Sunday, July 31, 2005

Strange Creatures, Pet Travel and Mackinac Island Sound Seeing Tour #4

Podcast Number Twenty Three

On a personal note, about a week ago we saw the strangest creature hovering from flower to flower in our flower garden. Was it a bug, was it a bird - it was a Humming Bird Moth. This was so strange because it is an insect that looks like a bird. Here is a picture of a humming bird moth.















In the Home Based Travel Agent podcast number 12 I discussed the possibilities of becoming a travel agent that specializes in pet travel. Here are some more tips on flying with pets that I gleaned from the Travel Section of the Wall Street Journal.

A new podcast about Disney has appeared and it sounds like it is going to be a great podcast for those of you that are interested in Disney vacations. The podcast is Let's Talk About Disney. You can learn more about this podcast and subscribe to it at http://diznee.blogmatrix.com/.

Next week's Home Based Travel Agent Podcast may not appear until Monday night. We will be visiting friends on Saturday and Sunday and I may not have a chance to get the podcast out on Sunday. I'm working on setting up an interview with Jana at the "Let's Talk About Disney" podcast and if we can match up our schedules we will have a discussion about Disney and about Jana and her husband Mike's podcast.

Thank you for listening. Drop me an email at barry@hometravelagent.net. I really appreciate your comments, ideas and suggestions. My goal is to continually improve this podcast and I need your input to accomplish this goal.

The Home Based Travel Agent's websit can be found here.

Stop by my business website at http://www.special-destinations.com.

Sunday, July 24, 2005

Agent@Home Magazine Publisher Interview

Podcast Number Twenty Two

In this podcast is an interview with Mark Murphy. Mark is the President and CEO of Performance Media Group which publishes the Agent@Home Magazine. We discussed his magazine and the great content that it provides to the home based travel agent. Mark discussed some marketing tips and opportunities for home based agents. We also discussed the upcoming Agent at Home Expos that will be held in various cities throughout the country this fall. There is a lot of good advice and material in this interview.

I also do a short review of the book, "Podcasting, the Do-it-yourself Guide" by Todd Cochrane. I would highly recommend this book if you are interested in learning more about podcasting. You can order a copy by clicking the link below.



Part 4 of the Mackinaw Island sound seeing tour will be in next weeks podcast. I want to keep the podcasts at about one-half hour in length. The interview with Mark Murphy was over twenty minutes which left no time to include the final part of the Mackinaw Island sound seeing tour.

Thank you for listening. Drop me an email at barry@hometravelagent.net. I really appreciate your comments.

The Home Based Travel Agent's websit can be found here.

Stop by my business website at http://www.special-destinations.com.

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Travel Agents in Demand & Mackinaw Sound Seeing Tour Part 3

Podcast Number Twenty One

I talk about travel agents in demand and can travel agents compete with the big boys, Travelocity, Expedia and their like. Also included is Part 3 of the Mackinaw Island Sound Seeing Tour. We head for the Ferry for the return trip to the Mainland and stop in at a couple of shops along the way.

Thank you for listening. Drop me an email at barry@hometravelagent.net. I really appreciate your comments.

The Home Based Travel Agent's websit can be found here.

Stop by my business website at http://www.special-destinations.com.

Sunday, July 10, 2005

A Great Search Engine for Airfares and Part 2 of the Mackinac Island Sound Seeing Tour

Podcast Number Twenty

My Odeo Channel

I discuss the airfare search engine site by itasoftware. The site gives you many search options and will give you best fares on a variety of different airlines. The search results show you warnings that might include long layovers, multiple stops, prop driven aircraft and more.

I discuss listener email regarding accounting software for the travel agent and email regarding price comparisons between Disney Cruise Website and the Nexion booking engine.

It looks like the sound seeing tour of Mackinac Island will be broken into four parts. Today's podcast will include Part 2 of the Mackinac Island Sound Seeing Tour.

Thank you for listening. Drop me an email at barry@hometravelagent.net. I really appreciate your comments.

The Home Based Travel Agent's websit can be found here.

Stop by my business website at http://www.special-destinations.com.

Monday, July 04, 2005

Business Essentials - Business Cards and a Sound Seeing Tour of Mackinac Island Pt. 1

Podcast Number Ninteen

In this podcast I discuss a business essential and that is a business card. I talk about how I produce my business card and the types of information that I include on my business card.

The greater portion of the podcast is of a sound seeing tour of Mackinac Island. This is part one of the sound seeing tour and begins with the ferry ride to the Island and a drive around the island in a horse drawn carriage.

Thank you for listening. Drop me an email at barry@hometravelagent.net. Your comments are very much appreciated!

The Home Based Travel Agent's websit can be found here.

Stop by my business website at http://www.special-destinations.com.