10 Critical Tasks Travel Advisors Should Do Now to Ring in a Profitable 2023

During the fourth quarter of every year, Corporate America gathers in their boardrooms to review their essential annual analyses of the current year’s business performance and to conduct strategy sessions to determine their direction and objectives for the coming year. Travel advisors would do well to take a page from their operational playbook, setting time aside to evaluate the state of their business and to decide where to go from here.

If accomplished between now and the end of this year, these 10 critical tasks will help any travel advisor set a solid foundation for a profitable 2023.

1. Predict bookings for 2023.
“One of the most critical and significant tasks I perform each year is calibrating and predicting bookings in the new year to give me perspective and a reality check. And it's very simple, as I carve out time to reach out to all my current customers, via phone and email, and not only do I engage in fantastic conversations, but I keep my name front and center with my clients. In addition, I always ask for referrals as it has paid me back in dividends for doing so. This task has always been enjoyable for me and unfolds over several weeks. The clients always tell me they so enjoy catching up with me, and they thank me for checking in.”

- Denise L. Wiggins, global executive advisor and CEO, Denise Wiggins Travel & Health Services

2. Send printed holiday cards.
“My task is simple yet impactful. I send holiday cards to all clients in my database, as well as my preferred suppliers. While this may seem obvious, I was surprised last year to hear of many colleagues who sent holiday e-cards, then were surprised when good clients opted out. With the volume of email in today’s inboxes, to me, an email greeting is easily overlooked and may be considered insincere. My client and supplier relationships are a critical mainstay to my business. I consider the cost of professionally printed cards and postage to be a valuable investment in my treasured connections.”

- Kathi Russ, owner, Epic Travel LLC

3. Run the numbers.
“Travel advisors should not enter into a new business year without knowing their numbers. They need to know how much their business costs to run, how much commission each preferred supplier will pay, and how many sales they need to make in order to hit their goals. Without this intelligence, they are running blind.”

- Sandra McLemore, travel business growth strategist and TV host, Travel Marketing & Media

4. Evaluate the diversity of your business.
“This is a good time to stress-test your business regarding the diversity, or not, of the markets from which you derive most of your revenue. It is widely reported that many agencies have specialized in either particular types of travelers or in specific destinations. This strategy has many advantages, but it also creates new risks. Overconcentration in one or two markets can leave the agency exposed to unexpected downturns in demand from a variety of causes, many of which are unforeseeable. Diversification can spread the risks resulting from specialization. At the other end, too much diversity can lead to loss of focus and lost profit opportunities. Balancing the risk and rewards of various forms of concentration/specialization in a well-considered plan is the best course. Evaluation of the specialization risk factor should be part of any year-end review.”

- Paul M. Ruden, travel industry consultant, and former executive vice president for legal and industry affairs for the American Society of Travel Agents

5. Call, don’t email, your clients.
“First, recognize that any client who has not yet booked with you again is someone I refer to as an ‘UNclient.’ To get their business back, take the next step by dedicating a full day to making phone calls (not emails!). Even if you end up in voicemail, ask this powerful question, ‘What can I keep an eye on for you in 2023?’ Advisors who choose to do this critical task now will have the most robust 2023!”

- Stuart Lloyd Cohen, CALC, chief motivation officer and special event speaker

6. Organize and declutter.
“My one task which is a must for me is to remove all old emails and marketing materials from suppliers, unsubscribing from those who don't align with my goals. Create my to-do list for the new year, and get my folder ready for the upcoming tax season, making sure I have everything ready and organized. The most important thing is to organize my lead list, making sure I have current contact information to continue my marketing to them. Last but most important, look at my sales and earning worksheet from previous years, allowing me to see my strengths and weakness.” 

- Janine Fydrych, owner, Dreamscape Travel Group

7. Plan out your marketing.
“A content plan for creating and distributing information focused on destinations and experiences will be essential. Travel advisors are urged to choose either podcasting, videos, or written content - and then consistently put out new content each week. This is the only way to keep email subscribers engaged, and it also goes a long way to positioning the profession as a critical part of travel planning.”

-Sandra McLemore, travel business growth strategist and TV host, Travel Marketing & Media

8. Assess your time management.
“My trick is time management. Agents should really work on their overall efficiency of what they did before that doesn’t help them make money versus what they need to do that does. Getting rid of tasks that are useless or are bureaucratic is a critical one. For example, clean out the extra paperwork. Make it your goal to go paper-free in 2023. Using your notes on your phone, you can have your notes on clients anywhere you go while thinning out your desk tremendously. Also keep your email organized. Personally, my inbox never exceeds 200, and everything is sorted as soon as possible into a proper folder where I can locate it when I need it, but keeping my current to-do list very clean and easy.”

- Jonathan Alder, CEO and travel planner, Jonathan's Travels

9. Consider implementing a new business model.
“I work in a very different fashion from the traditional retail leisure travel agent. I offer a customized annual travel subscription, so today, I’m in the process of setting aside hours for each client I work for. I bill upfront for my time, and am setting aside the right amount of time to help my clients accomplish their travel goals. These subscriptions are annual, and they are from 20 hours at $250 an hour. I am only offering custom-tailored work for those clients who hold an annual subscription.” 

-- Ralph Iantosca, CTA, LS, DS, owner, Iantosca Travel

10. Hire a business coach.
“Travel advisors should seek out a business coach and mentor who not only understands the infrastructure of the industries, the complexities of supplier relations, but also has experience marketing and selling travel themselves. Choose a mentor or coach who has proven results working with other travel advisors. The strongest and most successful travel advisors have built a learning and support community around them.”

- Sandra McLemore, travel business growth strategist and TV host, Travel Marketing & Media

As we head into the holiday season, we hope these fellow travel advisors and industry experts have inspired you to take a look at your book of business in a new way, or motivated you to add at least one fresh approach to your agency’s operations. Good luck and happy selling in 2023!

FROM THE SPONSOR:
Growing your knowledge, and your sales, is now easier thanks to ALG Vacations® new advisor specialist program ALGVPro. Empowering advisors to take their knowledge to the next level with interactive and easy-to-digest modules that let you learn at your leisure while providing you the foundation you need to succeed. Register now and get insider tips on VAX, ALGV brands, programs, and more.

With up to five continuing education unit (CEU) credits at the Travel Institute, discounted agent vacation rate, quarterly giveaways and more, the benefits you’ll realize when you become an ALGVPro are well worth your time. And with new content added regularly, you’ll never run out of new things to learn and earn — or ways to showcase your expertise. Boost your booking savvy and get certified as an ALGVPro today. Visit algvacations.com/algvpro and go from “I Don’t Know” to Pro!