Networking for Travel Agents with Lisa Platt – Episode 02

Networking for travel agents is one of those things almost everyone knows they should be doing, but a huge chunk of us have been avoiding.

I started my travel agency back in 2010 and dabbled in some networking early on, but it never stuck.

The experiences felt off.

Everyone was in pitch mode, and I walked away feeling like I’d just been sold to, instead of welcomed into something.

So I stopped.

And I feel like that choice actually stunted my business growth more than I want to admit.

What I know now, after years of actually doing it, is that the whole thing just needs a reframe.

I got to talk through this with Lisa Platt, Founder of the West Valley Women Networking Association.

Lisa has been on both sides of the networking table for 20-plus years, and she has a gift for helping sensitive, introverted pros actually enjoy connecting with other people.

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Networking for Travel Agents Starts with Understanding Your Energy

Before Lisa gets into any strategy, she makes sure you understand the real difference between introverts and extroverts.

It’s not about being shy, but essentially where your energy strength lies.

Lisa explains it as an extrovert can have a packed day of meetings, give a big presentation, and walk out pumped up and ready for happy hour.

An introvert can have that exact same wonderful, successful day and walk out completely depleted.

Not unhappy.

Just done.

They need quiet time to refuel before they can show up for anything else.

That’s me.

I can be “on” at an event and genuinely enjoy it, but the moment I get home and hit the couch, it’s pure bliss because that’s exactly how I’m wired.

When I’m at events, I make sure to build in recovery time, so I can keep showing up where/when it matters.

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The Mindset Shift That Makes Networking Actually Work

The word “networking” carries so much baggage.

For a lot of us, it makes us think of the stereotypical car-dealership-style hounding.

And if you’ve spent any time on LinkedIn, you know exactly what I mean.

You accept a new connection request, and within about 30 seconds you’ve got a pitch in your inbox for something that has absolutely nothing to do with you, your business, or your needs.

I flipping hate those!

Thankfully they’ve tapered off over the years, but they were relentless for a while.

The problem isn’t cold outreach itself.

The problem is that whoever’s sending those messages isn’t the least bit curious about you.

They’re not asking what you do or what you might actually need.

They’re desperate for a sale, and it shows.

Real networking, the kind that actually leads somewhere, starts with a genuine desire to find out if there’s any synergy between you and the person.

That curiosity belongs at the beginning of the relationship.

Heck even on a discovery call, the right move is still to listen before you start pitching.

And Lisa reframes networking entirely by calling it “net-funning”.

She puts it that people see the word networking and their eyes go straight to “work” in capital letters.

But what if instead you walked into an event thinking, “I’m going to have fun”??

That definitely sounds like a lot more fun, and also helps to lower the stakes, so you don’t start conversations out of desperation.

The foundation of that fun?

It’s just relationship building.

Not your best elevator pitch.

Not a sales opportunity.

Just getting to know another person.

Lisa says to imagine you’re at a party at your best friend’s house and you bump into someone in the kitchen while you’re both grabbing a drink.

You wouldn’t introduce yourself by rattling off your services and asking for the sale.

You’d probably ask, “How do you so and so?”

Easy.

Natural.

Networking can be that simple.

I have living proof of this, even though this isn’t straight networking.

My mom once dragged me to a neighbor’s birthday party at a dueling piano bar.

My introvertedness is definitely showing, lol!

As we were literally walking out the door at the end of the event, we got into a conversation with the wife of the birthday guy, about her daughter, who was struggling to work directly with a cruise line to plan a company retreat.

She asked if that was something I could help with, to which I said, “Of course I can!” 🙂

That totally unplanned, zero-pressure conversation turned into a beautiful working relationship with a local tech company and several years of retreats for their team.

Purpose and Goals Are Not the Same Thing 

Lisa shared her top two secrets of networking…know your purpose and set clear goals.

Read that again because while they sound similar, they’re actually not.

Your purpose is the why.

Why are you attending this event?

What matters to you about being there?

Maybe it’s to meet new people outside your usual circle.

Maybe it’s to learn something specific.

Maybe it’s just to show your face in a community you want to be part of.

Your goal is the what.

What specifically do you want to accomplish?

Not “meet people” but “meet two new people.”

Not “learn about marketing” but “come away with one idea I can implement this week.”

For travel advisors, this is incredibly useful.

If you’re attending a local chamber event, your purpose might be to become a more visible presence in your community, and your goal might be to have one real conversation with someone outside the travel industry.

That’s it.

That can be the whole win for the evening.

When I started getting intentional about networking, it stopped feeling like a chore and started feeling like something I actually wanted to do.

And as you can see, your goals don’t exactly need to be lofty, which can also help to make the thought of doing it a little more accessible.

I’ve also experienced firsthand how wildly the outcome can exceed the goal.

I once attended an event focused on using speaking to grow your business, and my goal was to just get in the room, so I could be comfortable being in unfamiliar rooms.

What I got from the speaker throughout the rest of that year went so far beyond what I walked in expecting. 

That is part of the beauty of just showing up, as well. 

You never know what event or what connection your next amazing opportunity will come from, so it’s always a great idea to be working on your little black book of contacts through networking events.

A 30-Second Formula That Takes the Pressure Off

One of the most useful things Lisa shared was a simple formula for the dreaded “go around the room and introduce yourself” moment that shows up at almost every networking event.

Most people freeze here.

Or they ramble 🤷

Or they try to cram in everything about their business and their niche and their certifications and it becomes a blur 🙃

Lisa’s formula:

• 3 seconds: Your name + company name
• 24 seconds: What’s new and exciting in your business right now (an upcoming event, a new offering, a recent win, your mission)
• 3 seconds: Your name + company name again

That’s your 30 seconds.

Done.

For travel advisors, this could sound like: “Hi, I’m [name] with [agency name]. I just launched a corporate retreats at sea program for small businesses and I’d love to connect if that sounds interesting to you. Again, I’m [name] with [agency name].”

There isn’t a pitch in there–win! 

You’re simply sharing and giving people enough to know whether (or not) they’d like to ask follow up questions.

Low-Risk Ways to Start Building Your Network

For travel advisors who are just getting started with networking, or getting restarted after a long hibernation period, Lisa’s advice is to start with what feels safest.

Ask to be introduced.

If you’re attending an event for the first time, let the facilitator or another attendee know you’re new.

In person, someone might even walk you around the room.

Virtually, a simple “I’m so excited to be here today!” can open a door without requiring you to knock first.

Use virtual events to your advantage.

Zoom levels out the playing field.

Depending on the event, everyone gets the same amount of screen time.

The loudest, most extroverted person in the room doesn’t automatically dominate the way they might at an in-person event, and for you my sweet introvert, that’s a big advantage.

This is actually how I got started with a lot of my own networking in 2020.

With in-person events effectively shut down, I leaned into virtual events and met some incredible people I’m still connected with today.

People I’ve sent referrals to.

People who’ve sent referrals back.

Those relationships started with nothing more than a name in the chat and a willingness to be brave and do something different.

Use the chat like a business card.

During a virtual event, drop your name, what you do, and a way to connect in the chat.

It’s low-pressure and it opens conversations without requiring you to interrupt anyone.

And if you need a minute, take it.

Lisa says it’s okay to briefly turn off your video during a Zoom meeting, too, so you can stand up, pet your dog, or just breathe for 30 seconds?

Starter Networking Events for Travel Agents 

Not sure where to actually start networking?

If you want to ease in with people who already speak your language, FyndTravel is a great resource packed with all sorts of travel industry events.

You’ll have instant common ground with everyone in the room, which takes a lot of the pressure off when you’re just getting started.

When you’re ready to venture outside the industry, look into local events put on by organizations like NAWBO or SCORE.

These communities are built around business owners navigating a lot of the same challenges you are with marketing, growth, operations, etc.

You should find camaraderie and probably a few people who’d love to refer their clients to a great travel advisor, and vice versa.

And of course, Lisa’s own community at the West Valley Women Networking Association is a wonderful example of exactly the kind of intentional, supportive networking space she talked about throughout this episode.

This might be a *spoiler alert*, but networking for travel agents doesn’t end.

You don’t hit some magic number of connections and declare yourself done.

Travel is an industry where people are constantly moving around.

Suppliers change.

Advisors retire.

New agency owners are showing up every year looking for exactly the kind of community and referral network you could be part of.

The follow-up is where a lot of introverts actually shine.

We’re thoughtful.

We remember what people told us.

We send the article we said we’d send.

We check in because we actually want to know how things went.

These are all parts that turn a first conversation into a continued business relationship, and who knows, maybe even really good friends one day.

That’s really what makes it fun for me.

Getting genuinely curious about other people and showing up prepared with a clear purpose and a manageable goal.

So now’s your turn!

Find one networking event, virtual or in-person, and commit to showing up.

Determine a simple purpose, one small goal before you walk in, and do the dang thing!

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