There is good news for home-based independent agents. 2013 sales are stronger than last year at this time and profits are expected to increase from 5 percent to 10 percent in 2013, the National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA) reports.
"When we asked the membership to compare performance in 2012 to last year, more than 70 percent of members said revenue, transactions and their client lists were the same or better," reports Ann van Leeuwen, vice president of the 1,600 member strong NACTA.
"Nationally, members are optimistic in their projections for 2013. Many tell me there is plenty of business to go around and that they are in the driver’s seat when it comes to selecting which clients they want to work with," van Leeuwen said.
"The Independent agent channel is flourishing and the agents are poised for success. NACTA agents have unique travel specialties, many have group followings and have clients for life due to the solid relationships they have built with their clients," van Leeuwen said.
Noting the changes in marketing, technology and the challenges faced by independent agents, van Leeuwen notes: “It’s important that the independent agent remember that they are the brand when it comes to consumer marketing. Their agency name and contact information should be prominently and clearly promoted in marketing material sent to their clients and prospects. “
“Supplier marketing material can be user friendly and carry beautiful graphics and informative content to entice consumers to inquire about travel, however the agency information should not be overshadowed by the supplier name and logo. It is the relationship between the consumer and agent that is most important in closing the sale," she notes.
In the year ahead NACTA will offer its members A Taste of Technology through the NACTA North Carolina Chapter. “This was very successful in 2012 and will continue again in 2013 thanks to the efforts of Doris Lefever and Richard Schwartz -NACTA Chapter Directors - who teamed up to offer this session for NACTA agents wanting to advance their technology skills,” van Leeuwen says.
“Agents who are members of NACTA or ASTA can also take advantage of Microsoft webinars conducted by the experts at Microsoft to keep current on technology options for improving their business productivity. NACTA now has 43 Chapters representing 60 Chapter Directors and co-Directors. Independent agents enjoy learning in a group environment and sharing tips with one another," van Leeuwen says. “These two courses are examples of the types of technology sessions NACTA members can take advantage of and are designed to help them improve their technology skills in a relaxed environment.”
“Suppliers recognize the fact that the independent agent channel is a diverse sales force where they can develop new business by aligning themselves with companies such as NACTA. The strength of the local chapters and the frequency of engaging the members (at the chapter level) through meetings, events and communication continues to be the key strength of NACTA,” van Leeuwen says. “NACTA agents value the community of its membership. They share information, exchange ideas, pose questions and receive suggested travel ideas for their clients. A new agent joining NACTA has access to the travel expertise of 1,600 agents at their fingertips. Through NACTA’s Agent Digest, members can pose questions to their fellow NACTA agents and receive instant expert responses from agents ‘in the know’."
Independent agents can work from their homes, their own office location, a commercial location or inside a traditional agency, van Leeuwen, who holds both the CTA and CTIE designations, says. “Regardless of where they do business, they value the community of their network because they are like minded, understand what challenges are involved with being an independent agent and truly want one another to succeed.”
Another point van Leeuwen makes is that NACTA was the first network association to offer a Health Care Benefit program for the agent membership. This was put in place in July of 2011.
“I continue to be impressed with how connected they are with one another and their connections go beyond just helping one another in their business to lifelong friendships. NACTA is the conductor of this networking and provides the platforms to help agents succeed in business and stay connected,” van Leeuwen says.
The program includes: Local Chapter Meetings designed by the NACTA Chapter Director, Educational programs including Seminars at Sea and Destinationals, a national convention, Agent Life publication and the NACTA Agent Digest- one of the most popular methods of networking, according to van Leeuwen.
“Suppliers value doing business with NACTA and want to be a part of this networking and to develop new business and group business with the independent and hosted agents.“ she notes.
New initiatives for 2013 include NACTA adding a quarterly vehicle summarizing agent incentives provided by its preferred suppliers. NACTA will also double the face- to- face meetings it had in 2012 pre and post of industry events such as CLIA’s annual conference.
Van Leeuwen expects that NACTA and ASTA (NACTA's parent) will have its first ever combined Chapter Director and Chapter President meeting in June in Seattle that will allow further networking with their ASTA counterparts.
Visit www.NACTA.com