Travel advisors are some of the most knowledgeable people in the travel industry, but often they’re the unsung heroes — except for a few you’ll see on the news or generating buzz online.
How does a travel advisor do that? Well, ALG Vacations consulted Taryn Scher, a public relations professional at travel media agency TKPR, to find out.
She has a few big tips. The first? To claim credit where it’s due, especially when it comes to your own achievements. This can be anywhere on social media, but especially on professional networking platforms, such as LinkedIn, or wherever you know your clients are involved online.
“It’s important to understand where your potential customers are hanging out,” said Scher. “There’s no point in putting out TikTok videos if the majority of your customers are retirees in their 60s, 70s, or 80s.”
The second piece of advice is to be prepared to step into the spotlight. Travel advisors could connect with their local news or radio station and offer to do a segment on topics such as winter travel or spring break trends — while it’s a lot of work, it’s also great exposure.
Less time-intensive is reaching out to online news sites and contacting journalists to put you on their reference list for future interview opportunities.
“Beyond self-promotion, I find the best way to make a name for yourself is to become known as an expert in your field,” Scher said. “You live and breathe travel every day, so who better to offer advice to your local media on the hottest spring break destinations or best summer vacations on a budget?”
The third piece of advice is to find a niche. This may seem like a simple thing, but if you want to become known as an expert in your field, you need to narrow your scope.
“The best experts we’ve worked with might specialize in one area but are willing to comment on just about anything in their field in order to be the best possible resource to the media,” said Scher. “That’s why they keep getting called back with opportunities over and over again. Once you’ve built up a strong collection of clips from local media, that’s when you should try to take the next step toward national outlets.”
Lastly, however, you decide to promote your business, showcase your knowledge instead of sales tactics. Travelers love having a knowledgeable ally to help them navigate the sometimes murky waters of planning travel, and it’s this that travel advisors should be showcasing to the world.
Want to read more tips and tricks on how to become more media-friendly and grow your business as an expert travel advisor? Check out the rest of Scher’s tips on the ALG Vacations website.
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