Choosing a specialty is a matter of starting with what a travel seller is passionate about and good at -- but the process doesn't stop there, said Meredith Hill, the CEO and founder of Global Institute for Travel Entrepreneurs (GIFTE), an online travel industry institute.
It's not enough to simply choose and announce a specialty, she said. Rather, consider how you will promote the specialty by creating a compelling message that answers the question why clients should use you for their travels.
For example, an agent may love Sandals and be passionate about selling Sandals. But promoting Sandals isn't as effective as promoting yourself as a specialist in romance, said Hill.
She describes her concept as marketing yourself as "a solution" to a pressing need that your clients have, a need that you as a travel expert can solve for them. The Sandals specialist, for example, could promote themselves as "helping couples rekindle their love through wonderful, romantic vacations."
"The reason why you need a solution-based message to articulate your specialty is because it will make your marketing magnetic," meaning it will make clients take notice, Hill said.
When agents speak to people about their specialty and use products as examples, people may not listen, Hill said. "But if they take the time to come up with a solutions-based core, compelling message and use something like 'I help couples re-ignite their passion, love and connection by planning the most dreamy, romantic vacations,' they will get their attention."
Another example is a family travel specialist: Without a compelling message, they are likely to promote their specialty in a way that doesn't connect with potential clients. They may say "I'm a Disney specialist," but Hill said a much more effective message is, "I help families capture extraordinary moments and memories by meticulously planning fantastic and fun-filled family vacations."
Hill, herself a former travel agent and now an industry trainer and business coach, said that agents would feel more satisfied with their work if they take this approach.
"We all have gifts, talents and skills and, when we help someone else, we feel fulfilled," she added. "Your marketing becomes more magnetic when you take the approach that 'I'm here to help you" rather than 'Do you want to book with me?' It goes from a car salesman approach to a magnetic approach."