O.S.S.N. -- What Do These Initials Mean For Your Business?
by Penney Rudicil
OSSN Eastern Regional Manager

article continued from

"S" = Sales. Being a Travel Agent, Travel Consultant, Vacation Specialist, or whatever your title may be -- Selling Travel is a great job! We love the work, we love the benefits of getting to visit wonderful destinations, meet great people, all the while making a living. But, remember, we are paid on commission. If you don't sell, you don't get paid; therefore, you ARE a sales person, like it or not.

I never thought I would be good in the sales force. But, when you are selling something that you love, something that you believe in, and something that is in high demand, it makes your job much easier. There are some wonderful classes that you can take to teach yourself to become a better sales person, such as the psychology of selling, closing techniques, or selling groups classes from CLIA or the Career Quest Training program through the OSSN website.

"S" = Support. With a Web site (6,500+ pages!) full of resources and tools, the opportunity to qualify for your own TRUE number, and too many other benefits to mention, it is no wonder that OSSN is the most dynamic association for travel agents today. None of this would be possible without the support of the hard-working people behind the organization: the President, the Vice President, two Regional Managers, 65 Directors, and the wonderful office staff. And yet, none of us would be here without our members, which include independent contractors, home-based agents, agency owners, mangers, inside sales agents, and suppliers. We are a growing family of travel professionals.

I can say without a doubt that a big part of my success as an agent and agency owner is because of the support OSSN have given me. Through my association, I have had the opportunity to build relationships with suppliers that I may not have met or worked with otherwise.

"N" = Network. Networking with other travel agents is one of the most important parts of being successful. Our OSSN directors host local chapter meetings. These meetings are not only educational, but the networking is awesome. Meeting suppliers and agents in your community and building relationships is so very important to the success of your business. If you are not attending these meetings, please take the time to find one in your area and see what you are missing.

For those of you who do not have a chapter locally, OSSN hosts online chats with different suppliers. This is a great way to learn about new products and meet the representatives. There is also a great bulletin board (Q&A) section on the OSSN website for you to communicate with other members.

We also recommend attending national conferences such at the Luxury Expo, Home Based Agent Show, and the many trade shows and educational seminars that may come to your area. This is a time for networking with your fellow agents and representatives of your preferred suppliers.

While you are in business for yourself, with OSSN you are NOT in business by yourself!