Written By: Jackie Friedman, President – Nexion Travel Group
The holiday season is upon us! Did you have a happy Thanksgiving and take some time to reflect on things you’re grateful for and that are important to you? Although 2020 certainly has been different, the meaning behind holiday celebrations has not changed, and hopefully you’ve been able to connect with loved ones in new, creative ways.
As the holiday season has historically presented downtime for business, it’s a wonderful opportunity to rekindle connections not only with family and friends, but also with your clients. And, or course, you also want to ensure you take time to focus on your personal life by taking time for YOU to get recharged for the new year. It’s critical to look at what you have and not to focus on what you don’t have.
There are things missing from the holidays for all of us – whether it’s missed opportunities for in-person gatherings with family or loved ones, or splurging on a big gift or extravagant, international vacation. The key is to celebrate the holidays by reflecting on what’s good in the world and in your own life. Celebrate those wins or milestones from 2020, no matter how small they may seem!
I also realize that many of us are looking forward to leaving 2020 behind and starting fresh in 2021. Here are a few things you can do now that will help accelerate that new start in the new year:
Use this time now to think about what you want to achieve next year, both personally and in your business. What are those goals? Do your personal goals align with your business goals? Which ones from this year do you want to defer, and which ones do you need to move forward? As you evaluate goals, don’t lose sight on what’s truly important for you and your business.
Put thought into is your personal and professional development. What skills and knowledge do you need to brush up on that will help in your business ahead? Are there certain destinations or products that will be new for you in the new year to learn about? There are numerous destination and supplier product webinars and training available, including through your host agency and/or consortia, so definitely benefit from what’s offered.
Look at what you want to accomplish as part of your goals and then put priorities to match those goals in your professional development plan. Don’t “spray and pray,” by attending every training webinar or event, but instead dive into what you want to accomplish and where you want your business to go. Then focus that time and investment on those areas.
For example, if your goals include focusing on selling cruises as they resume in 2021 and beyond, attending CruiseWorld and/or Cruise360 may be relevant. If a niche is important to your business plan, such as luxury or groups, what business development opportunities mirror those priorities? Nexion Travel Group has specialty events in both these areas, which are exclusive to its advisors. Remember that professional development is not just about classes and webinars – it’s also comes from the community that takes that training with you and the connections you make. At Nexion, we look forward to those events as much as advisors do, as it’s inspiring to watch as these travel professionals learn from each other.
As we conclude this year, I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy 2021. Personally, I’ve been blessed to be part of an industry that is so focused on the future ahead of us. I choose to do that as well versus dwelling on what we may have missed. I invite you to do the same. Cheers to our resilience and a brighter future!