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| Jordan Executive Travel CEO and OSSN webinar host Margie Jordan will speak at the upcoming Home-Based Travel Agent Forum in Tampa. |
Outside Sales Support Network (OSSN) is scheduled to relaunch its website in October to coincide with its Home-Based Travel Agent Forum, to be held in Tampa, FL, October 27-30. Registration for the OSSN Forum is still open and will offer travel agents certified training courses, continuing education classes, panel discussions, seminars and the opportunity to meet hundreds of leading suppliers from around the world on the trade show floor.
In addition to a more modernized and sophisticated look and intuitive interface, the new OSSN website will offer a much easier user experience and more streamlined navigation for both the member and non-member sections of the site. One of the biggest changes is that OSSN, CCRA and TRUE will all be combined into the website through a global directory that will allow travel advisors to easily find preferred suppliers and access agent benefits offered by all three company divisions.
Regarding the upcoming Forum, highlights will include new education and networking opportunities. Here’s a small sampling of seminar topics that are tailored to help independent travel professionals become more successful and profitable:
* How to build your niche brand
* Developing a Strong Marketing Plan
* Finding and Qualifying Leads
* Streamline Your Sales Process for $$$ Results!
* How to Create a Dynamic Referral Program to Maximize Your Business
* Legalities for the Independent Travel Seller: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Business
* Negotiating Group Contracts
* Bringing Out Your Inner Sales Superstar
OSSN Members will also have the opportunity to register to attend the complimentary FirstNight VIP OSSN Event on October 27 at Splitsville’s luxury bowling lanes on the Tampa waterfront, which will give members a chance to mingle and get to know one another. OSSN will provide food, drinks, music, dancing and the chance to win prizes from travel industry suppliers in attendance.
Among the conference speakers will be Margie Jordan, CEO of Jordan Executive Travel, who will be discussing such topics as “The Social Scope: A Complete Guide To Social Networking and Determining What Works for You” and “Creating the Right Social Media Marketing Plan for Your Business.”
Meanwhile, Jordan continues to lead the OSSN marketing training webinars that are offered on a complimentary basis for OSSN travel agent members and Chapter Directors. Recently, the webinars have been focused on training travel professionals to use and incorporate social media into their business marketing efforts, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
The webinars are recorded so that OSSN members can go back and listen to them via the OSSN site multiple times. These step-by-step webinars have been very well received by OSSN members and, based on travel agent feedback, they have been helping independent agents feel more confident in their use of social media for their business marketing efforts.
Home-Based Briefs
* Travel Quest has opened its TQNational Meeting (Minneapolis,September 24-25) to non-members.Prospective TQ agents whoattend will get their $199 sign-upfee waived if they hook up withthe host agency by October 31.
* Registration is open for Travel Leaders’ National Meeting at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, October 30 – November 2. The event will include more than 70 workshops, a 40 percent increase from last year. The theme of this year’s meeting will be “Expect the Best.”
* CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. made South Florida Business Journal’s annual Top 100 Private Companies for the fourth straight year, coming in at number 32 for 2015.