Making an Impression as a Travel Professional

By Jackie Friedman

When it comes to making a good impression, every detail matters. Sifting through these finer details will require you to put on your business-owners hat, step back, and take a critical look at your own brand before asking yourself whether it’s really communicating everything that you want it to.

A difficult tightrope that new advisors often have to walk is balancing authenticity with relatability. You always want to be authentic and true to yourself, and your brand should absolutely mean something to you, but it also has to mean something to your customers. If it’s overly complex or references something too obscure or personal, it probably won’t land.

If you’re really set on a particular name that you worry won’t land with customers, you can always follow it with a solid tagline. The name Nexion, for example, has been around for decades, but the name was ultimately expanded to Nexion Travel Group, complemented by the tagline, “The Travel Advisor’s Host Agency,” which helped clarify not just what Nexion is, but the main thing that we want our members to know – that we have a mutual relationship where our success depends on theirs.

Once you’ve found whatever niche your brand was meant to fill, stay consistent, and don’t let your brand work against you. If you feel that your niche is too narrow, consider rebranding with a new look or tagline that might appeal to a wider audience.

A memorable logo can also stand out in people’s minds. It doesn’t have to be complex, but it should be unique enough that people will reflexively associate it with your business. Nexion’s multi-colored ball, for example, has not only been consistently recognizable, but opened the door to new taglines (“get on the ball”). You never know where inspiration will strike.

Make sure that the name you choose and the logo you design are original enough to stand out. It might be a good idea to check with your state’s commerce department to make sure the name you’ve chosen hasn’t already been taken by another company. Also, if you find companies with similar names that are selling entirely different things, that may be an indication that your brand is too vague. The last thing you want is for customers to associate your brand with something completely different.

Most importantly, as your business grows, keep asking yourself what you want people to think when they see your brand. Everything from the name to the logo and color pallet you choose will make a difference. As a business owner, your choices matter, so be sure to make them carefully and consciously.