Being a professional also means building strong and sustainable relationships with your clients. To help you build those relationships more effectively, it’s important to use the right systems and tools. One of the most important professional tools you can use is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. To learn more about CRMs, register for Pro Tips to Grow Smarter and Faster with a CRM, presented TODAY at 1:00 pm (EST) by Stephanie Gries, Education Manager & Marketing Coordinator for Travefy.

Here are several other important dimensions of professionalism:

First, you should promote your professionalism through certification and branding. Earning your credentials as a Travel Institute certified professional is a statement about who you are and about the commitment you have made to your career. Clients prefer to deal with a recognized professional, and having earned CTA^®, CTC^®, or CTIE^® status will let them know you are serious about what you do. As Royal Caribbean International’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Support & Service Vicky Freed, CTC, says, “Having those three little letters after your name is no small thing.” Listen to what Vicki has to say.

Additionally, it’s critical to brand yourself so prospective clients will think of you first. Your company’s name should mirror what you do and what makes you unique. It should tell a story and demonstrate that you are the ideal choice for your clients’ needs. The best brands concentrate on specific types of clients and the products they are looking for.

Second, you must understand that first impressions are lasting impressions. Jan Carlzon, of SAS Airlines, first coined the phrase moments of truth to describe the myriad opportunities you have to leave a lasting impression with your customer during every encounter. A moment of truth is a chance to connect with your customer and create a foundation for customer loyalty. Consider what Carlzon said:

1. Every passenger has four contacts with SAS employees per flight
2. 125 people per flight = 500 moments of truth per flight 
3. 500 moments per flight x 1,500 flights per day = 750,000 moments of truth per day

What kind of impression could your agency make with that kind of exposure? 

    Pro Tip: Take advantage of your CRM to help you create a good first impression. 

Third, don’t be sidelined by business fears that can hold you back. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy, allowing self-doubt to interfere with doing our best work. Public speaking is an area that many people struggle with. In fact, speech anxiety—or glossophobia—tops death, heights, snakes, and spiders on most people’s lists of fears. But giving a speech is a necessary evil and plays an important role in promoting your business. So, resolve to address your self-doubt in this area, and don’t be a person who would rather die than give a speech!

Finally, you must get your name out there. You must constantly promote who YOU are. In general, travel advisors are an underappreciated group, and that is because, overall, we don’t do enough self-promotion. Many clients don’t understand what the CTA, CTC, CTIE, Destination Specialist, or other Travel Institute designations mean. Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to tell people who YOU are. 

A great place to start is to explain your credentials on your website, perhaps in an About Me page or a Frequently Asked Questions tab. Use those locations to tell your clients and prospective clients all about your many years in the travel business, the hours or years of study it took to attain your credentials, or the thousands of miles you’ve logged serving your clients. These are all investments in your career your client should understand. They amount to the value you add and demonstrate the benefits clients gain from working with a professional.

Take these simple steps and resolve to be the best you can be! And if you are not yet certified, seize the opportunity and apply today to possibly be awarded a 50% scholarship.