"the art and science of influencing perception
Branding defined as "the art and science of influencing perception about a product, service, or organization" is a major deal for travel companies. With the increased competition from DIY (Do-It-Yourself) websites and companies, travel agencies have to fight for a space to be used once again. Luckily, the last few years have heralded a resurgence in people using travel agents once again. This is due (in part) to the hard work of travel agents like you who have gone above and beyond in providing excellent services to clients and (in part) because of the branding techniques of their travel agencies in honing their messaging for why the travel agent is still important today.
Catalyst Travel has crafted some substantial goals around crafting our brand and brand strategy. This involves you! As it is important for you to understand your role within the larger travel industry and with Catalyst as a local travel company. Below you will learn about:
Catalyst Travel has crafted some substantial goals around crafting our brand and brand strategy. This involves you! As it is important for you to understand your role within the larger travel industry and with Catalyst as a local travel company. Below you will learn about:
- the Catalyst history
- the Catalyst tag line
- the Catalyst niche
- the Catalyst "Philosophy of Travel"
- the Catalyst logos (Legacy and Compass)
- the Catalyst communication standard (e-mail, phone calls, and text messages)
CATALYST HISTORY
Catalyst Travel Inc’s history is a pivotal part of its future. As it looks to the future, the past will inform how it moves forward.
Catalyst Travel Inc. was founded in 1999 by co- founders Rick, the-Peanut-Man (famous at the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners games at the Kingdome), and Sally Goodgion, a known fixture in the Kent and Seattle communities as a philanthropist and entrepreneur. They started Catalyst by focusing on yearly trips to Major League Baseball’s spring training in Arizona—hosting groups of up to 100 people per year. Over the years, Catalyst agents have expanded on their tradition to include more types of groups and engage with more group leaders.
In 2018, Amy Johnson and Anthony Johnson, the mother son duo, started a Legacy Plan to learn about Catalyst Travel and transition it to their ownership after Sally’s impeccable career in the travel industry. Honoring her pioneering spirit with theirs, their ultimate design to make Catalyst Travel the best group travel agency started to come to life. In 2020, Anthony officially started as the President and Owner of Catalyst Travel as Sally transitioned to an emeritus agent and advisor role.
It was his leadership that Catalyst doubled down on making groups its main focus. While providing full-service travel arrangements for anyone, Catalyst’s main market is groups. "Who are our clients?" he would often ask himself and new travel agents. "The group leader is our client." Yes, the group leader became the most important person in the room since they would be the most influential person in the groups life for the trip. They would help to market the trip, answer pertinent questions (with the guidance of their travel agent), and lead the trip in action. The group leader became THE IDEAL CLIENT for Catalyst.
Adding new agents immediately into the agency, the renewed focus was to make sure that every agent was an expert at setting up travel for any and all types of groups. Even further, Catalyst made sure that each agent could further enhance their specialty into groups by each having a unique focus within groups: family travel, destination weddings, influencer retreats, business retreats, incentive travel, etc. This allows each agent to have a collective niche and a specialized niche--a unique thing in the world of Travel Agencies like this.
Catalyst Travel Inc. was founded in 1999 by co- founders Rick, the-Peanut-Man (famous at the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners games at the Kingdome), and Sally Goodgion, a known fixture in the Kent and Seattle communities as a philanthropist and entrepreneur. They started Catalyst by focusing on yearly trips to Major League Baseball’s spring training in Arizona—hosting groups of up to 100 people per year. Over the years, Catalyst agents have expanded on their tradition to include more types of groups and engage with more group leaders.
In 2018, Amy Johnson and Anthony Johnson, the mother son duo, started a Legacy Plan to learn about Catalyst Travel and transition it to their ownership after Sally’s impeccable career in the travel industry. Honoring her pioneering spirit with theirs, their ultimate design to make Catalyst Travel the best group travel agency started to come to life. In 2020, Anthony officially started as the President and Owner of Catalyst Travel as Sally transitioned to an emeritus agent and advisor role.
It was his leadership that Catalyst doubled down on making groups its main focus. While providing full-service travel arrangements for anyone, Catalyst’s main market is groups. "Who are our clients?" he would often ask himself and new travel agents. "The group leader is our client." Yes, the group leader became the most important person in the room since they would be the most influential person in the groups life for the trip. They would help to market the trip, answer pertinent questions (with the guidance of their travel agent), and lead the trip in action. The group leader became THE IDEAL CLIENT for Catalyst.
Adding new agents immediately into the agency, the renewed focus was to make sure that every agent was an expert at setting up travel for any and all types of groups. Even further, Catalyst made sure that each agent could further enhance their specialty into groups by each having a unique focus within groups: family travel, destination weddings, influencer retreats, business retreats, incentive travel, etc. This allows each agent to have a collective niche and a specialized niche--a unique thing in the world of Travel Agencies like this.
CATALYST TAG LINE
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"WHERE GREAT CONNECTIONS BEGIN"
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"WHERE GREAT CONNECTIONS BEGIN" is the current tag line in Catalyst's messaging. It fits its ethos and mission. Since the inception, Catalyst Travel has been about connecting people. This connection gets them connected with other travelers, connected with other people around the world, connected with cultures, and connected with destinations. For many people, travel is a way for them to start the connections that they have never had before but are so desperately wanting. This is where you as the travel agent come in ... your role is to make sure they get connected. The more connected you are to your clients, the better you are able to connect them with other travelers, other partners and vendors, other people around the world, cultures, and destinations. This is why, we suggest you expand your network and reach out to our partners for their advise. (Insider Tip: a great way of doing this is by attending a FAM Trip. This is also known as a "familiarization trip" that gets you connected to our partners and to different destinations around the world.)
When you are asked about this tag line, your response should be the same as your response to, "why should I book through a travel agent?"
It's all about connection! The role of a travel agent and of Catalyst Travel is to make sure you are CONNECTED in your travels. No matter what group you are a part of, it is our hope that you START to make deeper CONNECTIONS that will continue to go deeper and deeper. The trip is the starting place--who knows where it will lead.
When you are asked about this tag line, your response should be the same as your response to, "why should I book through a travel agent?"
It's all about connection! The role of a travel agent and of Catalyst Travel is to make sure you are CONNECTED in your travels. No matter what group you are a part of, it is our hope that you START to make deeper CONNECTIONS that will continue to go deeper and deeper. The trip is the starting place--who knows where it will lead.
NICHE
What do your clients know you for? This is known as your niche!
Catalyst Travel, Inc specializes in group travel. As an agent within within this specialty, your niche should reflect that same emphasis on groups. As a general rule of thumb, each agent should have an understanding of how groups work and also have a emphasis within group travel.
There are three questions to ask yourself to narrow down your niche:
Niche Ideas:
Catalyst Travel, Inc specializes in group travel. As an agent within within this specialty, your niche should reflect that same emphasis on groups. As a general rule of thumb, each agent should have an understanding of how groups work and also have a emphasis within group travel.
There are three questions to ask yourself to narrow down your niche:
- What are the popular travel trends?
- What are you passionate about?
- Who are your ideal clients? (client profile: age, demographics, gender, income, profession, group size, frequency of travel, hobbies, etc.)
Niche Ideas:
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Adventure Travel
Ancestry Travel Corporate Retreats and Conferences Cruises Ecotourism Disney Destination Weddings Family Travel |
Fandom Travel
Gastro-tourism Honeymoons LGBTQ+ Travel Literary-Inspired Travel Non-Profit Fundraising Religious/Faith-Based Travel Road-Trips Tourism |
School Trips
Space Tourism Sports Travel Stargazing Travel Ultra-Luxury Travel Voluntourism |
CATALYST PHILOSOPHY OF TRAVEL
A little secret for you, we have a strategy for creating itineraries for your clients. Catalyst Travel's Philosophy of Travel is that every trip should have a CATALYST. As you begin to unpack what your client's CATALYST is, you will discover the features that belong in their itinerary.
Since connection is a primary focus of Catalyst Travel, that is the first CATALYST question: who are you wanting to connect? By understanding this, it allows you as the GROUP specialist to dive more into the nitty-gritty of perfecting their trip.
There are typically four other categories for their Catalyst. Is it primarily for Adventure, Rest and Relaxation, Education, or Social/Spiritual?
For example, did you know that there is a HUGE difference between a Yellowstone Trip that is meant for adventure than for relaxation? I bet you did know that ... but what are the features of each?
There are some subtle differences in doing this that will be taught deeper in a future training on Catalyst Travel's Philosophy of Travel. In the meantime, try to understand what your client's CATALYST (purpose) for their trip is and then work with your mentor / Business Development Manager in creating those itineraries.
Since connection is a primary focus of Catalyst Travel, that is the first CATALYST question: who are you wanting to connect? By understanding this, it allows you as the GROUP specialist to dive more into the nitty-gritty of perfecting their trip.
- Connection: is this a trip for re-connection with yourself (self renewal), with your partner, with your friends and family, or co-workers? What type of group are you a member of and tell me some specifics about what makes your group unique.
There are typically four other categories for their Catalyst. Is it primarily for Adventure, Rest and Relaxation, Education, or Social/Spiritual?
- Adventure: are you wanting a great adventure filled with the unexpected?
- Rest and Relaxation: are you needing a soothing retreat filled with pampering and slower pace?
- Education: are you wanting to learn and discover something new in a deeper, systematic way for your own personal research or as an official research program?
- Social & Spiritual: is your desire to connect with something larger than yourself connecting to social causes that bring awareness to human rights and/or bringing a deeper connection to God?
For example, did you know that there is a HUGE difference between a Yellowstone Trip that is meant for adventure than for relaxation? I bet you did know that ... but what are the features of each?
- Adventure calls for a roadtrip or train ride; while relaxation requests a quick flight.
- Adventure beckons for a lot of excursions and a basic accommodation like a motel; while relaxation begs for pampering and a luxurious resort stay.
- Adventure relies heavily on using adventure based partners and creating itineraries from scratch using expert first hand experience of the areas; while relaxation depends on expert knowledge of wellness based partners and creating a standard/classic itinerary with a deep understanding of what will rejuvenate your client from their normal routine.
There are some subtle differences in doing this that will be taught deeper in a future training on Catalyst Travel's Philosophy of Travel. In the meantime, try to understand what your client's CATALYST (purpose) for their trip is and then work with your mentor / Business Development Manager in creating those itineraries.
CATALYST LOGOS
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CATALYST COMMUNICATION STANDARDS