By Lynda Sinclair, Vision Travel Solutions

As an independent agent, you sure have to wear a lot of hats: sales person, researcher, customer relations whiz, part-time accountant (and sometimes soccer chauffeur in the middle of it all).

But one important element of your job, and sometimes the easiest one to ignore, is that of marketer.
We’re a people business, of course, but when you are an independent agent it’s even more important that you market yourself.

I recommend to all our independent advisors to spend at least three or four hours a week doing marketing. This might look like:

• Working on a newsletter for existing and potential clients, educating them as to the services you provide and the travel options out there.
• Follow-up to referrals (and don’t forget to thank the client who provided the referral).
• Research into marketing tools, which could be small branded giveaways such as travel flashlights, luggage tags, etc.
• Call-outs to potential group members and/or visits to potential partner such as a wedding dress salon; sports club; garden club; scuba school.
• Posting on your favourite social media platform such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
• Updating your website
• Event planning such as a cruise night

If you’ve got a great host agency, you can rely on them to help you with air, accounting, IT and all the back office stuff.

But when it comes to marketing, no one knows you and what you can do better than… you!

Lynda Sinclair, CTM, is the Vice-President – Leisure at Vision Travel Solutions, which has an ever-expanding and vibrant program for independent agents. With over 30 years in the Canadian retail travel industry, she says she “lives and breathes what goes on at the front line.” She can be reached at lynda.sinclair@visiontravel.ca.