Travel Agent
“At nine months I realised BNI had become the biggest source
of business for me...”
Case Study: Marie Rowe of Marie Rowe Travel (Travel Counsellors)
While Travel Counsellor, Marie Rowe, sends her clients to amazing destinations all over the world, every Wednesday morning you will find her at the Regatta Chapter of BNI. Indeed, it is the membership of this networking group that has transformed her business, as she explains:
“I started my business in March 2016 and joined BNI straight away, I was the last to join Regatta before it officially launched; the chapter is in its second year now and I’m honoured to be serving as the Chapter President, which means I run the agenda at each meeting.
“I was the Events Co-ordinator in the first year, helping members find the right BNI training and arranging social events. I would encourage volunteering for a chapter role as a new member, it is a great way to raise your profile and to feel a bigger part of the chapter.
“BNI works. BNI represents about 35% of my business. In my first year it was £75,000, business exclusively from referrals given to me at BNI. I had set myself a target of £40,000, so to achieve nearly double that was amazing.
I hit my target in nine months and that was when I realised BNI had become the biggest source of business for me, which is when I started visiting other chapters – I currently have £15,000 out in quotes for another chapter I visit.
“The more you do in BNI, the more you get – or ‘Giver’s Gain’ as we say. I would always encourage another member, not least a travel agent, to visit other chapters and recognise BNI is a big family, not only your chapter. I worked hard to get to know the members I meet every week.
“I work from home and do not have any staff or colleagues around me, so BNI is a whole network of people who care about me and want me to succeed. Together with plenty of bigger businesses, there are many people like me, I’ve made great friendships and love being part of such a supportive community.
“I got referrals right from day one, and they were mostly for members themselves and as they started to experience the holidays and trips I can book, they started referring me to their friends and colleagues and now those people are referring people to me.
Real Member Stories: Travel Agent
“BNI represents about 35% of my business. In my first year I was referred £75k of new business"
“I have a £6,500 Thank You for the Business just this week from a single holiday. That came via a visitor who came to our chapter once, but then told her Mum about me and she has just booked a mega holiday. BNI works in so many ways!
“There is so much to help you grow your business. So much training is offered to help you get the most from your membership and other members are always asking how they can help you.
“I think people like that you go the extra mile and often that can be done with the help of other members, even in other chapters.
For example, I was about to book a last-minute family holiday when the client realised her, and her children’s passports had expired.
However, I could use a courier in another chapter who offered an urgent service to ensure the passports were ready and the holiday could go ahead.
“I would encourage any travel agent looking to grow their business with quality referrals, for the kind of bookings you really want, to find a BNI Chapter near them and book to go and visit; it could be the best booking you ever make.”
Contact Marie Rowe
Call: 0118 321 3860 | Email: marie.rowe@travelcounsellors.com | Visit: www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/marie.rowe
Tagged as: Product & Consumer Services
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