Attending the Book More Travel Workshop with Sandy Saburn – Episode 05

Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

*Disclaimer* Since the original recording in 2021, Book More Travel Workshop, nor Travel Entrepreneurship Week, no longer run as its parent organization, GIFTE, ceased operations later that year.  If you’d like to attend a similar event, I run the virtual event, Prep for Wave Week, that focuses on preparing your travel agency for a new wave of business in the new year.

If you’re wondering how to get clients for travel agency success or looking for marketing ideas for travel agents that actually work, you’ve come to the right place 🙂

Let me tell you why attending events like Book More Travel Workshop is absolutely important for your professional development as an independent travel agent.

As passionate business owners in this crazy world of travel entrepreneurship, we’re always on the lookout for new opportunities to learn travel agent tips, grow our businesses, and connect with fellow pros.

But here’s what I’ve discovered– most industry events focus on destinations and suppliers, not the entrepreneurial skills we actually need to run a successful home based travel agency.

That’s exactly why I’m so pumped to chat about the game-changing Book More Travel Workshop (BMTW) with Sandy Saburn, the incredible chief planner behind this year’s event.

I attended BMTW in 2020 and can honestly say it was the first event, outside of Travel Entrepreneurship Week, that truly talked about all aspects of being a travel entrepreneur.

And trust me, I’ve been to plenty of industry events that left me wondering “okay, but how does this help me actually book more travel?”

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What Makes Book More Travel Workshop Different for Independent Travel Agents

Because of my excitement as a previous BMTW attendee, I had to get Sandy on the podcast to spill all the details.

With her wealth of experience in travel agent marketing, sales, and events, she brings tons of knowledge and enthusiasm that sets the perfect tone for what’s coming.

“A couple of things make it different,” Sandy explains. “There’s a real focus on entrepreneurial skills that you need to succeed. There’s a real focus on being positive and having the right mindset to succeed. There’s lots of opportunity for people to interact with one another and get to know their colleagues. It’s a very collaborative community and a very positive, wanting to share, help-everybody-be-better community.”

This is where curious minds and travel agents from all corners of the country come together for real education and fellowship.

Unlike other events where you’re constantly being pitched to, there’s no sales pitch here – just pure empowerment for travel entrepreneurs who want to learn how to run a travel agency successfully.

Some of my personal favorite sessions had to do with marketing for travel agents and hearing how other advisors promote travel to their own clients.

It was like getting a behind-the-scenes look at what actually works, not just theory.

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How Going Virtual Enhanced the Experience

With the move to a virtual platform, Sandy explains how the workshop evolved to offer an even better experience.

It’s now spread over three days and packed with breakout sessions for a truly immersive learning opportunity.

“So what we’ll do is maybe in one of the general sessions, say if Meredith or Jen is presenting, and they may be talking about a particular subject. They’ll say, ‘now here’s what I want you to come up with. I want you to think about your own business and think about this. And in your small groups, I want each of you to share and give feedback to one another’. And then we will send everybody into groups of 4, so they’ll all be in their own little rooms and they’ll communicate. When the time is up, we’ll bring everybody back to the main stage and then we’ll ask for people to share from there. It’s really cool that the technology is really versatile,” Sandy shared.

And here’s something I absolutely love…everything gets recorded so you can catch up later if you missed something or want to review that golden nugget that made everything click.

Plus, you can customize your experience by choosing the sessions that interest you most, which is perfect for tailoring the workshop to exactly what your travel agency needs at that time.

The Technology Behind the Magic

With her experience in group coaching programs, she chose Zoom as the main platform for its live interaction and engagement capabilities.

“We’re not big believers in these hybrid sort of reality things where you feel like you’re walking into a room,” she explained. “We’re not doing any prerecorded content. Everything will be live and everything will be on Zoom.”

To make things even more dynamic, they’re transforming their offices into a physical stage for the workshop.

It’s all about combining technology with good old-fashioned human connection to create a truly memorable experience that helps you learn how to improve travel agent business operations.

Building Real Connections in a Virtual Space

In a world where connection is more important than ever, Sandy shows how the workshop fosters community and collaboration in the virtual realm.

This is important for travel agency owners who often work alone and need that peer support.

“There’s a private Facebook group just for people who’ve registered for the event. [It’ll] be a way for people, before, during, and after the event to connect. Another thing is that we will have an opportunity to have breakout sessions, so you’ll be in smaller groups with 3 or 4 people, and can make connections with people,” Sandy explained.

These small group interactions give you plenty of chances to network, learn from others about how to market travel agency services effectively, and more!

It’s like having your own personal mastermind group built right into the event!

Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck

Sandy shares some valuable advice that really resonates with me as someone who had to take three days off from my full-time job to attend.

She highlights the importance of fully committing to the experience and being present.

“Look at your schedule for those 3 days, March 23rd, 24th, 25th and say, what can I get rid of from my schedule on those days so that I can be fully present?” Sandy advises. “Sometimes you have to put aside all that and focus on you and developing you.”

I totally get this because I’ve seen people at events who spend the whole time on their phones or laptops, missing out on everything.

When I attended, I made sure to block off the time completely because I knew I needed to be “fully in there” to get the most out of it. 

And this type of philosophy works for any educational event you attend, really.

What You’ll Actually Learn: Travel Agency Marketing Ideas That Work

Sandy gives us a taste of what to expect from the diverse range of tracks at the workshop.

There are sessions on email marketing success stories, which is huge for those of us wondering how to advertise travel agency services more effectively.

“I think one of the things that people always really like and I like, too, is hearing from people who are actually doing the work and hearing their success stories and hearing what’s working for them,” Sandy shared.

You’ll learn practical strategies on how to improve business operations and discover marketing ideas that you can implement immediately.

There’s something for everyone here, no matter where you are on your entrepreneurial journey.

Sandy’s also doing a session about industry certifications – which ones you need and which ones you don’t.

This is gold because let’s be honest, we’ve all fallen for certifications that promised the world but delivered very little value for our home based travel agencies.

Why This Event Is Different (And Why I Keep Coming Back)

Sandy pulls back the curtain to reveal the incredible work that goes into planning such an amazing virtual event.

With a team of 14 talented women by her side, they’re creating an experience that’s user-friendly and engaging.

“We have an amazing, incredible team that works doing all the marketing and all the different pieces that you see and the dashboard,” Sandy explains.

You can really tell how much heart and passion this team puts into helping travel entrepreneurs succeed.

My personal take: “Everybody needs to go to Book More Travel Workshop, especially if you’re needing a pick-me-up. I cannot highly recommend it enough.”

This is truly one of the best events I’ve ever attended in the industry–even better than some association and host agency events.

If that doesn’t tell you something about how good I think this event is, I don’t know what will!

The workshop is a promise of empowerment, growth, and camaraderie for every travel pro looking to learn how to grow their agencies.

It’s your chance to get inspired in a world that’s constantly changing and pick up those light bulb moments that make everything click.

Sandy’s enthusiasm left me buzzing with excitement for what’s coming.

The Book More Travel Workshop is a gateway to a brighter future for travel entrepreneurs everywhere who want real business strategy for travel agency growth.

Whether you want to learn how to market your travel agency services more effectively or just need that shot of inspiration to keep going, this workshop delivers.

I hope this episode has given you a sneak peek into one of my favorite travel industry events.

While it’s virtual this year, it’s still sure to be packed with value for your professional growth.

The best part?

You can attend from the comfort of your home office without travel expenses!

So mark your calendar, clear your schedule, and get ready to dive deep into learning strategies that will help you promote travel more effectively and build the successful travel business you’ve been dreaming of.

Trust me, this investment in yourself and your business will pay dividends for years to come.

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