Group travel is a great tool for small businesses!

Small and medium-sized business owners tend to think of travel in terms of their next business trip, or the dream vacation that they simply can’t find the time to take. This can be frustrating, as it can sometimes seem like everyone else is taking fantastic vacations, and you’re stuck at home minding the shop, literally or figuratively.

Savvy business owners in today's experience economy, however, take a different approach to travel, and are starting to incorporate small group travel into the menu of products and services offered to their customers. They view small group travel as a way to add a new revenue stream to their business, create raving fans among their best customers, and to stand out from the competition. More than a vacation, travel is a vehicle to address some common business challenges.  

What? Travel as a revenue stream for my business?

Let’s start with some background information.

Increasingly, affluent Americans are traveling overseas. In fact, according to the National Travel & Tourism Office, 2017 represented a record year for international travel by Americans, and 2018 looks to surpass it.

What does this mean for your small or medium-sized business?

Put simply, your small to medium-sized business is well positioned to leverage the international travel trend. Your customers – and especially your best customers – travel. A lot. Across the country, small and medium-sized businesses are leveraging this trend by incorporating group travel into the mix of products and services they offer to their customers.

Why?

• Because small group travel can positively impact your business’ bottom line, boost its brand, and create genuine community around your business:
• Build a new revenue stream created by sharing in the revenue generated by the trip
• Create an intimate bond with customers – travel creates experiences and bonds that quite simply cannot be replicated in your place of business…let alone online·   
• Develop high visibility and differentiation in the marketplace – your business will stand out from the competition which isn’t pursuing this creative approach

And of course, there are perks for the business owner or staff member who serves as a group leader, including the opportunity to travel at little cost. Your customers will also enjoy privileged access, added perks, and VIP status as they travel with you, further enhancing your business’ reputation. You get to travel, you get to address some important business challenges, and you will make money in the process – I’d say that’s the very definition of a win-win!

Let me explain how this works.

We’ll work together to choose a group trip that closely aligns with your business and brand goals. Then, I’ll provide the tools to promote the trip to your customer base. You’ll quickly find, though, that you already have many of these tools, like an e-Newsletter, social media channels, special events, or a loyalty program. For a successful business with a good base of loyal customers, filling your group is quick and easy.

Don’t worry that a trip like this can be a distraction away from your real job – running your business. You have the power of our award-winning Travel Leaders agency behind you, so you can rest assured that we’ve got your back will take care of all the details and logistics.

On the trip, your customers will build deep and long-lasting relationships with you and your brand, as well as enjoying a fantastic travel experience. After the trip, you will share in the revenue generated, creating a new profit center for your business. Even better – travel can be the gift that keeps giving, as successful groups often travel annually. 

Have I sparked your curiosity? Would you like to learn more about how small group travel can become a new revenue source for your business, while simultaneously giving you the flexibility to travel yourself? Please contact me at (651) 964-8245 or ted@tvlleaders.com, and we’ll find a time to chat over a cup of coffee or glass of wine and, together, explore the opportunities to leverage travel in your business.