You have total flexibility to set your own hours when you're a home-based travel agent with your own Internet travel agency. You can work them around another job, work-at-home mom responsibilities, and anything else you wish. Just make sure that you've available for enough hours to serve your clients and get your phone calls and paperwork done.
Personally, I find that being available during "odd" hours, like late nights and weekends, is advantageous in attracting clients. They know they can reach me when they're home from work and at other convenient times for them. I recommend using your own hours as a competitive advantage. I go into more detail on this and other ways to market yourself in my book, "Five Steps to Your Own Internet Travel Agency," which is free for Amazon Prime members and only $5.99 for others.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Home-Based Travel Agent: What's Your Specialty?
Your biggest asset as a home-based-travel agent is having a specialty. Your online travel agency can specialize in anything from a certain destination, like New York, Las Vegas, or Orlando, or cater to a specific group of traveler like gay travelers, senior citizens, or families with children. You can even choose a certain type of vacation, like equestrian, adventure, or luxury trips.
As an online travel agent, you'll be marketing through the Internet to clients in every state and around the globe, but every other Internet travel agency is doing the same thing. Your specialty is what makes you stand out and adds value for your clients. Preferably, it should involve something with which you have extensive experience.
My book, "Five Steps to Your Own Internet Travel Agency," explains how to decide on your specialty and leverage it for success. The book is free if you're an Amazon Prime member.
As an online travel agent, you'll be marketing through the Internet to clients in every state and around the globe, but every other Internet travel agency is doing the same thing. Your specialty is what makes you stand out and adds value for your clients. Preferably, it should involve something with which you have extensive experience.
My book, "Five Steps to Your Own Internet Travel Agency," explains how to decide on your specialty and leverage it for success. The book is free if you're an Amazon Prime member.
Monday, January 2, 2012
4 Reasons to Start Your Own Home-Based Travel Agency Online
I've been a travel agent with my own home-based travel agency since 2004. My book, "Five Steps to Your Own Internet Travel Agency," tells how I did it and how you can start your own Internet travel agency. Why would you want to do that? Here are four reasons:
1) Flexibility. When you're running a home-based business, you set your own hours. That doesn't mean you necessarily get to work a shorter day, but it means you can schedule your work time around other responsibilities. That's why a home-based travel agency is perfect for work-at-home moms and people working another job who need more income. In particular, more stay-at-home moms are looking for ways to add to their household's income without leaving the kids.
2) Wide reach. The internet gives you a potential customer base across the United States and around the world. If you specialize in a certain destination or travel type and market yourself well, you can be very successful in this home-based business.
3) Low overhead. You'll need a computer, internet connection, email, and phone. Sure, there are a few other necessities for running your home-based travel agency, but overall an online travel agency is one of the lowest overhead businesses you can possibly start.
4) Steady income flow. This one takes a while to build up, but once your Internet travel agency is well established, you'll get a continual stream of income. Clients often book trips months in advance, and you get your commission when they travel. The more trips you book, the more future income you line up. You'll also get a lot of repeat business if you do a good job and impress your customers.
I cover all of this information, and much more, in-depth in my book. At only $5.99 (or free for Amazon Prime members), it's a great investment if you're serious about wanting to become a home-based travel agent, or even if you want to see if this career option is right for you.
1) Flexibility. When you're running a home-based business, you set your own hours. That doesn't mean you necessarily get to work a shorter day, but it means you can schedule your work time around other responsibilities. That's why a home-based travel agency is perfect for work-at-home moms and people working another job who need more income. In particular, more stay-at-home moms are looking for ways to add to their household's income without leaving the kids.
2) Wide reach. The internet gives you a potential customer base across the United States and around the world. If you specialize in a certain destination or travel type and market yourself well, you can be very successful in this home-based business.
3) Low overhead. You'll need a computer, internet connection, email, and phone. Sure, there are a few other necessities for running your home-based travel agency, but overall an online travel agency is one of the lowest overhead businesses you can possibly start.
4) Steady income flow. This one takes a while to build up, but once your Internet travel agency is well established, you'll get a continual stream of income. Clients often book trips months in advance, and you get your commission when they travel. The more trips you book, the more future income you line up. You'll also get a lot of repeat business if you do a good job and impress your customers.
I cover all of this information, and much more, in-depth in my book. At only $5.99 (or free for Amazon Prime members), it's a great investment if you're serious about wanting to become a home-based travel agent, or even if you want to see if this career option is right for you.
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