“Don’t compete, find your niche”: High-achieving agent spills secrets to success
Ever wondered what it would be like to work for yourself?
You’d get to be your own boss, set your own targets, and approve your own holidays!
We daydream about it regularly, but unfortunately would probably never earn a cent because we’d not only approve 365 days of holidays for ourselves a year but we’d also set our target to one story a week so we could take regular naps and watch Netflix all day.
But if you’re a motivated and hardworking individual, willing to go out of your way to work on your terms, making the switch to the home-based model could be the best thing you ever did.
Just ask Sonia Jones of Sonia Jones Travel.
She’s been a travel advisor for 16 years, with her first 12 spent split between Flight Centre and Travel Associates. Four years ago, she made the switch to the home-based model and hasn’t looked back since.
Now, Jones is an independent affiliate with Savenio, where she’s able to brand her own business and now employs three staff.
We caught up with the woman her self to find out how her life has changed since she made the switch, and how she copes with all the challenges of the industry, including OTAs.
Travel Weekly: Could you start by telling us about the challenges you faced switching from brick and mortar to the home-based model?
Sonia Jones: One of the biggest challenges with moving to a home-based model was the fear of being isolated and I wasn’t sure how I would cope with working from home.
I decided that I needed to be actively involved with fellow home-based agents and attend supplier meetings whenever possible to keep my product knowledge up-to-date.
The other big challenge was trusting that my clients would continue to book with me.
I knew that I had loyal clients and good sales figures, but would that translate into the world of self-employment? Did those clients really book with me, or did they book with the office and just happen to select me as their travel advisor?
TW: Have you had more success with the home-based model? Why?
SJ: Working as a home-based travel advisor has given me far greater flexibility than working in a store did, and I believe that it is this flexibility that has lead to my business being so successful.
I can work in around my clients and my family, resulting in a healthier work-life balance.
I am also far more productive as I am only dealing with my clients, my bookings and my phone calls, and while I loved being in an office environment, I would always end up helping others out, or doing office jobs, or spending too long chatting about something or other!
However, the biggest difference when I moved is that my business was suddenly that – MY business.
Clients were dealing with me, and were keen to support a small business and to see it succeed. They became advocates for me, with referrals flowing in and my repeat client list growing rapidly.
Since I rebranded last year, I have experienced even more growth and success as now my business name means you know it is mine and nobody elses! It makes it even more personal and my clients love it.
TW: What, in your opinion, are the biggest challenges facing agents today?
SJ: The biggest challenge that travel agents face today is around aggressive marketing from online travel agents, such as Luxury Escapes, Webjet and the like.
Travel is bookable 24/7 and everyone has a deal, making it a very difficult space for a person to compete in.
My advice is don’t compete.
If an individual travel advisor tries to pitch against an OTA and go after the same market, you are not going to succeed.
I have worked at finding my niche and delivering a consistent, personalised service to my clients, offering them knowledge, advice and contacts that they cannot find online.
TW: How did you manage to double your business in a year?
SJ: I had a really solid first year after I started working as a home-based agent, thanks largely to getting out and seeing my clients as well as spending a lot of time connecting with them through emails, phone calls, client events and social media.
I also invested time and money in training. I did webinars, went to supplier meetings, did online industry and product training, and travelled to both domestic and international travel industry events.
I worked on my business all of the time, and regularly reviewed my goals and business plan. I was focussed, driven and excited, but above all I wanted to give myself the best chance of making my home-based business a success.
It paid off, and my turnover had doubled by the end of my second year. I’m also incredibly lucky to have such wonderful clients who eagerly spread the word and do so much to support my business.
TW: Do you have any tips for agents who want to do the same?
SJ: My tip for anyone who is considering life outside of a bricks-and-mortar store is to just do it! There is never going to be a perfect time to make the move.
There will always be bookings left behind. There will always be worry over whether clients will follow you.
The move will be difficult, but it is short term pain. The bigger picture has unlimited possibilities – whether you want to be a digital nomad, or to be able to pick your kids up from school, or to develop a niche travel business, or to simply be renumerated fully for the bookings that you make rather than funding someone else’s agency.
Don’t wonder “what if” – just take the leap!
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
home-based advisor home-based agent savenio sonia jonesLatest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.