rewarding, and thrilling. It will grow you right up. If you let yourself ride it out and fully experience the chaos, the fun, the mess, the excitement — owning a business can make you smarter, more interesting, wiser, and kinder. It will help you understand that you simultaneously need to be super confident and totally humble. It will soften your rough edges, and toughen your weak spots. It will show you the best of what you’re made of and will help you bring amazing things to this world.

Don’t be lured by the siren call of easy answers. Owning a business is an ever-changing ride on a long, gorgeous, raging, peaceful river.  With your travel business you’re hopefully plugged into something you genuinely love and are passionate about.

Whether you’re hanging on for dear life in the rapids right now or serenely floating and taking in the beauty — or somewhere in between — consider the wisdom of the ancient poet Rumi when he said:

“Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love.”

Here at Marketing For Travel Agents, we’re on the journey with you supporting you, cheering you on, and providing you the marketing training and tools to help shortcut your success.

If you’re not yet a member of our Travel Expert Marketing Academy, come to a FREE live preview (held online via webinar).  The Academy is a game-changing experience.  It shows the most efficient way to get everything done on the list above, and more, so that you can have a THRIVING travel business without overworking yourself.

We’re hosting a handful of previews this week but space is limited, so grab your spot now. 

Love & Success,

Heidi and Your Marketing Team

P.S.  Our most popular marketing training is coming up — Email Marketing For Travel Agents!!  It’s FREE and we don’t host it very often so register now here.