For many new agents, the idea of learning about and planning travel is exhilarating, but the idea of actually selling travel is intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be.

This month’s featured Pinnacle travel agent, Nancy Gould, has learned that marketing her travel business doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. All it takes is a conversation!

Nancy launched her agency, NanSeas Travel Shoppe, with KHM Travel Group in January 2012. The owner of her gym, who knew travel-planning was a hobby of Nancy’s, suggested she start her own home-based travel agency.

From there, she turned her passion into a full-time, profitable career. She reached KHM Travel’s Pinnacle level of top-producing agents only a year after getting started.

Nancy traveling with her husband, Kevin.

Nancy specializes in all-inclusive vacations to Mexico, Jamaica and Dominican Republic. She is also an expert on Royal Caribbean cruises.

In fact, a cruise on the Royal Caribbean Jewel from Vancouver to Los Angeles remains her most memorable vacation. She has visited and loves all four Couples
Resorts in Jamaica.

Having first-hand knowledge of the travel she sells helped her overcome the initial challenge of developing her clients’ trust.

“I had to be insistent in showing that I was qualified to book, and in coming across confident,” Nancy says.

Attending several sessions of Destination Success live training here at KHM Travel Group provided her a chance to network with our suppliers’ Business Development Managers, and with her fellow agents.

“There’s nothing like person-to-person training,” she stresses. “Personal knowledge is something you can not buy.”

Whether it’s building relationships with peers or trust among her client base, Nancy has found that a little conversation can go a long way. This includes keeping up a dialogue via email, and through her agency’s Facebook page.

She creates email blasts to let clients know about cruise or resort specials, and she utilizes her Facebook page to inspire her followers to travel. This includes posting travel tips, photos from her personal travels, and articles highlighting the value of travel agents.

Nancy’s advice to new agents is essentially not to overthink it when it comes to promoting themselves.

“Give your business card to everyone. It’s your cheapest form of advertising,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to talk about travel, listen, and convince them they need to travel for a mental piece of mind.”

If you are passionate about travel like Nancy, striking up a conversation about your business won’t feel like marketing at all. It will seem like chatting with a friend!

“It’s so easy to talk travel. I do my best work at the airport and restaurant or bar,” she adds.

Congratulations and thank you to Nancy for sharing her valuable insights!

Start your home-based travel agency with KHM Travel Group, and you’ll have access to all the resources you need to reach your business goals — including the expertise of our network of agents!

Fill out the form on the right or call 1-888-611-1220 to receive our free information packet with everything you need to know about becoming a travel agent.