We recently connected with Ra’Jonna McMillan and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ra’Jonna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Have you ever seen (or implemented) a really awesome way to show a client you appreciate them

As a business owner (especially service based businesses), I believe it is extremely important to let your clients know that they are appreciated. One of the things I pride myself on the most in my business is client appreciation. My business thrives on relationships, referrals, reviews…just people in general. Without building relationships and getting those referrals, I would not be able to run a successful business. One of the things I believe we often minimize is the power of little things. I’ve been in business for over four years now and I’ve learned that there are so many ways to show your clients you appreciate them and it does not have to be extremely expensive and it does not have to be these super extravagant things. Kindness, authenticity, and thoughtfulness will go a long way. Client appreciation is something I do year round. Some of the things I do include: free vacation giveaways, flight discounts, service discounts, handwritten “thank you” notes, gift cards, coffee, lunch, and the list goes on & on & on. Just by doing these things (whether it is grand or small), people truly appreciate the fact that you thought about them or something as simple as a handwritten thank you note goes long way (especially in a world driven by the internet and social media).

Ra’Jonna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got involved in the travel industry a little over 4 years ago. I never saw being an entrepreneur in my future; I actually, never really knew what I wanted to do in life. I just knew I desired freedom, I like having the unlimited income potential, the option to work from anywhere, and the ability to travel. When I got introduced to the travel industry it was not meant to be anything that grew into Thank You Ray. I mainly did it for my personal benefit of being able to travel and the ability to make some money on the side to supplement my income at the time. I never saw this being a permanent thing or something I did on a consistent basis, but it eventually grew into that. What I love most about what I do is I am able to help bring dreams to life that people never imagined and I am able to help others turn that passion for travel into income to obtain personal, time, and/or financial freedom. I think what mainly sets me and my brand apart is I really focus on building relationships and getting to know people rather than just booking them on a trip & sending them on their way. I truly believe in creating experiences curated to what my clients need and centered around their interests and who they are! Thank You Ray thrives on client appreciation and being a one stop shop for all things travel!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

It is important to leverage high tech and high touch simultaneously when growing your clientele. We live in a world where everything is digital/social media; we must remember that high tech (digital marketing/social media) is very efficient, because you have the ability to reach tons of people at once based off one post. However, high tough (face to face/personal interactions) is very effective. If you’re leveraging a little bit of both, you will definitely grow your clientele. One of the things that has been very effective for me: if I build a high tech relationship, I am always trying to find a way to make it high touch. I want to get to know that person and build relationships with them offline; that has been a very important part of building my business and making it what it is today.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Nowadays everything is digital, so if you do not have a social media presence, you definitely need to establish one because you are not effectively leveraging social media and building your business. As business owners, we must be able to recognize when shifts are happening and we must be able to shift with the way society is shifting. To build your social media it is important to leverage several platforms, and if you do not want to focus on multiple platforms, I suggest focusing on the platform that you are most comfortable with or have the biggest following on. With social media, the most important thing is showing people who you are as a person; this builds trust. Aside from what you do (your business), people like to know what you do (who you are as a person, what you like, etc.). Don’t just post all business, but talk about your business enough; when making posts on social media, create and engagement posts and remember to engage with your followers!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thankyouraytravel.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thankyourayyyyy_
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/thankyourayyyyy
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/@rajonnamc_
• Other: Travel Booking Engine: rajonnamcmillan.inteletravel.com