We were lucky to catch up with DEIDRA ALEXANDER recently and have shared our conversation below.

DEIDRA, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?

Yes, I absolutely take vacations! As a business owner in the travel industry, I feel its apart of your job to take vacations. If you don’t take vacations, how will you really be able to sell them, outside of going to seminars, taking online classes, reading articles, and ect? The best way to speak about the product you are selling is to experience it firsthand. I make it point to take at least one vacation a year to a destination that I either promote, sell, or want to sell. You as the business owner will have to carve out time to, one plan the vacation, and then take the vacation. This may be hard for some due to family, and other responsibilities they may have. But I think it’s doable with proper planning. When I first started in the travel industry, I didn’t take many vacations, for one I was a single mom, I thought they were too expensive, and that I couldn’t afford them. That was until I learned that with proper planning, any vacation is achievable. Also, any vacation can be a luxury vacation within your budget. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to have a luxury vacation or to have fun on your vacation. Luxury is about what you make it, and what you see luxury as. Once, I learned those facts it’s been nothing but vacations for me…lol! I went from taking one vacation a year to taking two last year, and by the time this year is over I will have taken five. Maybe six (lol). So, I say to those in the industry who think it’s impossible, just go for it. You will not regret it. Even a three-day vacation will make a difference.

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.

My name is Deidra Alexander, and I am the owner of Travel your Destination Travel Agency LLC. I am in Independent Travel Advisor. I was introduced to the travel business by a co-worker who had joined as well. I sell Domestic and International all-inclusive vacations as well as cruises. What problems have I had the solved for my clients? I haven’t had to solve any problems for any of my client so far. I’m there with them from the beginning of the trip until the end of the trip. I will check in with them when they arrive and during the trip. I make sure they know I’m there with them the entire time of the trip and I can be reached at any time day or night. It’s my job to make sure their vacation goes as smooth as possible. If any issues should arise, I advise them to let me know ASAP so I can handle it while they continue to enjoy their vacation. What sets me apart from others in my industry is when I vacation, I never tell the resort I’m a Travel Advisor. I do this because I want to see how my clients will be treated. If I tell them I’m a Travel Advisor, then I will get top tier treatment and I wouldn’t be able to honestly access if that’s a resort I should recommend or sell to my clients. The main thing I would like for potential clients to know is that I will do my best to try to find them the best vacation for them. And if I can’t find what they are looking for within their budget or close to their request, I will let them know I can’t help them instead of trying to sell them on something just to make money. What I’m most proud of is through the pandemic I have been able to determine what my niche is and to take solo vacations. Something I would have never done before. Now I’m addicted….LOL!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word of mouth by friends have been the best source of new clients for me. Along with returning clients, and the reviews they leave on my social media accounts. This has been a big help because I’m not too active on social media, nor am I all that savvy with it. I’ll go dark on social media for quite some time and then reappear. The clients I have has played a major role in helping build my business and I’m truly Thankful and Grateful to them for being so loyal to my business. Words cannot express the amount of appreciation that I have for them. They know who they are.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The biggest lesson I had to learn is that not all business is good business. Not all money is worth it. Just because you are cool with someone or even friends with them does not mean they are good to do business with. Nor will they make good customers/clients. I’ve learned to properly vet people before putting in time researching vacations for people who were only price shopping. I’ve also learned to narrow down what it is that I want to sell and focus on that. So, my niche is all-inclusive and cruises. I’ve had too many bad experiences to narrow it down to just one. However, I did learn a lesson from each and everyone of them. I will say the common backstory for them all were a lot of people are only window shopping, comparing prices, or wants the information so they could go either book themselves or book with someone else. I learned that everyone isn’t for me and what I offer isn’t for everyone. And that’s ok, because I’m not for everyone, and the brand that I’m building won’t be for everyone.

Contact Info:

• Website: deidraalexander.inteletravel.com
• Instagram: travel_your_destination2019
• Facebook: travelyourdestination1
• Other: Google: Travel your Destination Travel Agency LLC

Image Credits
RIU Santa Fe Tampa international Airport