Sue Passauer. (Source: Sue Passauer)
Success Stories focus on veteran advisors and how they achieved success. Here’s a look at Sue Passauer, an independent agent affiliated with MEI-Travel.
How did you get your start as a travel advisor?
My love for travel was fostered by my parents as we planned our yearly family trips. My mother was the always the lead planner for their group of friends, and I remember her going to the local travel agency and getting all the brochures and planning every step. The core memories we made as a family on those trips are ones that I will never forget, and I loved helping my mother plan those trips.
As with many advisors, my first love was Walt Disney World, which I first visited with my parents and brothers; and then as I grew up, with my children. This led to many friends coming to me as a Disney expert to assist in planning their trips –and I absolutely loved doing that for them.
A little over 11 years ago, I was introduced to Beci Mahnken, owner of MEI-Travel, during a trip to Walt Disney World. Beci and I had a wonderful conversation about travel and my previous travels growing up. At the time, she was looking for new agents and I was looking for a career change from the legal field. She encouraged me to apply with her agency and turn my love for travel into a career. To be honest, I never thought I would be hired!
From there, I took the chance, and MEI took a chance on me. I worked two jobs for many years before finally taking the leap and turning what I loved doing into a thriving business, allowing me to plan and curate special and sometimes once-in-a-lifetime itineraries for other families to experience. Simply put, if you can find something you love doing, you will never feel like you work a day in your life. I just wish I would have started earlier!
How did you build your business?
I have never had a large social media presence, but I do like to talk – ask anyone who knows me. I initially built – and continue to build my business – though of mouth. During my first week at the agency, I messaged every friend I had on Facebook and asked for their emails and then send out personal emails to each person telling them of my new career and asking to assist them with their travels, and for referrals from family and friends.
I never traveled without business cards and I was never scared to ask anyone to give me a chance and let me show the difference and advantages to working with a travel agent.
I also invested in becoming a part of communities and groups that I enjoyed and had common interests with, and got to know the members, who in turn asked me to assist them in planning their trips.
If you don’t preserve those relationships with clients, then the work you put in to find them is simply lost. I take time to write a handwritten thank you notes or a call to see how clients are doing if I haven’t heard from them in a while. It shows them they are more than a trip, and that I value them and the opportunity to work with them – because I do!
What characteristics make you a successful advisor?
I believe it’s my friendliness. I feel like I’ve never meet a stranger – it’s who I am.
It’s also important to be able to listen to your clients and be able to gain their trust. I always listen and try to identify or find something with each client that provides a connection and lets me know more about them. In many cases, my clients become friends and sometimes, as in my case, you meet your best friend.
Of course, not every client may be looking for a connection with their travel advisor, and you will recognize that as you progress through the planning process. For those who you do forge a strong relationship with you, they will always be your go-to person for travel and your best advocates.
What have been your greatest challenges been?
I think we could all say making it through COVID pandemic and just surviving. However, with travel boom that followed, and the fact that it is still continuing to grow, trying to establish a healthy work-life balance is my biggest challenge. Since the pandemic, the increased desire for clients to travel, and the complexity of the trips they want to take, is at an all-time high. I have realized thattaking care of myself and taking time off makes me a better advisor.
What have your greatest accomplishments been?
When I first started, I would have told you that one of my goals would have been to be recognized as one of the top agents in MEI-Travel and hit multi-millions dollars in sales. On reflection, giving back to causes that I believe in is definitely my greatest accomplishment and makes me the happiest.
Since I came to MEI-Travel, our owner Beci has always given back to charitable causes yearly, and this past year I was inspired by a couple I knew to do more. In 2023, on behalf of my clients, I gave a portion of my commission that I earned for every single reservation to The Make A Wish Dream Team, which funds trips for children and their families to experience Disney. I sent handwritten Christmas cards to each of my clients, letting them know about this donation on their behalf and thanking them for the ability to do this.
It inspired my clients to make additional donations to Make A Wish or another charity they felt a strong connection with. It was certainly the best feeling I experienced as a travel advisor and my greatest accomplishment – and it is something I intend to continue to do yearly.
What tips can you provide advisors new to the industry?
Be yourself, be genuine and find your passion. Find the supplier or niche you have a passion for and specialize in it and then branch out from there. I think it is very easy in the beginning to try and do too much, to spread yourself too thin or take on something that you might just not be ready to handle.
If you focus on one or two things and master those things, you can slowly branch out to other destinations or suppliers. The biggest thing you have to do is show your value to your clients. If you don’t bring any benefit to the table, then they won’t continue to use you.
It’s alright to refer a potential client to someone within your agency who specializes in a specific destination you aren’t familiar with when you are first starting.
Invest in your knowledge. Participate in continuing education, including webinars with suppliers. Most importantly, take the trips to the places you are planning vacations for clients. It may be costly up front, but the knowledge you get is invaluable.
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