Travel agents, what if your biggest content problem isn't that you don't know what to post, but that you aren't recognizing the content you're already creating?

In this episode, I'm introducing The PLOT Framework, a new framework I've developed to help travel agents find the stories hiding inside the work they're already doing.

Because every time you create a proposal, you're making decisions. You're listening to what your client is actually telling you. You're navigating challenges. And you're noticing tiny details that can completely change the vacation you recommend.

That's the content.

PLOT gives you four places to look:

P — PICK: The Decision Story
What did you pick, and why?

L — LISTEN: The Client Story
What did your client say that mattered?

O — OBSTACLE: The Challenge Story
What did you have to work around or solve?

T — TINY DETAIL: The Difference Story

What small detail changed the recommendation or experience?

We're also talking about why storytelling matters more than ever in travel agent marketing, how AI is changing the research and booking process, and why showing your discernment is more powerful than simply telling potential clients you're an expert.

And this is only the beginning. Over the next four episodes, we're breaking down each part of PLOT and talking about how to recognize these stories, frame them, and turn them into Reels, carousels, emails, captions, Stories, blogs and more.

YOUR HOMEWORK: Pull up the last proposal you sent and find the PLOT. Then come tell me what you found in my Instagram DMs.

Come talk marketing with me on Instagram

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Watch The Social Takeoff on YouTube

Most travel advisors think they need better marketing.

More reels.
More visibility.
More followers.

But visibility without positioning is just noise.

In this episode of The Social Takeoff Podcast, Kelli Hayes Smith breaks down the difference between marketing and positioning for travel advisors.. and why you need both to build a predictable, scalable travel business.

You’ll learn:

• The real difference between travel marketing and travel positioning
• Why you can go viral and still make no sales
• How positioning builds trust while marketing builds visibility
• Why authority is what turns followers into booked clients
• The FAME Framework for travel advisors who want consistent growth

The FAME Framework:

F — Find Your Person
A — Articulate the Problem
M — Market With Intention
E — Establish Authority

If you’ve been creating content but not seeing consistent bookings, this episode will help you audit your strategy and fix what’s missing.

Want more strategy like this?

Get your free Wanderlust Campus account at:
👉 wanderlust-ceo.com

Connect with Kelli on Instagram:
👉 www.instagram.com/kellihayessmith

New episodes every Tuesday.

Episode Description

Most travel agents think clients book once they’ve seen the right destination, deal, or itinerary.

That’s not actually how decisions get made.

In this episode, Kelli breaks down how questions — not explanations — are what help potential clients move from researching and scrolling… to feeling ready to book.

These are the kinds of questions you can use in your content, emails, conversations, and social media that help clients understand themselves.. which is what actually leads to confident decisions.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why clients don’t struggle with where to go — but with what they want from the trip
• How to use questions to surface emotional and logistical friction
• The difference between pressure-based CTAs and momentum-based clarity
• How to reframe your value without talking about price
• How to turn one topic into multiple pieces of content that guide clients forward

If you’ve ever felt like people are “almost ready” but never quite booking, this episode will change how you think about marketing.

Key Topics Covered

• Questions that reveal the real problem clients are facing
• Clarifying expectations before destinations or itineraries
• Identifying friction without shaming or pressure
• Reframing value away from price and toward support
• Inviting momentum without urgency or scarcity tactics

Action Step
Pick one upcoming trip type you sell (family travel, cruises, Disney, honeymoons, etc.), Create content using questions, not explanations, and watch how your conversations change.