THETRADESHOW Announces New Home-Based Seminars

To help travel professionals who have taken their businesses home or are considering becoming home-based in the future, THETRADESHOW has announced seminars geared to home-based agents attending this year’s show. The 2010 THETRADESHOW will take place in Orlando, September 12-14 at the Orange County Convention Center.

“Education remains a vitally important aspect of any successful home-based travel agency” said Scott Koepf, president of the National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA), a sponsor of THETRADESHOW. “It’s important that home-based travel agents or those who are looking to take their businesses home take advantage of this opportunity to network with and learn from other home-based agents how to successfully market themselves and their agency.”

Travel agents will have the option of attending the following seminars:

Groups: Lather, Rinse, Repeat! Presented by Mary Clegg
Group business should be the foundation of a travel business, as a strong group base will reap financial rewards with fewer transactions and greater customer loyalty. Travel agents who attend this session will learn to:

*    Develop a group marketing plan to build a group base for each fiscal quarter.
*    Locate and keep groups as clients.
*    Find potential group leaders and build a trusting relationship with them.
*    Work with groups throughout their travel experience.
*    Obtain a deposit on the group’s next trip before they even return home.

Home Alone? Understanding and Choosing the Right Business Model for Your Independent Travel Business. Presented by Joanie Ogg.
Travel agents attending this unbiased and fact-based seminar will learn about the variety of business models and choices they have when it comes to operating a home-based travel business. Key discussion points include:
*    Going solo using custom booking identifiers, what is available and at what cost.
*    The host-agency option versus the franchise-based option.
*    What home-based agencies should look for in a consortium.
*    Identity and supplier recognition.

Marketing – What to do to Increase Your Travel Business. Presented by Scott Koepf
Travel agents--here is the opportunity to learn how to successfully brand and promote yourself. Attendees will learn how to:

*    Establish their unique selling proposition.
*    Find their target audience.
*    Feature the right products and create the right message.
*    Become a sought-after expert.

A variety of registration packages, ranging from $35 to the Best Value Package at $109 are available. For more information on these packages or to register, visit www.THETRADESHOW.org.