I am a start-up home based travel agent. Being a start up, my marketing/advertising budget is very small. Any recommendations for getting leads?

Yes, deinitely!  I've had my own IT Services business since 1990.  Hands down, absolutely, positively the best, most cost effective marketing is to join a local business networking group, such as Business Network International (BNI).  In my experience, Chambers of Commerce are a waste of time....  This is the group that I am currently in:  http://bni.la

You’re saying you need leads but then you’re talking about customers. Getting leads can be relatively easy. Join the Chamber of Commerce and go to other mixers, get Booths at bridal shows because brides and grooms often travel, Offer to do education classes about destinations. Don’t talk about your product just going to educate. Always carry a big supply of business cards Anya and talk to everybody you can  offer to do education classes about destinations. Don’t talk about your product just going to educate. Always carry a big supply of business cards Anya and talk to everybody you can. And remember the basic rule of sales: 10 leads will result in one sale. That means you have to talk to a lot of people to get leads  that will convert to Sales. 

My stepmom was in the business for over 40 years doing corporate travel, leisure as well, international and local accounts.  This is where my education on travel comes from.  I disagree that "anyone" can make tickets and arrange savvy travel situations because I know that's not true! It can take days to get it all arranged.  

Okay on to your question:  how to advertise and market.  Everyone is right that word of mouth works.  The problem is, unless you've been in the industry forever, and working with corporate accounts or high end travel, people won't know you! 

What do you want your focus to be?  Disney travel, (setting up vacation travel is still pretty big business): all inclusive (sandals, etc), Resort stays, Cruise travel?  The over 65 set travels?  Large package travels (this would be your international tickets, plus all arrangements for buses, dinners, train connections, tour excursions involving things like walking tours, etc.   You can even work directly in areas you are familiar with (like my stepmom with Hawaii) hiring yourself out as a travel companion to help first-time visitors get the best experience possible, getting them the best hotels in the area and your knowledge of travel alternatives to save them money.  Most people want someone who has actually BEEN to the area, has gone to the tourist excursions to know which one is the best choice. How to attract Disney, Cruise, etc:  Youtube videos showing your skill and understanding of Disney, etc to book these accounts with a website with a viable number to contact you.  Be sure to state if you have any professional travel background, ASTA, Delta, Apollo skills, etc.  they still matter.  

There is a growing market in Bereavement Travel, which involves helping families get to loved ones in the process of passing:  it's a big deal!  Getting tickets from the airlines at a Bereavement rate, getting a hold of death certification to help the family, rates for the hotels, car etc.  It's a big deal.  When people are in grief they will make big blunders that can not only cost them money but can also make their trip even worse.  How to advertise doing Bereavement?  A website with the right SEO content that puts you out on the internet as having these skills.

Most people have big problems understanding corporate travel as well, and businesses don't have the expertise to do it themselves, usually falling on the hands of receptionists (who know NOTHING about travel and ticket fees).  So having corporate accounts are still wise.  Here I would literally go to businesses with an old-fashioned portfolio showing your corporate experience, with links to your business website, and bring up all the liaisons with big travel (My stepmom used her Sherwood Travel, Washington Mutual business, etc) to show off her history and working accounts with Costco Incorporated, etc.  

Yes, it will be work.  Yes, you need PR and you need it to look as professional as possible.  Be very sure to use all the tricks like one-way travel tickets (to save your clients as much as possible), vet your clients to make sure their credit can afford what they are trying to do (my stepmom early in her work with AAA had a problem with a limited credit card that bounced around the world trip docket she put together, and it was up to HER to get it paid for, she scared the heck of the client to get a viable credit card that did take so she wasn't out the money personally).   This was back in 1977 long before the internet, but just mentioning the credit and collections issues that can arise.

So what to do:  Find out your niche, what do YOU enjoy?  It could be eco-travel, it could be a lot of things.  Realize the 'fear' that's being generated by the crowd that wants you to believe there's no money in being an agent, is the same "stuff' they try to tell creative people about anything they try.  NO, not everyone should arrange their own travel, nor can.  And just because the computer exists along with all these 'do it yourself bob' travel booking sites, doesn't mean everyone does it themselves.  And most people coming from money WON'T, it's a waste of time for them and energy. Disney Travel is so complex and convoluted doing their own travel is daunting to say the least, they don't know unless they are Disney Passport members who go regularly to Disney theme areas.   Does this help any?

Typical sales pitch from Wolfgang there...LOL. 

Facebook posting can be very cheap, and very effective if you take your time and set it up right...First do a blog on your website, and build a business Facebook PAGE (NOT a personal profile ...not everyone realizes there is a difference) ...then add a plugin to your site so that every blog post you write adds a post with an excerpt to your Facebook page...then set up some paid post boosting on the weekends (depending what your business is, and when your ideal clients are likely to be browsing there) For $20-25 you can limit your audience to your surrounding communities, and cut out ads from posting between midnight and 7AM, and your dollar goes pretty far. 

And people will smirk I'm sure, but Craig's List has been fairly good to me. It's better now that it's paid and no longer free...it cut out a lot of the rif-raf, but still it's only $5 a post/ad. But don't just write something hastily...take your time and write an eye-catcher. (best you can with their interface anyway) 

Open lots of accounts all over the web, and on every site, build a nice business profile and link to your site. 

That should keep you busy for a bit. :-)

Hi Karen, What about starting a travel blog, and sharing your travel experiences with the general public and friends. Include photo's and a story, as for myself, I am friends with someone who is a travel agent on facebook and her story came up in my newsfeed. For example, she talked about taking the Eurostar from London - Paris, shared a story and photo's of the train, including when she received her meal and wine. She made it fun and also shared some of the sights of Paris, I was hooked and no lie, Ingrid and I have been to Paris now 4 times, within the last 2 years. All of the stories can be shared on you social media site, and even boost it within facebook for $7.00. Hope this helps and all the best. Bohdan Jarisz.

As a long-ago travel agent in New York, I focused on catering to business travelers. They're repeat customers. They travel all the time. They have very specific preferences. They want to avoid hassles as much as possible. As long as you make their lives easier, they'll stay with you for years. And then, they take vacations with family, friends, etc. They also make referrals. So, if I were you, I'd focus on LinkedIn. Personally, I think FB is basically a waste of time and money, particularly for solopreneurs who are already spread thin. Write articles to publish on LI, comment whenever possible, and cultivate a network of businesspeople who seem likely travelers. Repurpose your articles on your website, Medium, Quora, and your newsletter that will also include exclusive features for subscribers. All this takes time, but little to no hard cash.

I'd also consider doing highly targeted ads on LI. If you're smart about it, it is entirely affordable.

First and foremost remember you are a "Home Based Business". This means that YOU have made a decision to become an entrepreneur! Congratulations for of all, now start thinking out of the box! Do not, I repeat Do not, start spending money on leads, putting ads in news papers. If you are part of a network marketing group, chances are you already have a website, therefore why would you want to spend money on another one?

What to do first, you must find a way to brand yourself! How, make a decision on what product i.e. Cruising, River Boat Cruising, Leisure Travel, All Inclusive Resorts (under all inclusive resorts I would even break that down even further, for ex. my wife and I are Sandals Specialist) you are going to become an "Expert In". 

You are now part of the largest industry and profession on the planet at 8.1 Trillion Dollars and growing! You can sell it all, but decide on what your "Nich Market" is going to be!

Lastly, there are literally hundreds, and hundreds of travel vendors out there that would love for you to sell their product, so start taking FREE classes based on the direction you choose to go. Travel trade shows, webinars are all at your disposal and network, network, network!

Remember, there are no short cuts, easy paths, or over night success. People will try to tell you that they have the "Magic Solution To Your Success".

Believe me when I tell you, my wife and I have been in the Travel Profession for over 12 years now, I use to work a full time job I've been full time doing what I do now for almost 7 years and it's more than you will ever imagine.

Much Success to You in your business!

Michael B. Shields, M J Shields Associates Travel, Surge 365

Of course, my first recommendation is to become a member of a chamber of commerce, get on their membership list and have an event that they can promote.  If you are in the Waco/Robinson Texas area, we would love to have you as a member of our chamber.  Also, if you're able to donate anything to any non-profits for fundraisers: such as a trip for their silent auction or something.

Get busy and set yourself a schedule to do communications to all your contacts and associates for at least 1 hour per day.  Your success is all about customers arranging their trips through you.

A good niche business might be marketing to manufacturing businesses of $25mil USD in size.  Those sizes are many times ignored or hard to find so they dont have their own "travel coordinator".  You could be that for them.

Set your goals on how many human to human communications you will have EVERY DAY and follow it.

I always tell my clients, success is lead by habit, your focused habit.  Be that person that as the C-Suite team speak of traveling they say to one another... "....oh that person..... and smile"