Shawna LevetGiving is important in building a healthy company
Travel advisors are truly an inspiring bunch. Aside from the hard work they put in taking care of their travelers every day, travel professionals are at the forefront of some of the world’s greatest humanitarian causes. Since the job requires travel advisors to keep a pulse on what’s happening abroad, they are some of the first to jump in when help is needed. Giving back is something every entrepreneur wants to do and it is an important component in building a healthy business. But figuring out how and where to direct your effort can be hard. There are many ways your business can have an impact. Here’s how to use your voice, your resources, and your time to make a difference.
1. Advocate – Give Your Voice
As you establish a culture and an identity for your travel company, you have the opportunity to stand for things that are important to you in large and small ways. It could be as simple as working with travel vendors who are committed to sustainability. Or maybe it means using your social media to support an important cause. Is there a humanitarian cause that motivates you? Spend some time reflecting on which causes ignite a passion within and become an advocate for things that matter to you.
- Recommend vendors that have a positive impact on their community
- Use your social media to bring awareness to a cause
- Connect clients to causes abroad on your website
- Offer voluntourism options in your travel packages
2. Donate – Give Your Resources
Giving financial gifts to important causes is much more than sending a check.  Creating a culture of giving within your business helps employees maintain a sense of purpose, keeping morale high and motivation strong. It will help you attract the best employees and can even distinguish your brand among competitors. Get creative with it! Reserve a certain portion of your resources for a favorite cause you give to regularly. Then leave some space in the budget for unexpected opportunities that arise throughout the year. This could be giving towards relief during a natural disaster or sending a donation to a top clients’ favorite charity as a thank you.
- Allocate a portion of each sale for giving
- Offer your office space for an annual fundraiser
- Host a food, clothing or toy drive at your office
3. Go – Give Your Time
Are you part of the 50% of travelers that tries to avoid feeling like a tourist while abroad? Giving back to the places you visit is an important way to feel a real connection to them rather than just passing through like you would a museum. Voluntourism, or volunteering while you travel, is a fast-rising travel trend that we suspect is here to stay. Your clients may ask to spend part of their trip working on a humanitarian or conservation project. Would you consider spending some time scoping out and volunteering with nonprofits abroad? As always, your personal experience will prove to be invaluable to clients seeking to give back while they travel.
- Set a goal to volunteer on one trip per year
- Offer your employees a few days off each year to volunteer
- Pick a few days per year to serve your local community as an office staffÂ
Making a difference with your small business
Being a small business owner takes hard work, grit, and determination. But it is incredibly rewarding. You get the joy of building something from the ground up and the freedom to cultivate your brand exactly the way you want to. Most importantly, you have the power to make a difference. Your small business gives you a platform to say something and the resources to act.
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