How to Sell Yourself as a Travel Agent

The hardest sale you'll ever make as a travel advisor isn't to a client. It's to yourself.

When I ask advisors, "Why should someone book with you?" I usually hear one of two answers:

• "I don't know."
• "Because I'm the same price as the internet."

Neither of those will build you a business. And if you don't believe in your own product, why on earth would anyone else? Spoiler: the product is you.

I started selling travel more than 20 years ago, and now I coach independent travel advisors on building businesses that last. Selling yourself has very little to do with knowing everything or having the fanciest certificate on the wall. It comes down to this:

• Know what you actually bring to the table.
• Learn the difference between price and value so you can stop competing on price.
• Understand your client before you sell them anything.
• Get comfortable saying you need to look something up.
• Show up where people can see you. 

You Are Not an Encyclopedia, You Have a Network.

Too many advisors think the knowledge in their own head is all they have to offer.

If they haven't personally stayed at the resort, sailed on the ship or walked the streets of the destination, they decide they can't sell it. Worse, they decide it makes them less than.

It doesn't. Look at what you actually have access to:

• Suppliers
• Your host agency
• Coaches
• Other advisors

That's a massive network, and your client doesn't have it.

When advisors feel like they don't know enough, they often try to make up for it by leading with their certificates. I hate to break it to you, but those certificates mean very little to your client.

Your client is looking for someone who will listen to them and who has the resources to make their trip amazing. You don't need every answer on the tip of your tongue. You need to know where to find it.

"Same Price as the Internet" Is Not a Sales Pitch

When price is your pitch, you turn yourself into a commodity. You'll also lose that client the moment you're no longer the cheapest option.

When I was selling travel, the question "Why should I work with you?" usually came up when someone asked why they should pay my fees. What changed everything was shifting my energy and mindset. I developed a persona for that moment, and my answer became:

"Because I'm freaking fabulous at what I do, and I will make sure you're taken care of every step of the way, before, during and after your vacation. It's not just about sending you on a vacation. It's about ensuring that the vacation you spend your money on is the right vacation for you."

Notice what's not in there: no price match, no list of certificates and no apology for charging a fee.

You don't have to use my words. You do have to believe yours. 

Your clients want to work with someone confident. They’re spending a lot of their hard-earned money and don’t want to make a mistake, so when they get nervous, they need you to have enough confidence left over for them to borrow. 

Sell Yourself by Asking Better Questions

Your easiest chance to show your value is when a client says, "These are my dates, and I want to stay at ABC hotel in XYZ destination. Can you book that?"

Too many advisors say, "Absolutely, let me find you the cheapest way to get there."

Try this instead: "I'd love to help you out with that. May I ask what draws you to this particular property or destination?"

Over the years, plenty of clients came to me with a specific option in mind. A friend or family member suggested it, TripAdvisor recommended it, or it came up as the cheapest. More often than not, the consultation showed me that what they asked for didn't match what they actually wanted.

The Clients Who Almost Booked a Swingers Resort

One set of clients came into my office with a specific resort in mind, suggested by their friends. I went through the consultation, and the resort matched so many of their requests.

There was just one thing that hadn't surfaced yet. This resort was commonly used by swingers.

So I started with, "I'm not here to judge anyone. I just want to be certain you have all of the information."

They did not have that information. They also did not want a swingers resort, but suddenly, their friends made a lot more sense.

We chose a different property, and they enjoyed their vacation in a way they wouldn't have if I had simply booked what they asked for.

Clients have a limited perspective of what's available. Your role as a professional travel advisor is to help them understand their options, and that starts with you understanding them.

What to Say When You Don't Know the Answer

A client asks something you can't answer, and panic sets in. Breathe. Then do these two things.

Get Clear on What They Mean

If a client uses a word like "best," find out what it means to them. If they ask which beach is the best in Mexico, ask, "What does the best beach look like to you?"

Tell Them You'll Research It

Once you have clarity, it's completely acceptable to say you need to look into it. This is the phrasing I liked to use:

"This is great. I have some ideas in mind, however I want to be absolutely certain I'm on the right track with them before I say too much. If it's alright with you, I'd like to take a bit of time to research what I'm thinking of and make sure it's the right fit for you."

You Will Never Know It All

You're working on a global scale, and that environment is always changing. New trends, suppliers and technology keep shifting the industry.

Years ago, sargassum wasn't an issue in the Mayan. Now advisors are checking the levels regularly.

When I started selling travel, cruising looked very different. Ships had vastly different inclusions, and there was only a small handful of river boats.

Guided vacations had an image problem too. Mention one and most people pictured the casino bus tours your grandma went on. Guided travel was for “old” people, end of story.

The funny part? I used to think 50 was old. Now that I’m approaching it, I realize 50 is just getting started. The travel changed, and so did my perspective.

It's okay not to have all of the answers. Know how to respond with confidence and how to find them.

Make It Easy for People to See What You Do

You can't sell yourself to people who don't know you exist, so you have to show up.

How to Answer "So, What Do You Do?"

Here's the quick answer: "I help [your type of client] see the world without the stress that comes with making sure every detail is taken care of." Fill in your client, whether that's families, couples, empty nesters or someone else.

The sarcastic part of me used to say, "I tell people where to go and how to get there." It was a great pattern disrupt. It almost always made people giggle and lean in to find out more. I’ll also say if they didn’t giggle, I knew they may not be the right fit for us to work together. 

You want to be memorable, not a sales pitch.

Show What You Do for Clients Online

Your online presence should talk about what you do for your clients. An Instagram story is an easy place to start. Pop on first thing in the morning and say something like this:

"On the schedule today, I get to research Alaska cruises for my clients. So many people think all cruise lines are built the same. Let me assure you, that couldn't be further from the truth. Each line has its own unique flair, from adults-only cruising to expedition cruising to the ones you probably think of when you think of Alaska. Did you know [insert a fact about Alaska cruising that aligns with what you want to sell]?"

In under a minute, people see that you do real work, that you know where to look and what you love to sell. It allows you to add authority without making a pitch. 

AI Can Make Suggestions. It Can't Do What You Do.

AI can make a lot of suggestions, but it can't ever fully understand the fear clients have of not knowing what to expect. It can't fully understand their embarrassment over not knowing what to do if they go the wrong way.

You understand that. You also know the practical details that can make or break a trip:

• How much time they'll need to get through a connecting airport
• Which airports to avoid at certain times of year because of weather
• Which cruise line or resort actually fits who they are, not just what came up first in a search. We all know that trip advisor comes with a lot of bias that AI can’t sort through
• What to do when something goes sideways mid-trip, because they have you to call

Advisors who hand everything over to AI will be replaced. Your edge is being seen, showing up and building real relationships with real people.

Stop Waiting Until You Know Enough

If I could get advisors to stop doing one thing, it would be believing they have to know more, do more and see more before they get started.

You don't. Lean into the resources at your fingertips and know where you'll get the answers.

Then ask yourself the question I ask the advisors I coach: why should someone book with you?

If your answer is still “I don’t know,” that’s where the work starts, and it’s exactly what the Sales Workshop is for. You are a business owner, and you deserve to believe in what you’re selling.