Signature Travel Network, at its annual owners' meeting at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif., announced for key initiatives that it will focus on in 2013. These include urging members to adopt Signature's new proprietary technology tools; partnering even more with preferred suppliers to grow already strong preferred sales; building an even more robust email-marketing list with higher percentages of permission; ensuring front line consultants provide rich information on clients' travel preferences and selections by utilizing Res Cards for their customers.

For 2013, Signature said it would analyze each member in these four categories, establishing benchmarks for each initiative. Members will get detailed reports on their agency’s position as compared with Signature’s entire membership. Signature also will create specific training programs to aid members and their frontline sales people to achieve the benchmarks.

Regular monitoring and reporting will be part of the new approach. "Bright Spots" (members who have perfected "best practices" for each area) will be studied and their methodologies and internal practices will be highlighted and incorporated into Signature's training. Indeed, several sessions on best practices were a feature of this year’s owners’ meeting.

"We ask our members to treat their clients as individuals,” said Signature President Michelle Morgan. “This new communications and training program will ensure Signature is meeting the individual needs of its members -- aiding them to meet their specific business objectives."

This year’s meeting, which had 85 percent of Signature members in attendance, offered an update on the state of the membership and key initiatives slated for 2013. "The overall vibe of the meeting is very positive," said Morgan. “We're hearing that business is good, and members are optimistic. Advance sales are up 20 percent to 40 percent over the same time last year.”