Why travel agent marketing (probably) isn't what you think

As a travel advisor, you can spend years learning about travel.

It might be destinations, hotels, transportation, attractions, and building great trips.

Then you’re told “You need to market your business”.

But how? 

You know there’s social media, blogs, SEO, email marketing, videos, lead magnets, websites, and so much more. 

That doesn’t even count all the things you don’t know about yet!

It’s no wonder that marketing can feel overwhelming.

But do you know what marketing actually is?

If you don’t, everything can start to feel like marketing while nothing feels like marketing. All at the same time!

What travel advisors think marketing is

If you ask a dozen advisors what they think marketing is, you’ll get a dozen different answers.

One may say their Facebook group. Another says social media in general.

There may be a couple who mention things like emails, blogs, ads, networking, or something else.

They aren’t wrong, but they aren’t exactly right, either.

All of those things are tools. They’re places marketing can happen.

But they aren’t actually marketing.

Remember, two advisors can use the exact same marketing tool (like a Facebook group) and get completely different results.

Their communication is the important thing, not the tool they used to do it.

Why marketing can be confusing

When you think of marketing in terms of what you’re doing, or the platforms you’re using, it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly behind. 

There’s always going to be another platform to learn or trend to follow.

I’ve seen plenty of advisors treat marketing like a second job they have to squeeze in after they do client work.

They’re super frustrated, or just don’t market at all, because they’re exhausted and always feel like they don’t have enough time.

And it’s even harder when “marketing” isn’t connected to the expertise you’re building each and every day.

But maybe that’s because you’ve defined “marketing” by the tools you’re using.

Marketing is more than that.

Are you an invisible expert?

It’s easy to assume that if you’re knowledgeable enough, clients will eventually find you.

Sure, sometimes that happens.

But more often than not, it doesn’t.

Think about the advisors you currently know who come to mind if someone mentions Alaska, Iceland, Hawaii, the British Isles, multi-gen groups, or gluten-free travel.

If anyone comes to mind, it’s probably not because they accumulated knowledge and were quiet about it.

You know about them because they’ve spent time sharing what they’ve learned.

Maybe it’s in a Facebook group, or maybe you heard them speak at a conference. You could have run into them networking.

However you learned about them, it’s because they spent time sharing what they know.

Their expertise came first. Then they used their expertise to be more visible.

The same thing happens with clients.

When a potential client repeatedly sees you sharing what you know about Scotland, Italy, or multi-gen travel, the topic starts to be associated with you.

That’s a lot harder to do when your content is all over the place, or when you’re sharing supplier promotions or deals.

A simpler definition of travel agent marketing

At the Savvy Travel Advisor, we use a simple definition:

Marketing is how you share what you know.

That’s it.

It’s communication. 

Marketing is explaining something you’ve learned, or helping people understand a destination better.

It’s sharing your perspective, like why you can’t really experience the Cotswolds on a day trip from London.

It’s not creating content just for the sake of creating content. You’re sharing information and insight in a way that builds trust.

Marketing can happen whenever you help someone understand what you know about travel.

And it’s more than social media.

Did you know you’re marketing when you’re chatting with other moms about travel during your kid’s soccer practice?

It’s marketing when you answer questions from your chatty waitress after she finds out you work in travel.

You’re marketing when the nurse at your doctor’s office mentions she’s planning a fall trip to see English gardens and you offer to send her a blog post you wrote on the topic.

How you share doesn’t matter as much as what you share.

What does sharing what you know actually look like?

A client asks you if they should base in Dublin and take day trips for their entire Ireland trip, because they don’t want to drive. 

You explain why two or three bases can be better, and how you can get them from place to place without renting a car.

That’s something worth sharing!

A client has limited time and they can only visit Bath or York, not both.

You explain how both cities feel and can make a recommendation based on what you know your client is most interested in.

It’s not sharing information just for the sake of sharing. You’re helping people understand how you make recommendations and plan travel.

Most potential clients can’t tell if you’re an expert based on your certifications or what supplier training you’ve taken.

And frankly, the vast majority of them don’t care.

They base it on what you show them that actually matters to them.

That means showing how you think, or explaining why you recommend one destination over another. 

It’s why one resort can be a better fit for active retired couples than another.

When you share what you know, people get a tiny peek into your decision-making process.

That creates a whole lot more confidence for them than a list of certifications or training.

Think about all the things you know and have learned.

If you’re new, that’s ok. You’re learning a lot of new things every day.

Whether you’ve been doing this for 10+ years or you’re brand new, you’ve got plenty of moments to draw from.

You just haven’t been thinking of them as marketing.

Understanding marketing changes your priorities

I’ve seen plenty of advisors spend years trying to figure out travel agent marketing.

They’re constantly trying to find the latest and greatest new tactic, trend, idea, platform, or way to get attention. And it’s usually focused on social media.

They’re constantly thinking “what do I post next?”

When you have a clear definition of what marketing is, you start asking a different question.

“What have I learned that I can share?”

Instead of wondering what random travel photo to post, you start thinking about the last itinerary you put together and what you learned.

When you realize that marketing is simply sharing what you know, marketing doesn’t feel as hard or complicated.

You aren’t as focused on mastering the latest trend, or editing the absolute best video in hopes it goes semi-viral.

You start looking for the right opportunities to share, which can mean explaining, recommending and guiding potential clients.

Sure, that can be done on social media. 

It’s also really easy to do through a blog post, in an email, or even in everyday conversation.

Marketing isn’t doing “all the things”. Those things are marketing tools. Not marketing itself.

When you understand that, the goal changes from always trying to create more, to actually finding ways to show your expertise.

That’s a very different way to grow your business. 

It’s a lot more enjoyable, and sustainable too.

The bottom line: Expertise doesn’t speak for itself

You can spend years learning destinations.

You can visit them, research them, and build incredible trips for your clients.

But none of that helps future clients know you exist. People only know what they can see.

Marketing is the process of taking what you’ve learned and making it visible.

You’re helping people understand who you are, what you know, and why you’re the right person to plan their trip.

Given time, it makes it easier for the right people to realize you’re the person they want to hire.

That’s how some advisors become known for specific places, experiences, or types of travel.

They don’t just know things.

They’re known for knowing them.