Since entering the travel industry in 1984, I have effectively uncovered a simple way to hold on to your valued clients. Notice I did not label them “customers.” I will explain why shortly.

Having recently been introduced to a shameful statistic, I thought it timely to give you my opinion on this subject. See if you can swallow this dose of reality: When interviewed, travel agents believe they retain 78% of their paying customers. When interviewed, paying customers believe this number is closer to 35%.

  — Travel Research Online
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by Stacy Small
Thursday July 09, 2015

A few weeks ago, I was up on stage in Las Vegas, having been invited by Travel Research Online to give the opening presentation to a robust crowd of independent travel advisors at the Home-Based Agent Forum. While much of what I told them is second-nature to me by now (after 10 years as a luxury travel specialist), preparing for my speech was a terrific way to remind myself of key and basic tenets to success in this business.

I shared my own personal story with the audience and told them how I was sitting where they were just 10 years ago. I had made the decision to transition from a career in travel journalism to a home-based travel advisor specializing in luxury travel and have…