Agent to Agent: Do I Need a Mission Statement?

Dear Tammy: Do I need a mission statement?

Tammy: Your mission statement is a statement of purpose. Coming up with a mission statement lets everyone know what your business priorities are. When someone is looking for a new travel agent, more often than not they will look at the travel agents website, including their mission statement.

When a prospective client reads a mission statement that matches their values, they’re not only much more likely to give their business to that agent, they’re also much more likely to remain loyal over the years!

I think every travel agent should have a mission statement, as it differentiates them from other travel agents. It’s important for you to do what you can to make yourself stand out from your competition. A mission statement can definitely help you do that.

Understand that making a mission statement can be a little tricky. You’ll need to clearly convey your statement of purpose, which can be very long, into a short and easy to understand message that anyone can easily understand when they read it. Between 2 and 4 sentences is a good idea, so up to about a hundred words.

If you make your mission statement too long, many people will simply not read it.

Listing your primary objectives is important, and should include any reasons why your travel agency business exists. You can include your goals, and even the philosophies for the reasons why you chose those goals.

Basically, a statement lets everyone know at a glance what your travel agency is all about. It defines who you are as a travel agent.

A great way for you to start is to first write everything down. Once you do, you can then start organizing your words into a statement. What do you want to focus on? What’s most important to you when you're dealing with clients? What type of experience do you want them to have?

Pick and choose the words that you think will come across best to your audience. Using stand out words is recommended.

Mission statement start examples:

—Our mission is to provide every single one of our customers...

—Our goal is to become the best luxury travel agency...

—Our superior services are always a focus...

Just remember, your mission statement tells everyone what your travel business is all about. This includes your clients, your suppliers, the local community, and any employees you may have.