Hi. I'm a very new travel agent. Just got certified in Dec 2022 and have been slowly developing my business and setting up systems in place and also working with a lawyer on my terms and conditions. I'm also working on my website. I have had zero clients as of today. I know they will come. I'm the meantime, I have several questions:
what is magnet lead (I see people talking about it)
I want to charge planning fees and cancellation fees. What are other fees i could charge? Are cancellation fees a thing?
What is a list of task descriptions that I could use when explaining why I charge a planning fee? I know what I'll be doing in general, but I have no clue as to how to explain it in bullet points for my website and brochures. How do I explain my value?. Please help!
Can I charge or do you recommend I charge different pricing for cruises Vs trips for example? I was thinking $50 for cruises (since it's so easy to book directly with the cruise line as DIY) and $175 for planning a trip.
Thank you
First of all, welcome to the TA community!! It's great that you're getting all your systems and support in place BEFORE you need it. I am not an expert, in all things TA, but to answer your questions:
1.) A lead magnet is something you offer to entice someone to give you their email. Some kind of freebie, nugget of knowledge, etc. that's valuable enough to your ideal client, they will be ready to accept your emails. (Sandra really explains it better.)
2.) If you're with a host, check with them to see which fees they will show. If they are open to any, check with your attorney about the language for fees terms. Some fees include: planning, cancellation, some charge fees to build an itinerary without booking anything, fees for destination guide books/activity ideas if they self-book.
3.) Make your bullet list of things you're going to do to service your client but to sell the value, make sure you include how you will help with your ideal clients pain point (traveling with small kids, saving them time on research, knowledge with accessibility concerns, etc.)
4.) You can structure your fees however you like (as long as you consult your host agency and attorney). Some do flat fees, some do a tier system dependent on trip type, some do research fees, etc.
I hope that helps a little. Being in this community will be a big benefit. If you can, look into the next Travel Marketing Revolution that opens up. It will answer a lot of your questions. 🙂