Sometimes travel to new places leads to great transformation. For Marcus Williams, his destination wedding in Jamaica was a celebration of his marriage, and it was also the beginning of his journey as a travel agent.

Marcus is based in Texas, and many of his friends and family that attended his destination wedding had never traveled outside of the state.

“Just seeing our friends and family enjoying themselves was amazing,” adds Marcus. “That one trip was life-changing for most of the guests that attended.”

It was equally transformative for Marcus. In August 2014, shortly after returning from his wedding, he launched his travel agency, Impressive Travels.

At the time, he was working full-time as an anesthesia technologist within a surgery department. Inquiries for trip quotes kept him busy with his travel business, but they were just that — inquiries. Marcus sent out quote after quote, but made very few bookings.

This is common challenge that new agents face, but Marcus says his consistency paid off.

“I really strive to give great customer service at all times, with quality vacation packages,” he adds.

He also invests in marketing his agency on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest and Twitter. It takes time and energy to develop a following on each of these platforms, but if it’s where your target clients are, it can pay off in the long run.

Marcus reached our Pinnacle Elite level of agents in October 2015, a little over a year after he joined. He still works as a medical PRN when needed, but in March 2016 he was able to make his travel business his full-time job.

Bill Coyle, KHM Travel Group’s Industry Affairs Specialist, met Marcus on a FAM trip in Cancun, and at our Crystal Conference and Awards event in January 2017. Since then, he has been in contact with Marcus on a regular basis to mentor him and catch up on what is happening with his business.

“From the first time I met this guy, I knew he was different,” says Bill. “He has a real passion for the business, and that allows him to take it in the direction that he wants and sell products he believes in.”

Bill has also been impressed with Marcus’s ability to market and create the demand for clients to call him. For instance, he connected with two other KHM Travel Agents in Detroit and Atlanta to put together a group all-inclusive trip at the Royalton Riviera Cancun. Through social media, Marcus kept his followers updated on how many rooms were left, and quickly sold out his space!

The path to living his dream started with his most memorable vacation to date. Now, Marcus is helping others live out their dream vacations and make lasting memories with their family and friends.

Congratulations to Marcus on building a successful travel agency! We are grateful that you were willing to share your story to benefit and inspire your fellow travel agents.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can start a fun, rewarding travel agent career from home, fill out the form on the right of the screen or call 1-888-611-1220 to gain access to KHM Travel’s free Travel Agent Information Guide.