You’ve decided to start your own travel business and have one of the best jobs in the world: a luxury travel advisor. In your new role, you get to turn your clients’ dreams into a reality and help create memories that will last a lifetime. And while launching this fulfilling business is exciting, it is also overwhelming. Before you dive in, learn about these common rookie mistakes travel advisors can avoid when starting their business.

Trying to Do It Alone

You may be launching your own travel business, but that does not mean you have to do it alone. By joining a host agency, you will have the support, infrastructure, and tools to help you succeed. Plus, you can have the power of name recognition tied to your business – hugely important when working with supplier partners around the globe. When you’re looking for a host agency, remember that they are not all the same. Take time to evaluate your needs, research options, and interview the agencies before you choose a host agency.

Expecting Immediate Success

When starting a travel agency, don’t expect to be an overnight success. It takes a lot of time, energy, and dedication to build and grow your business, and you must be patient. Set realistic goals that cover everything from sales to learning to marketing, and then celebrate the small successes as they come. If your host agency has someone who can help you with your business development, check-in with them to gauge your progress and get advice.

Waiting for Clients

If you build it…they will not come. Your family and friends may all love to travel, but that does not mean that they will immediately flock to you – or even that they alone will be enough to sustain your business. You must actively reach out to current and potential clients, whether it be on social media, email marketing, direct mail, or even good ol’ fashioned phone calls. Frequent touchpoints are crucial to keep your business top of mind.

Thinking You Know It All

You may have traveled the world extensively AND planned each of those trips, but there is always more to learn. Dedicate time to ongoing training through webinars, travel industry events, and educational trips. You’ll be able to share the most up-to-date intel with clients (a great value add to your business) and have opportunities to network with travel partners. And during your day-to-day, don’t be afraid to ask questions. If your host agency has a place where you can ask questions and learn from other advisors, take advantage of that. Everyone was new at some point!

Not Knowing Your Value

Just because you are new to this biz does not mean that you should discount yourself. Sure, you may want to have a promotion when you launch (like $50 off your first planning fee), but don’t be afraid to charge what you want to charge. Practice communicating your value so you are comfortable explaining how you work to you clients. And if you do have a client that keeps pushing back on your fee, don’t be afraid to kindly suggest a different travel company. A good advisor-client relationship is built on trust, and when a client questions your value repeatedly, the trust is not there.

To learn more about becoming a successful travel advisor, click here.