Check your email!

If you are going to offer email for your clients to reach you, be absolutely sure you check your email regularly.  This is a huge mistake so many businesses are making.  If you aren't someone who checks email, then don't put it on your website, business cards or anywhere someone can find it and email you.  It makes you look unprofessional as well as makes the client feel you could care less about their business.

If you are going to be away from email for awhile, set up an auto-responder letting people know this.  It is always easy to do so if you don't know how- contact your internet provider or email provider to find out how.

Smart phones now allow you to check your email quickly and get back to your clients right away.  

I don't know how many businesses I have emailed who never replied.  One business got back to me about a month after I sent her an email and she lost my business because I went with a company who replied to me right away.

Do you have competitors in your area?  Well I bet 1/2 of them will not reply to an email so if you reply quickly you are already ahead of them!

Jennifer Dugan

Dugans Travels is expanding

Who would have thought 15 years ago when I started Dugan's Travels to be where we are today.

We just announced our new management team.  I remember being so alone when I first started and now I have some great people I can depend on.  When I first started this business I had no clue what I was doing.  I still learn alot each day but to imagine where it started to where it is today is pretty amazing.

I was speaking with another small business owner the other day and we were discussing how hard it is to get information to help start a business.  This is why I do enjoy doing what I do because we do help people get started in the business.  We have done the struggling so that we can help others.

When I started there weren't too many homebased travel agents yet.  Now it is so common that it is almost uncommon to hear about a store front agency.  That is not to say that storefront agencies are not needed because this business is big enough for all types of travel agencies.  Anyone saying that travel is dead must not know about our agents who are booking more than ever it seems.

Here is a great announcement in case you haven't already seen it.

http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/dugans-travels-expands-travel-host-agency-with-new-management-team-298877.php

Jennifer

Back to Blogging

I had taken time off from blogging mainly because I just had twins in May.  When I first started my agency I had just had my son who is now almost 15 years old.  Now having my twins, I am remembering how I had to balance work and a baby.  The main difference was I was trying to build a business back then and now I am trying to manage the agency since it has grown so much in 15 years.

I am very fortunate to have many great people involved in my agency now.  I no longer shoulder the full load but have great people who work for the agency.  I can now get help when I need it and am not so stressed about getting in as much hours as I did when I first started out.

Many people have asked me how the business is doing.  So many people are surprised when I tell them we have had the best year so far this year.  Our business with suppliers is up 38%.  We have met sales goals we have never made before and suppliers are now calling us to make arrangements for our commission % for 2012. 

I think our agents are really getting out there and getting business which is so awesome!  The truth is only you can make your business succeed.  So many people think it will just come to them but if you are not out there working at it, you aren't going to make it.

Tonight I spent hours just trying to get our website into better position on the search engines.  I am hoping when people look for information on our agency they find websites like this blog and feel they get to know what we are all about.

I hope to blog much more now and try to help anyone I can who is interested in becoming a homebased travel agent.

Travel is picking up!

For those wondering if travel is still a business that is profitable, I can say that travel is definitely picking up.  We have seen a big increase in our sales and people seem to be traveling more than they have been the last year or so.

What does that mean to you as a homebased travel agent? It means there are more and more people out there who are looking for a professional to help them plan that trip.  As a travel agent you will have the ability to look at the client's options.  You won't be pushing one particular thing like many websites do. 

Say someone wants to go to Disneyland. Now they might go to Disney's website and look for pricing.  If you can help that same person, you will more than likely get them a better deal using another supplier.  Sometimes Disney has specials that are the best pricing but many times you can put together a package using different suppliers to get your clients a better price.

People are busy.  They want someone to help when they can.  If it doesn't cost the client anything to use you and you can actually SAVE them money.. you will have a client for a lifetime.  I know I love when I get to have the groomer give my dog a bath and I don't have to do it!  A travel agent provides a service to those needing or wanting to travel.

Now is a great time to start that new business as a homebased travel agent!

Jennifer Dugan

Crazy people!

Have you ever seen Jim Cramer's rant "They're Nuts! They know nothing!" on CNBC?  There are days I feel I am channeling that in my head. 

Don't get me wrong, the internet has allowed me to have connections with people all over the place and most people I have met are great people.  But then there are the days when it seems everyone I deal with is crazy.  It isn't completely true because I answer usually 60 or so emails a day and not all of them are from people who seem nuts.  But I usually have a few that I wonder if I am crazy myself for being in business.

Over the past day I have had one person email me over 30 times.  She was upset and she felt the need to lash out on me.  She doesn't know me.  Doesn't know anything about me personally but I ruffled her feathers and she began emailing me hate email.  I always am amazed that there are people so angry at the world to lash out at complete strangers. 

Then I get people who don't seem to realize the importance of having a business or don't take it seriously.  They want to make extra money but don't want to put in the work it requires.  They don't want to complete training or follow up with a client.  They don't understand that it is important to take it seriously and follow procedures.  It isn't something that you can take lightly.  You are on the hook and have to make sure you take care of your clients and cover yourself against issues. 

Agents email me all the time with strange stories and crazy customers.  I wish I had the perfect advice for those who have to deal with someone who really does seem "off balance".  I question would people who send hateful crazy emails be the same in person?  Are they the same people who in the grocery line attack the check out person because their bag of apples rings up for .15 more than they expected. 

I guess all I can say is "they're nuts!"

Fun ideas to promote your business

You can have fun while promoting your travel agency.  Above is a picture of the float we did in the light parade for Christmas.  I rode on the back in a bikini and it was snowing!  We took 2nd place.  It was a fun time and it really promoted the agency.

Your local chamber of commerce can help you find out what you can participate in to get  your business name out there.

We also have a movie ad at the local theater.  You can see it at http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1138202728210&subj=1021631919

Your local newspaper also can be a great source of ways to get your name out there.   If you can develop a relationship with someone at the paper who does the ads, he or she can inform you when there is special editions or low cost advertising opportunities.

Keep in fun and remember to promote yourself so that everyone knows your name!

Search engines and getting links

One thing I tend to do late at night is find places to get my websites listed.  Although it can be very time consuming and boring, I have found it an important part of having a business.  I find as many places as I can to get links to http://www.travelathome.com/ and http://www.duganstravels.net/

It is amazing how many places you can get listed if you spend a couple of hours each week just submitting to websites.  It was easier back before people really began charging for listing.  I was on many at home work websites but now to get listed it costs alot more money.  I think this is because so many of the MLM's are willing to pay big bucks for a link or two.

It is also important to realize that you will get dropped if you don't submit on a regular basis.  So be sure to put some time into finding places to submit your website.  If you spend the money to have one, you should make sure people are viewing it.

Are there places you recommend for submitting websites?  I would love to hear!

Jennifer Dugan