Written by: Carolyn Sekerak, KHM Travel Group’s Creative Marketing Director

Establishing a good 30-Second Commercial (also referred to as an Elevator Pitch) is a crucial part of your marketing strategy – as crucial as your choosing agency name, building a brand and designing a business card! After all, one of the most frequent questions we ask when we meet someone new is, “What do you do for a living?” Your 30-Second Commercial is a good way to answer that!

It’s also an easy way to educate the consumer on the key ways they will benefit from your services. Don’t just say “I sell travel” or “I’m a travel agent.” Start with that, but add something personal about your travel agent story or a recent travel experience to give the listener something to which they can connect. An acquaintance who connects with you is more likely to remember you and hopefully, turn into a client someday!

A few tips as you develop your own Commercial:

• Keep it simple. While there will be opportunities for you to talk at length about being a travel agent, this is not it! Most people go to networking events to meet as many people as possible. Don’t be the business owner that goes go on and on about your own business! Keep it simple and straight to the point. About 100 words will do!
• Memorize it. Since it’s only 30 seconds or so, make memorizing it a priority! That way it will just roll off your tongue. The easier it is for you to say, the more likely the key points will stick with your listener.
• Practice makes perfect. Practice, practice, practice! Ideally, practice in front of a mirror. Remember that non-verbal communication is just as important as verbal communication. Things like a smile and eye contact can go a long way in the delivery of your commercial.
• Make it personal. Make sure you work in phrases like “when you work with me” or “the services I can provide include…” A key benefit is the personal service you provide so you want your pitch to be about you!
• End with a question. Ending with a question gives you the chance to gather some information about your listener, and engage them in a conversation. Try something like, “Have you ever used a Travel Agent to book a vacation?”, “So, how long as it been since you’ve taken a vacation?”, or “Where are you thinking of going next?”
• Test it out. Ask friends and family to tell you what they think of your pitch and take their feedback into consideration. After all, they know you best!
• Be consistent. You may get tired of saying the same thing over and over, especially if networking is something you do frequently. However, the more consistent your messages are, the more likely people are to remember them.
• Change it up. Your main message should be consistent, but every good marketing pitch needs to be tweaked a little to appeal to different target audiences. The way baby boomers travel is different from how millennials want to see the world. You must adapt your sales and marketing strategies for different audiences.

Travel makes a great conversation starter at your next networking event, family holiday party or work function. People love to share vacation stories and exchange bucket list destination ideas.

Once you are established in your community as a travel professional, you will find people turning to you for travel-related questions. Establishing an effective 30-Second Commercial will help you break the ice and also get comfortable talking about what you do so you can respond to those questions and gain clients.

If you’d like to kickstart your home-based travel agency, KHM Travel Group can provide you with all the tools, resources and support to help you be successful.

Fill out the form on the right side of the screen or call 888-611-1220 to gain access to our free Travel Agent Information Guide. You’ll be taking the first step towards success as an independent travel agent!