Jamie Biesiada
There are a lot of challenges that come with being a travel advisor, whether it's how to structure your business, dealing with difficult clients or finding the right technology stack.
Landing on a specialty can also be a dilemma.
It's a particular predicament that Kameish Stanley, Avoya Travel's vice president of strategic growth, highlighted in a recent conversation.
"You can't be everything to everyone," Stanley said.
So, how to drill down?
Stanley said Avoya's advisors are zeroing in on niches with the help of mentors and learning which preferred suppliers they enjoy selling.
"It's helping them narrow down their focus, trying to figure out, are you wanting to specialize in expedition? Is it river? Is it land?," she said. "And being able to provide them with the resources, the training and the partnerships, relationships and guidance to lean into what their specialty is."
Finding a niche is particularly difficult for advisors who are new to the industry, she said.
After all, they don't know the industry as well as veteran advisors, and the sheer number of suppliers, destinations and types of travel can be overwhelming.
Stanley advised finding a niche that fills two buckets. First, she said, it should fit the advisor's lifestyle, Second, it should be something they're passionate about.
"That's when you're going to do well," she said.
It can also be hard for advisors to dive into new verticals of travel to sell, said Julie Howard, Avoya's vice president of partnerships. For instance, there may be an advisor who sells a lot of hotels but wants to break into cruising.
In instances like that, Howard said it's up to teams like hers to help educate advisors.
It's about "helping them understand comparable products in each segment," she said, then how to source clients or build groups based around that product.
While it takes some work, it's all in the name of growing revenue and diversifying revenue streams, she said.
It's also important to experience the product. Stanley recommended leaning on a network like a host agency or consortium for educational opportunities and fam trips.
"You sell what you know," Stanley said. "As soon as you can experience something, then I think you have a leg up on the competition."