By Sherry Kennedy

GEEK: obsessive computer user: somebody who is a proud or enthusiastic user of computers or other technology, sometimes to an excessive degree (according to Encarta.)

GEEKISM: a religion for computer devotees, which began circa 1998 — a belief in a grand Internet presence, sometimes self-created or conceived through the propagation of a benevolent host (according to Sherry).

Ten years ago, it was the belief of Geekism that without a Web site presence, you would be left high and dry while everyone else was establishing their companies in the dot-com universe. How-to books were hastily written, Web design software programs were produced for the novice Web designer and keep-it-simple Web sites became all the rage. Don’t forget what were once called “online business cards” — a simple one page “Web site” that announced your business to the online world. Wow!
Here it is...a decade later...and because most travel agents are not geeks or professional Web site designers, some agencies are still without Web sites. When I attend or hold networking events, I always try to ask who still does not have a Web site. The display of hands reflecting a non-Internet presence still runs close to 50%. I find this amazing. If travel agents are smart enough to run an entrepreneurial business from home, why then can’t they pick up a beginner’s book on Web design and jump on the bandwagon?
With so many options available to build a Web site independently, where do you begin?
I think I know the reasons that some travel agents still lack a Web site: confusion, fear and lack of faith.
This could be the reason for your agency not being online. Should you buy DreamWeaver, FrontPage, use your Web site’s Host’s own “build a Web site in two minutes” free-ware? If you buy the aforementioned software, there is the inevitable learning curve. I started with FrontPage 1998 edition...a whole lot simpler than today’s FrontPage. DreamWeaver is supposed to be the leader of the pack, but personally, I don’t want to learn a new program. Unless you are a full-time geek and less than part-time travel agent, it would be an amazing accomplishment to have a slick, timely and error-free travel-selling Web site.

The Fear Factor
Even if you learn FrontPage or DreamWeaver, unless you subscribe to an online travel content provider, all you will ever have on your Web site are words. No real time or close-to-real time searchability. You can continually upload any new special that you find: List all your group cruises and amenities...show the current weather in Singapore. That’s about the extent of it. What are the options for real time content? Two major players are Online Agency and Passport Online. Both charge a monthly fee, neither are 100% perfect, but they are very reliable and provide tons of cruise, tour and resort information and rates. You can’t correct a typo within their content; occasionally a sailing date is missing or inaccurate and it isn’t real-time. But for the most part they are the simplest, easiest and most economical way to maintain fresh content. More companies out there provide online, real-time travel content, but I am familiar with these two.
Another way to easily get your travel agency online is to use your Host’s Web site add-on. It’s sort of like besttravelagency.com/yourname. The problem with that idea is two-fold. One, trying to get listed with any search engine is impossible, since it isn’t truly searchable without meta-tags — the behind-the-scenes simple coding that the search engines “read” to list your site. You cannot add in the meta-tags because the domain belongs to someone else. In a pre-fab site like the above, you are stuck with just being an afterthought in the domain name. Secondly, you are only able to download and modify one page, so you really can’t list any specific special deals that you might have found or any of your great group space.

Have Faith
I tend to believe that without a search engine listing, we are invisible. To a degree that is true. This has given me a new slant on Geekism and here’s what it is and how I acquired it. My new faith is in my clients, would-be clients and most importantly, my ability to broadcast my domain name everywhere. Where once I could manipulate my ranking with Yahoo (pre-Google days) and be #1 on the list, I now have given up on a high ranking with Google (using the most obvious of keywords in a search) and have taken it to the next level.
Because of the consistently evolving nature of the Internet, it is virtually impossible to be certain that you can manipulate the search engines through the use of meta-tags. You need to have faith that your clients and potential clients will remember your domain URL, so that they can directly navigate their way by typing your domain name in the address bar. This can only be achieved by direct and repetitive marketing. You need to include your domain name on every bit of information that you distribute. Business cards, stationery, mailers, refrigerator magnets, post-its, license plate holders — include your URL on all your marketing and communications pieces.
The bottom line is that it does not matter which vehicle you choose to use to give your clients access to up-to-date and relevant travel information. The important thing is to have a Web site so that your clients/potential clients have a place to go. It doesn’t matter whether it is a www.abctravel.com/yourname Web site (these always look nice), a Keep It Simple do-it-yourself site (homegrown but friendly), a site with a content box displayed in the top third of your home page (convenient) or a shiny, flashy bells-and-whistles site (if you have a few thousand dollars to invest).
All that matters is to get online. Resolution #1 for 2007, let go of the confusion and fear and get your agency a Web site.

Sherry Kennedy is the owner of the Vacation Shoppe, Inc., Home Based since its inception over 10 years ago. Sherry tries to stay on the cutting edge of office mobility technology, so that she can take her business “on the road” whenever she has to travel. She is the NACTA Florida Area Director and on CLIA’s Travel Agent Advisory Board.