Discover the Power of Branding

Helping travel agents grow and develop their business is my passion. I’ve spent most of my life in the travel business and, for the past 16 years, I have coached, motivated and trained agents. One of the ways I’ve helped them grow their businesses is to emphasize the development of their own personal and professional brand.

Indeed, I believe agents can get enormous value if they understand the power of personal branding. Branding is a fundamental ingredient to any successful business operation. So, this new monthly column on the topic of branding is focused on helping you, the professional travel adviser.

I am delighted to share my ideas here with you and then continue the conversation on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/coryandrichuk). My intention is to use real-life experiences, past client examples and industry-related stories that you can use and implement over time.

Did you know that most people start a business without ever completing a thorough appraisal of themselves or their personal and professional business needs and goals? I wonder how they decide where to begin or where they want to go. On what do they base their decisions? Would everything be haphazard and on the fly? And how would they or their business succeed in the end?

Without the appraisal, which is part of the branding process, the potential to succeed in business is limited. I’ve found that when people understand the importance of branding to them personally and professionally, they ultimately do something about it to bring about positive and ongoing changes.

Of course, any discussion about branding should start with defining our terms. What is a brand and what is branding? A brand is a reflection of you, your beliefs and values, and your passions and interests. A strong brand is aligned with your core values and beliefs during every customer touch point. Here’s an easier way of stating this: A brand is what people say about you and your business when you’re not in the room.

Whether you like it or not, perception is reality. People will judge you and buy from you based on how they perceive you. Add to this mix your online social persona and you’re either right on the money, talking their language, and doing business with like-minded friends, or you’re stepping on their toes and making noise, trying to sell somebody something they don’t really want or need.

The branding process is the act of making business decisions and moving forward based on your brand. On the other hand, branding is not just a one-time exercise. Instead, it’s a succession of thinking, planning, evaluating, tweaking and readjusting as you move along in your everyday personal and professional life.

The danger of having a weak brand as a travel agent is that it positions you no better than a general travel website or call center that is selling purely on price. Your clients are not loyal to you, nor are they challenged to see or feel value in your relationship. A travel agent with a strong brand cares and demonstrates it by creating memorable buying experiences, building long-term relationships and focusing on service in every way!

My objective in every column I write is not only to get you to think about branding and the branding process, but also to leave you with a practical and relevant tip or idea to build on or enhance your own brand. I was reminded of a helpful exercise to get you get started when a colleague of mine (a mentor of sorts) emailed me and asked me to provide her with my five words that best describe her.

I emailed her back saying I would gladly comply, but I wanted to challenge her to write me her own five words that she wants to be known for in her community. I believe it is helpful to know what others say about you, but the greatest and strongest brands proactively dictate what they want to stand for and then produce clear, concise communication to reflect that message.

Call it homework, if you like, but I’m going to ask you to determine the five words that best describe how you want to be known in your community. You could start by asking, “What would I want people to say about me when I’m not in the room?” Let the conversation begin!