President's Message
"Every journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," says an ancient Chinese proverb.

The Four Daily Habits of Million-Dollar Travel Agents
By Gary M. Fee, OSSN President

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Daily Habit # 1: Read the OSSN Daily.

You can't stay on top of the latest developments in the travel industry if you don't know what's going on. We've designed OSSN's daily newsletter to deliver the day's top travel headlines in your email box every weekday morning. (Another great resource is ModernAgent.com, which actually goes into even greater detail than we do. Give both of us a quick read in the mornings, and you're ready to go.)

Daily Habit # 2: Check the latest news from your preferred suppliers and consortium.

We've noticed these days that more suppliers (particularly the airlines, but even cruise lines and tour operators) now offer last-minute specials and short-run sales. If you're linked via email or the Web to your preferred suppliers, you'll learn instantly about their newest deals. MailPound.com and OSSN's VacationPort are excellent sources. And, in turn, if you can zip these deals out to your clients, you may pick up additional sales without a lot of extra work. (The major travel Web sites and other services like TravelZoo make millions each year following this practice -- why shouldn't you do the same?)

Daily Habit # 3: Double-check your client database for confirmations and "tickler" reminders.

Truly successful travel agents (especially the home-based ones) know that hands-on, personalized, cheerful service is the primary differentiator between us and the "big dogs" who rely on sheer volume for their business models. That means we must check our ClientEase or ClientBase records every day to make sure we don't forget the final payment date on the Smiths' tour to the Canadian Rockies. And, we must use our database for reminders like "Feb. 15 -- Get back with John and Jane Doe with prices on Tahiti cruises." It's easy to get busy with "busywork" every day, but don't forget to start your day by combing through your database for these sales and service reminders!

Daily Habit # 4: Update your Web site.

You can change the photo on your home page. Or, add a new link to weather listings for the destinations you're promoting. Or, add the latest deals from your preferred suppliers. Whatever you do, find one thing every day to update on your site to keep things fresh. (That's where OSSN-recommended services like Passport Online make a lot of sense -- they do the updating for you!)

Later, I'll share more ideas with you on client prospecting -- the other half of the equation for million-dollar-producing agents. In the meantime, please share with us your daily success habits! Send us an email, and we'll mention your suggestion in a future issue.