We recently connected with Bridget Stephens and have shared our conversation below.

Bridget, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The first time the idea of being a travel agent crossed my mind was while I was booking my family a cruise. I spent three hours on the phone with the cruise line representative and somehow my reservation still got messed up. Then, my card got charged twice and I was told they couldn’t refund me until after my cruise. I was livid. I was sure I could have done a better job if I would have just booked it myself, but I didn’t feel comfortable doing it on my own at the time. A few days later, I saw a social media post about Dream Vacations being ranked #1 in Entrepreneur’s Top Franchises for Veterans list. Between my husband being active duty and my previous debacle with the cruise line, this piqued my interest. I began researching Dream Vacations, travel agencies and travel agents like crazy. I quickly realized that my previous ten years in the hotel/hospitality industry as well as my many personal trips were the perfect preparations for this business. Once I learned the commission structure and realized I was able to offer my services for free while still making an income (plus work remotely!), I was all in. A short time later I purchased my own franchise, and even though no one in my family had ever owned a business, I knew I was going to do anything it took to be successful.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Being a military wife and mom of two boys, travel and adventure have been a major part of my everyday life for years – even before joining the Dream Vacations family. I have lived in seven states and always try to see as much of each area as I can during my time there. Prior to opening my agency, I spent ten years as a part of the Marriott family. During that time, I worked at beautiful properties such as the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, the W Austin, and the Ritz-Carlton Denver. When I decided to open my agency, I knew that I wanted to provide that same level of luxury service to my clients no matter their budget.

Early on, I fell in love with the experience, education, and culture that traveling exposes you to. I am just as passionate about my clients’ vacations as I am my own, as I know just how important each and every trip is. I have traveled solo, with my young kids, and with girlfriends on adult-only getaways so I am familiar with the different experience that each type of travel provides and what options are best for each. I continually do trainings, site visits, and research to ensure I have the most up to date and accurate information on the areas I specialize in, so that I am able to thoughtfully recommend the best areas and accommodations for my clients.

If you trust me with your vacation, you will not just have a travel agent. You will have a friend that will be there before, during and after your travels to ensure you make memories that will last a lifetime.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

When I first opened my business, I wanted to jump-start my clientele acquisition. I knew that one of the best ways to do that would be to get myself out in my community and become a familiar face. I joined my local BNI chapter, rented booths at local vendor events, and made it a point to support as many locally owned businesses as possible. My social media following and number of clients increased dramatically in the first six months of being open. It actually increased so much that I got to the point where I was working 60+ hour weeks and was getting overwhelmed. I had to refocus my time on my existing clients because it was very important to me that they received the best possible service, so I pulled away from some of the local events. This strategy paid off, because while I still get a large number of new clients from social media or my local connections, the majority of them now come from past client referrals, and there is truly no better compliment of your service than a referral.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I tell my clients that I will be there every step of the way for their travels, and I mean it. After the initial contact, I give potential clients a timeline of when to expect a quote from me. I try to get quotes out within 24 hours as I know vacations are exciting and most people are anxious to book. After the quote is sent, I will follow up within a few days if I haven’t heard anything back to see if any adjustments need to be made or if they are happy with the options given. Once we have the trip finalized, I process the payment right away, send all documentation over to the client, and in most cases create a personalized itinerary to keep everything in one place for them.

A month or so prior to their trip, I send a handwritten thank you card along with my business card to my client. A few days prior to their trip, I will send them a message or email to ensure they are all ready and answer any last minute questions they may have. The day of travel I keep an eye on any flights and stay alert in case they need me for any emergencies or issues. And finally, after their trip, I send a welcome home email asking about their experience.

Aside from this, I also send emails to my subscribers with current travel deals and update my social media frequently.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shipsandsunsets.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/dreamvacationswithbridget
• Facebook: facebook.com/dreamvacationswithbridget