Sharing your story in your marketing activities when you become a travel agent is incredibly important. Why? It’s how you connect with your prospects. It’s also how you build your credibility through vulnerability. Being vulnerable in your story sharing is probably the biggest key to effectively sharing your story.I once had a client who thought she was sharing her story, but she was skipping important (vulnerable) details, like beating a deathly illness. She recently told her entire sales story – including the not-so-pretty parts she had been skipping. Within days, she had 4, brand-new inquiries for the exact travel product she wanted to sell, luxury river cruises.When you become a travel agent, believe it or not, it’s time for you to dig deep and put together a core sales story that sells. Why? Because it makes you real to your potential clients. People want to do business with people they know, like and trust. When you share something vulnerable about yourself, they instantly like you.The first question to ask yourself is “what has travel done for me that I want to share with other people?” In my situation when I became a travel agent, I knew that traveling to Africa literally changed my life. Before my first trip there, I pre-judged what Africa would be like as a travel experience. My judgement lead me to believe I wouldn’t like it nor want it on my list of must-see places.I was wrong. I traveled there because I was invited to a wedding and I couldn’t really say no. I was blown away (in a good way) from the moment I walked off the plane. The food was phenomenal. The decor was sophisticated. The service was warm and over-the-top. The people were magnetic. I have never experienced a level of luxury as amazing as my experiences in Africa.But it was the intangibles that had the greatest positive effect. The energy of Africa contains a beauty that you can’t put into words. Colors are brighter, flavors are more intense, the wildlife encounters rekindle connection with your higher power, and the people will touch you in ways you can’t imagine. I came back a convert. It’s true that once Africa gets in your blood, you can’t get it out. And I wanted to tell everybody I knew about the “best kept secret in travel.” Not only had I been missing out on it, an entire nation was missing out.This was my story. I shared it in my marketing and to anyone who would listen. The best way to write your story is to map it out. Here is a great structure for you to use to create your compelling story: 1 Before – Begin with the before part of your story. For me, that was before my first trip to Africa.2 Conflict or Turning Point – my conflict was that I didn’t desire traveling to Africa, but I felt obligated to attend a wedding of some very important people in my life;3 Discovery – my discovery was that Africa was everything I thought it wasn’t – in a good way. I knew there were lots of other Americans that misunderstood Africa as a travel destination, and I felt like I had just discovered the best kept secret in travel.4 Result – the result was the best vacation I have ever had in my life. The result was being touched in a way that no other travel experience came close to doing.5 Return – this is where you want to share it with others. I did. I really felt like it was my mission to share Africa with people because they were getting the wrong message from places like the media.Now that you have a structure for sharing your story, go write it. Students in our Travel MBA program are encouraged to write their stories very soon into their marketing endeavors and have the chance to get coaching on it from me during their monthly Q&A call with me. If you want to learn more about the Travel MBA program, then CLICK HERE.