We were lucky to catch up with Terri T. Williamson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Terri T., thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
Hey, I’m Terri T. Williamson. I am a certified home-based travel agent with EVO Travel, a subsidiary of Archer Travel Group. My mission is to welcome 1st time cruisers to the cruising lifestyle. I attended Fayetteville State University online to complete a Bachelor’s degree I had started many years prior. I want to set an example for my 2 college-aged daughters that it’s never too late to pursue a dream. I was temping at Duke University as a staff assistant and was recruited through the FSU career website for this opportunity. I completed my degree in December 2022. I was not kept on as a temp, so this has become my primary source of income. Residing in a small town, character and word of mouth referrals are everything. Initially, I thought this would be an easy task because I receive much interest when promoting my group cruises. In addition to the seamless documentation process (everything completed via email), I enjoy assuaging hesitance based on fears of water, etc. I enjoy explaining that cruise cost includes all food and most beverages. That here are a host of activities both in and off-board ship. There’s even daycare! With installment plans, anyone can access the cruising lifestyle! I enjoy utilizing my customer service background to walk clients through cruise planning, issue perks for referrals and retaining clientele with birthday wishes and personal touches, such as luggage tags. It has been an uphill journey, yet I’m looking forward to obtaining success through perseverance!
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.
What sets Terri T. Travel apart is that we are dedicated to walking 1st time cruisers through the cruise booking process to ensure an enjoyable family vacation. Studies show that over 60% of 1st time cruisers sail again. Terri T. Travel aims to be the travel agency of choice for working class families. We all deserve, at least, an annual vacation!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
We took our first professional cruise with a dozen clients in June 2024. A transplant to a small town in North Carolina, our charter bus did not fill up, so I had to drive! Imagine riding 10.hours to Port with your travel agent! There were a few hiccups, nevertheless, a great time was had by all. I say that to illustrate the savvy nature of hometown residents. We diligently post flyers, collaborate with other local business owners and talk up cruises everywhere we go. Clients here still prefer paper business cards to digital. We have 3 cruises for summer 2025. I am hoping to breach the threshold of success this year. I’m starting to earn the trust of the local residents.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
My teenage daughter helps tremendously with my social media presence! My initial posts had blurry photos and too familiar phrasing. Her guidance has increased my social media presence to 6.6K followers, an Amazon partner who is eligible for Facebook stars and subscriptions! She also suggested chatgpt for posting which has streamlined my posting process on Facebook Meta. Likewise, we utilize Branch up and Royal Caribbean’s RALLIO to keep an active social media presence.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Evotravelagent.com/territtravel
- Instagram: Terri T. Travel
- Facebook: https://bit.ly/43wghkv
- Linkedin: LinkedIn: (26) Terri T. Williamson | LinkedIn
- Other: Terri T. Williamson
Evolution Travel Agency
Archer Travel Group
Smithfield, North Carolina 27577
[email protected]
Website: Evolution Travel – Terri Williamson (evotravelagent.com)
Facebook: https://bit.ly/43wghkv
Instagram: Terri T. Williamson (@territ.williamson) | Instagram
Concert tickets: Sports, Concert, and Event Tickets for Sale – Golden Tickets
Next Door: https://bit.ly/3v7hdAk
LinkedIn: (26) Terri T. Williamson | LinkedIn
910-236-2722
Image Credits
Personal photo taken on MSC Seashore, June 2024.