Travel Masters Podcast
Founded by travel goddess and CEO of Small World Big Fun, Cindy Minor and sales training expert Morris Sims, The Travel Masters Learning Community (click the link and join us there too) is here to help you grow in the world of travel and achieve greatness!
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Travel Masters Podcast
Weaving Dreams into Itineraries with a Personal Touch
Embark on a journey with the indomitable Bobbie Rae Murphy, who transitioned from dental hygiene to the pinnacle of travel advising with a sprinkle of educational magic. In our latest podcast talk, Morris Sims gets candid with Bobbie as she shares the blueprint for turning personal travel stories into a treasure trove of client resources. Discover how her unique approach to crafting newsletters with a personal twist isn't just about selling destinations, but about creating an emotional tapestry that weaves the client's dreams into reality.
For those hungry for the secret sauce behind successful travel advisement, this episode is a goldmine. Bobbie and I dissect the art of being an authentic and resourceful travel advisor, stressing the importance of staying updated through firsthand destination experiences. Not just a chronicle of places and itineraries, our conversation uncovers the emotive power travel advisors have in shaping journeys that resonate on a deeper level. Tune in and ignite your passion for travel, as we reveal the behind-the-scenes of building lasting relationships and delivering unforgettable adventures.
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I need to keep my energy up, and the way for me to do that is to keep experiencing the world. You know, as my travelers would.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Travel Masters podcast. We're here to help travel advisors and travel agency owners get what they really want from their business. I'm Morris Sims and I'm going to be your host for our podcast. I'm an ex-chemical engineer turned life insurance agent. I got to tell you selling life insurance was a lot more fun for me than being an engineer. After a few years, they asked me to teach other people how to do what I was doing. And well, long story short, we wound up in New York City for 20 years. That was quite a change for a young Alabama boy. I retired after 20 years as the vice president and chief learning officer, where my team and I trained over 12,000 agents and their managers to be independent business owners and sales professionals. Now I'm not one to stop working, so I started my own business and I was blessed to find a sweet spot with travel professionals that I was able to help. Now I've got several travel agency consulting clients and I'm the co-founder of the Travel Masters Learning Community, where we provide opportunities for travel professionals to become more effective, efficient and to get what they want from their business.
Speaker 2:On this podcast, I'm going to be interviewing guests that I believe are going to have a message that can be of help to you. Our travel professional community and I'll do some solo episodes as well with some other stuff that I really think can help you and your business. So, with all that said, hey, let's get this party started with today's episode. What do you say? Bobby Ray Murphy is our guest today. She's been in the travel industry for a year or two. I'll let her tell you more about that but basically, we're going to come up with some great ideas for you today and some things that are going to help you and your business, so that we can help you get what you want out of what you do all day long. That's really where it all comes down to and what it all believes in. So, hey, bobbi, tell us a little bit about yourself, tell us how you got into this, introduce us to Bobby.
Speaker 1:So I have been in the travel industry now for about 23 years. I began back when I was raising three boys and my friend who was a travel agent in my neighborhood said hey, you're pretty good at this. Do you want to think about being a travel advisor? Back then we were called travel agents. Now we do a whole lot more than just pick up the phone and and book a trip, right.
Speaker 1:So I have a education in dental hygiene and it was very interesting how that transferred the skills of teaching someone to be health minded in their, in their mouth, so to speak. You know teaching skills and learning their learning, I guess style, if you will. It translated really interestingly to advising individual clients about travel. So that's you know. I did a little bit of both for quite a while.
Speaker 1:I had the luxury of working for my spouse at the time and many of you probably are also doing a second job as well, and many of you probably are also doing a second job as well, and it's kind of a nice business to learn slowly. So that's me in a nutshell. I've morphed over the years and rebranded and, you know, was working with my friend for a while who said hey, you're good at this. Here's my Rolodex. This is back before 2000 and not a lot of computer work, you know so much more phone work, and so the industry has changed quite a bit over the years and nowadays we can work part-time, full-time from our homes and, yeah, it's a good industry to be in. So I'm glad you're considering it.
Speaker 2:Bobby, tell us a little more about what you have done and what you do today to find new people to talk to. I'm sure you're not just sitting at home waiting on the phone to ring. So what are you doing to market your business and market yourself?
Speaker 1:Well, I went through a coaching business when I actually went through a divorce. I got into the industry at a time when I had a very serious health diagnosis and thought past. But now I'm very faithfully marketing by writing a newsletter. I enjoy writing, you know. Maybe you don't with the new. You know technology out there it's pretty easy to write, even if you don't love to write, right to write, even if you don't love to write, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, you can go to chat GPT and they'll write a whole dead gum newsletter for you.
Speaker 1:That's right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it needs your voice and your style to it, though I think so, yeah, you're right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's right. So I do have a blog on my website. You know, I think the website is fairly static for me in that it's a validation of my business. You know, if you will, I don't get a ton from the website itself, but being faithful about sending my e-news to my existing clients, you know, I think that helps them to understand that. Yeah, I'm all in and I'm going to be in your corner all the way when we're planning your adventures.
Speaker 2:That's wonderful, that really is good.
Speaker 2:And yeah, I mean, I think that's what we all hope to do is to get to that point where referrals are the key, and referrals are what keep the ship afloat. But in the meantime, you do things like have a great website and make some things happen along those lines, right, what do you think I mean for all our audience? Out there are existing travel advisors, probably, probably. And with that, what have you found over your 20 some odd years of doing? This is probably one of the keys to being successful in this business.
Speaker 1:Well, I think being real and being authentic when you're working with your clients is really important. I mean, I think educating yourself all the constantly, because things change in every industry, doesn't matter, right Going, being faithful about getting out of the office and actually visiting the places that you're sending your clients as well as, and so you're, you know, you're vetting them yourself. Speaking from experience to the people who are reaching out for my expertise in this case. So, um, you know, I think I think that's the key is to not getting bored with it. If you will, Um, if you will just being consistently learning so that you're not getting stale and just doing the same old. You know, that's what I find.
Speaker 2:anyway, I need to keep my energy up and the way for me to do that is to keep experiencing the world, you know, as my travelers would. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, absolutely. Do you still travel a lot?
Speaker 1:yourself, bobby. Yes, I do, and during COVID that was very frustrating because we didn't, we kind of were stuck right. But I try to get out. I mean a goal is quarterly. It really depends on what kind of a trip and what the investment in my own, you know, my out of my own pocket, um. You know I like to travel as as you, would travel as a client, would travel um without any special, you know, perks. But in the industry it is nice also to be guided with a travel advisor group some once in a while, because you're seeing a lot of properties at once. So, for example, if you, if you um like to sell Mexico, it's good to get down there regularly and see the properties as they're. You know having guests visit them and see how you feel. You know, I mean a lot of our industry. It's about how you feel, how it makes you feel when you visit, when you experience, when you know those are the things you remember experience, when you know that's what.
Speaker 2:Those are the things you remember. Yeah, I mean, and that's the reason why people choose to to do or not do whatever you recommend that they do is how it makes them feel today and how they expect to feel once they get down there and get into it. It's, it's about the emotion, isn't it about the feelings?
Speaker 1:yeah, it really is. That's is, that's what we, that's what we create. We create memories and, and, um, you know, the best memories I mean in my, in my world, the best memories for me when I travel the world are the ones that have put me a little bit out of my comfort zone, and that's kind of what I coach, if you will. Um so, um, yeah, for sure, it's how the staff treats you. That's what you remember. You know you don't remember that the bed wasn't all that comfy if it wasn't right. You remember how the staff made you feel.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you remember the experience that was created and the people you were with and the way the relationships built up and such. That's what makes it work and that's why it's so important to find out what your client really wants out of that trip. It's the difference, in my opinion, from being a transactional salesperson or transactional travel advisor or a travel agent really, or being a travel advisor where you're more of a consultant. You're doing a consultative sort of a role rather than just a. You want a green widget? Great, bring me a green. You know I'll scan that and it costs $2.95. That's not the kind of business we want to be in. That's not any fun and it doesn't pretend to be even close to be lucrative, that's for sure. Where have you been lately? That was really cool that you really enjoyed, bobby, oh, man.
Speaker 1:I had a wonderful opportunity on the brand-new ship SH Diana Swan. Hellenic is an expedition cruise ship and I had the pleasure of visiting Norway, the Norwegian fjords, being on this expedition, if you will, seeing the beautiful nature up there, and I was, honestly, I was just totally blown away by the, the service the staff gave us and the, the actual hardware of the, of the um, the ship itself and the experience of getting getting to go on to uh, zodiac and and and playing as as they do more in the antarctic and the ar Arctic circle, those more expedition rather than cultural experiences. So you know, that was incredible. Like I'll go back to Scandinavia.
Speaker 1:My grandmother was born in Sweden, so I kind of have a place in my heart for that part of the world anyway, and when this I just was there in May. Oh, that's neat. Yeah, looking forward to go into the conference in Las Vegas. Vegas has changed greatly, you know, in the last year or two and so kind of looking forward to seeing some of those changes while I'm at conference, learning at the signature conference. That's a big one, like a four day conference in Vegas where we learn a lot.
Speaker 2:It's great. Well, that sounds wonderful. Well, harry, you just made a point for what we were talking about a minute ago. You've got a connection to where you went in your history, in your lineage, and that makes it feel different. That makes it important. That makes it important, that makes it worthwhile, and I think that's still the key when you're talking to a client is finding out what's important to them.
Speaker 1:What's important to them yeah absolutely.
Speaker 2:It's their vacation and their wallet right, it's not yours.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely, and it does take a little bit of time. Don't rush that too much, because that takes a little bit of time to get to know someone. Now, yeah, it's a little bit easier when they're a returning client, right? A returning traveler who you know what Each trip is different too.
Speaker 1:So I mean this could you know that we need to ask that question? You know why? Why Norway and and is this a celebration of any kind? You know, learn a little bit about, about what their expectations are, up front, beyond the pocketbook thing. I mean, obviously, you know, when we start to curate a trip and we share things, they'll tell us if, oh, that's a lot more than I thought you know, should we just remove a couple of days or should we? You know?
Speaker 1:So for me it's a lot of back and forth, and that brings me to the piece where it's really important for us to help them to understand what it's like to work with us at first, how it works best, and make sure that that's okay with them. You know, like, if somebody's for me, it's better to obviously have things in writing, but a little bit of back and forth with email works for me. Another advisor might prefer Messenger or some other method of communication. So it's important that we drill that are. You know, the pricing is like real time. It can change. If it's a week before you respond, that that opportunity may have passed. And so are you able to check your email. Or do you want me to text you, for example? You know, you know I sent one. You know, just be clear.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, that's absolutely required. I mean, folks need to understand the timeline involved because, you're right, it's dynamic, everything is changing every minute. That room or that cabin or that resort may have been wonderfully available, with the kind of room you wanted, yesterday, but today they're gone. There were only two available and they both got snatched up last night and you know, you're up that well-known creek without a paddle. So it's important that they understand that timeline. There's no doubt about that, that's for absolutely sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and we definitely want to avoid any disappointment during this process, right yeah?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean the idea is to find out what their needs are, what their desires are, so that you can help them have the very best vacation they've ever had, with the least amount of hassles and trouble. Right, Because that's what we do. We help people solve problems and their problem is that maybe their problem is they don't know how to book a trip to Norway, or their problem is they want to go to Norway but they got this big time job and they don't have time to do it and, frankly, they don't want to do all of that planning themselves. So we're going to solve that problem for them by being the right person at the right time to help them solve that problem and be able to move forward.
Speaker 2:Bobby, as we kind of wrap up here, what would your advice, your thoughts, your guidance be for anybody out there that's in this business today? I mean, you've got a lot of experience under your belt, young lady, and I'm sure you've got some words of wisdom for us that could help folks that are out there early on maybe in their career or just need a spark and an idea about what they can do to improve. What do you think?
Speaker 1:I think it's much clearer if we drill it down to what we're passionate about or the type of people we want. It could be demographic, it could be a destination or it could be, like you know, a lifestyle. Like you know, I my maybe I made a a tactical error in drilling down to active adventure travel, because I'm still traveling and selling the whole world, right, but, but you know, I think it's good to create that niche for yourself. It may be one, maybe three, I don't know what it works, what it looks like for you, but that has been really helpful. And the other thing that I would say is make sure you have a great CRM that will keep you organized. So you know, a client management system that will allow you to do a lot of different things.
Speaker 1:I happen to use Travel Joy and I find it very vibrant. In fact, it does more than I used to use right now, but I'm learning and it's actually morphing with the business too. So I mean you can create nice itineraries in that as just something to present to your client at the beginning and make it kind of pretty, you know. So I mean those tools are nice, and if you can find a host agency that has that to offer you. Great. I think it's good to align yourself with a support system of some sort, whether that looks to you like just aligning your agency with the bigger consortia like Signature or Virtuoso, for example, or aligning yourself with a good host agency that has good support for, especially if you're a new travel advisor, that's invaluable.
Speaker 2:Bobby, thank you so very, very much for being with us here today. Your years of experience and all that you've done is truly valuable to each and every one of us. You gave us some great ideas and some great things that need to be considered as we move forward to build that business. So thank you very much for being with us on the show today.
Speaker 1:My pleasure. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2:Oh, you're more than welcome Everybody else. Y'all go out there and make it a great week. Have a good time, Meet some wonderful people. That's what it's all about is finding new people to work with that you can connect to and you can help them solve their problems when it comes to travel and their vacations, because you're going to get them the best vacation they've ever had, and all they have to do show them. Have fun. Have a great week. I'll see you again next time, right here. My name is Morris Sims. Thanks for joining us. Bye-bye you.