Building a Business

with No Money

Strategic partners to
leverage your success and
growth in your business.

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 No part of this document or related filed may be reproduced or redistributed in any form, by any means
without the prior written permission of the author/publisher - Tammy@TammyLevent.com. Exception
for reviewers, who may quote brief passages for review purposes only. This includes photocopying,
electronic or otherwise.

Disclaimer - By reading this book you assume all risks associated with the contained ideas and
information. You are solely responsible for anything that may occur as a result of your putting
this information into action in any way, regardless of your interpretation of the instructions and
information given.

This eBook is For You!

This eBook is for every entrepreneur who has big dreams. It’s
for the stay-at-home mom who hopes to start a small business,
for the guy who knows he can take his product and sell it to the
masses but doesn’t quite know where to start, for the doctor, the
lawyer, the accountant and anyone else who offers a specialized
service or product they believe in. This eBook is for all of you.

Thank You.
A big thank you to all who download this eBook. We invite you to leave a review on Amazon, which
will allow me to make future editions even better. Want to keep in touch?

Check out www.tammylevent.com so you can learn more about who I am and what I do.

Created by Tammy Levent. Copyright ©2019, all rights reserved.

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Building a Business with No Money
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Who is Tammy Levent?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
The Travel Agent’s Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Tammy Levent, Speaker and Business Consultant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Tammy Levent’s Achievements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Tammy’s Websites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Becoming Self-Employed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
5 Tips to Promote Yourself and Your Brand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Driven by Passion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Overcoming Fear of Rejection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
5 Tips to Find the Right Strategic Partner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Strategic Partnerships using Direct Mail Marketing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
How Strategic Partnerships Work For Charity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Haven’t contacted a Strategic Partner yet? DO IT NOW! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Strategies to Keep Yourself & Your Business in Front of your Clients. . . . . . . . . . 13
How Can I Build a Business Without a Lot of Capital? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Putting an End to Procrastination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
How Do I Get Press? Am I Even Newsworthy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
How Can I Get on Some Blogs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Why Do I Need a Writer in My Business?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Finding Sales Leads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Finding New Business in Unexpected Places. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
I Need More Referrals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4 Steps to Making the Sale & Keeping the Client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Easy Ways to Increase Your Sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
I Want to Move my Business – Will it Hurt Me?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
How You Can Start Living Your Dream. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
If You Take Nothing Else From This Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
The Travel Agent’s Success Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

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 Introduction
Starting a Business with No Money was created using a mix of my blog posts, essays and articles. I’ve
taken all of these wonderful pieces of information and put them all into one easy to access eBook
so you can become inspired to take action. I include things I’ve used in my business so I know the
information in this book will help you build your business into the success you want and the success
you deserve. Ready to get started?

Who is Tammy Levent?

First and foremost, I’m a travel entrepreneur and traveler extraordinaire who runs their own own
travel agency - Elite Travel. Even so, know that many of the businesses I mentor don’t have anything
to do with travel, which means this eBook is for every business.

I’m also a Business Strategist, Author and Speaker. My first experience building businesses started at
the young age of 16. I drove to New York where I found a room to rent, right next to a laundromat. I
got a job as a secretary at a wholesale appliance store and after one year I decided to call the owner of
the shipping company we used to ship our appliances and laid out reasons why we should combine
our two businesses into one full-service company. The idea was accepted and at the age of 17 I
became a founding partner of 7 Islands Shipping, the top company in the United States for export
shipping to the Mediterranean throughout the 1980’s and ‘90s. It was my first Strategic Partnership
and formed my lifelong philosophy of successful entrepreneurship.

After Seven Islands Shipping was sold my husband and I moved back to Florida and started a
successful jewelry store. In 1994 our lives changed when two armed robbers stole more than 95
percent of our inventory, forcing us to close. I became the sole supported of our family as I worked
as a telemarketer selling timeshare packages, and was pleased when I became the top salesperson in
the company in a short amount of time. I was soon promoted and started training new employees
in sales calls. Unfortunately, I had to resign when my grandmother and two small children were
involved in a car accident just a few short months after the robbery. My grandmother didn’t make it
and needed to care for my children as they were in ICU.

My future was uncertain, until a nurse in ICU asked me “If it had nothing to do with money, what
would you do with your life?” My answer? “I would travel the world.” With a family to feed, no
assets, and now $180 thousand dollars in debt, I leveraged strategic partnerships to build Elite
Travel. I wanted to create a travel management company, and I did. We have now done more than
$120 million in traveling business. We have won numerous Travvy and Magellan awards since we
launched in 1996, the highest category for awards in the travel industry. And I owe it all to creatively
building the business. To date, Elite Travel has become one of the fastest growing and most trusted
travel agencies in the nation. We specialize in group travel, corporate travel, incentive travel,
adventure travel, luxury travel, destination weddings and honeymoons.

Here’s just one example of our extreme dedication to our clients. In

August of 2013, 89 year old Dodge Melkonian broke his hip when
traveling by cruise ship in the Black Sea. He was taken to a Turkish
hospital with his wife, where no one spoke English. So the Melkonians
called their Elite Travel agent for help. That call sent us into a flurry
of activity! We quickly arranged transportation for them to a better-
equipped hospital, and sourced a local tour guide to act as translator
for them. We also contacted the media and called public officials, from
the Governor of Florida to Senator Bill Nelson, in order to help the
Melkonians receive the best possible care, and to get their bills paid by the
cruise line. I consider this to be one of our greatest achievements in expert client care.

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 The Travel Agent’s Agent
I was building Elite Travel in the wake of 9/11, the airlines collapse, natural disasters, the recession,
and an onslaught of new online booking engines. So as you can see, I know better than most how to
create a successful business in an adverse climate. The travel agent industry is now being restored,
reviving the art of travel using an experienced travel agent. As travelers now understand how detailed
and more! there is to planning a trip is, they’re choosing to use travel agents once again.

TASK
In 2013, I partnered with several top entrepreneurs,
including Kevin Harrington (Shark Tank and As Seen on
TV), to develop The Travel Agent’s Success Kit ™, aka TASK.
The goal was, and still is, to help struggling travel agencies
successfully adapt to the new age of travel. Now Travel agents
across the globe can have access to my videos, webinars,
books, and even my personal mentorship. Today, TASK has
more than 250 TASK agents and continues to grow.

TASK was so well received agents began asking for

mentorship options, escalating the next phase – TASK 1 and
TASK 2. This mastermind event provides in-depth training
support for novice and experienced agents, taking them
through the kit step-by-step. 2018’s TASK Live 2 was held in
Tampa, FL. and is limited to 50 agents making it an annual
event that is in high demand.

Now agents can learn even more of the many business strategies that will allow them to be more than
a travel agent. Now they can choose to become travel entrepreneurs!

Tammy Levent, Speaker and Business Consultant

It was when the economy sank into its latest recession that I
realized that I knew how to build and expand any business,
not just travel agency businesses. As a professional speaker,
I’ve conducted dozens of workshops and seminars, of which
all are focused on how to increase sales, generate leads, raise
bottom lines, market and brand, and strategically partner
for large corporations, small businesses, entrepreneur
associations, and the Tampa Bay Business Journal, and have
opened for national speakers like Les Brown. When I’m not
speaking to audiences with my messages on Creating Strategic
Partnerships, I work as a private consultant so I can help
both entrepreneurs and business owners start and grow their
business. Using a simple rolodex and my skills, I provide them
with the one-on-one coaching they need for success. As of
today, I’ve helped many create and manage their businesses, of
which some are doing millions in revenue.

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 Tammy Levent’s Achievements
• 2018 NBC’s TV Daytime JustGoTrav with Tammy Levent Weekly
National Travel Segments
• 2017 Traveler Extraordinaire on NBC’s Daytime
• 2017 Winner Travvy Award – Most Innovative Travel Agent
• 2017 Resident Travel Agent on ABC’s Tampa Bay Morning Blend
• 2016 Travel Weekly Magellan Award “Its My Bag” Elite Travel Charity
• 2016 Travel Weekly Magellan Award “ One Stop Shop”
• 2016 Travel Weekly Magellan Award “ A Path to Success”
• 2015 Travel Weekly Magellan Award “Excellence in Innovation”
• 2015 Travel Weekly Magellan Award “ Not Just a Training Program”
• 2015 Tammy Levent’s Best Selling book “Sink or Swim”
• 2015 Travvy Award for the Most Innovative Travel Agent
• 2014 Saint Lucia’s Top Producing Travel Agency Piton Awards
• 2014 Winner Travel Weekly Magellan Awards Honoring the Best in
Travel
• 2014 Mentor BizWomen Mentoring Monday
• 2013 to Present Member of The Travel Institute’s Professional Educators Program
• 2013 Debuting The Travel Agent’s Success Kit™, partnering with Kevin Harrington and GoGo
Worldwide Vacations
• 2013 Featured in the ebook The Little Giant: Small Business is the New Big
• 2012 Author of the #1 National Best Selling book Women Who Mean Business
• 2012 Named Ambassador/Strategic Partner for Business Women Connect
• 2012 Winner of the Editors choice awards for Women Who Mean Business
• 2011 Launch of the WHIP It Out Show (Women Have Infinite Power In Themselves) including
WHIPshops™ and Seminars
• 2011 Featured in The Crave Book
• Advisory board for the Sustainable Entrepreneurship & Innovation Alliance at the University of
South Florida
• 2011 Inducted and honoree in the World’s Who’s Who
• 2011 Speaker & Sponsor, 1st Tampa Bay’s Women’s Conference
• 2011 Women Extraordinaire Award
• 2010 Made it to a Million Award – National E Women Network
• Member: CLIA, IATAN, Tahiti Tiare Certified agency, Certified Destination Wedding Specialists
• Gourmet Inclusive Vacation Consultant for El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels as well as Azul
Hotels by Karisma Elite Award Winner “Top 10 Selling Agency for El Dorado Royal”
• Official Travel Sponsor, Tampa PWG show sponsors, Elite Events in Atlanta
• Contributing Writer & Guest Expert: The Perfect Wedding Guide, Bride’s Magazine, Modern
Bride, Florida Bride, For the Bride, The Robb Report, Conde Nast Traveler, Weddzilla.com,
Tampa Style, Panache Vue, Pulse, Lady Angler, Travel Agent, PeterGreenberg.com, Orlando
Style, Travel Weekly Spotlights, Tampa Bay Parenting, Applause, Choice Lifestyle
• Platinum Preferred Agency Couples Resorts 14 years in a row
• Master Agent with AM Resorts
• Travel Impressions/American Express Vacations Global Award worldwide Best of the Best
Agency 16 years straight
• Best of the Best Sandals Agency
• 2005, 2006, 2007 Fast 50 top growing companies in Tampa Bay (Only business to win 3 years in a row)
• 2011 National Diversity Council -Finalist Glass Ceiling Award
• 2002, 2008 & 2012 Business Woman of the Year awards
• 2008 Finalist TBBJ Ultimate CEO of the Year
• NBC Travel Show -Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Seminar presented by Tammy Levent
• Featured on NBC’s Hollywood’s Extra!
• 2001 - Top 25 Women Owned Business, in the Tampa Bay Business Journal Book of Lists

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 Tammy’s Websites
TammyLevent.com
EliteTravelGroup.net
HoneymoonGiveaway.com
EliteDestinationWeddings.com
TravelAgentSuccessKit.com
ItsMyBag.cool
JustGoTrav.com

Becoming Self-Employed
What does becoming self-employed mean? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines self-
employment as earning income from your own business or profession rather than by working for
someone else. To become self-employed you have to offer a product or service to sell, and then
get out there and sell it! Know that you are not perfect and you will make mistakes, which may or
may not cost you money. But guaranteed once you make one mistake, you will not make that same
mistake again. I don’t believe in failure. I believe we try our best and when it does not work out we
have to make the best of it and change it to make it better towards success. Failure means you never
started in the first place.

Steps to Becoming Self-Employed

Step #1. Come up with an idea- what sellable idea can you offer the world? Is it a product that
people can’t live without or a service that people need?

Step #2. Promote, Network. Get a website, make business cards, create a few social media sites,
make an email address and a phone number, and then promote your business like crazy! Don’t fall for
the hope that “if you build it, they will come.” It’s just not true. People will forget about you, so you
have to constantly be promoting yourself and your business to stay in their minds. Get in the media,
go to networking events, make phone calls, send emails and market your business until you’re blue
in the face. The saying “out of sight, out of mind” rings true in business and if you’re not in people’s
minds then you will not be making money.

A website is the only way you can be in control of adding fresh and current content for all to see
about your business.

Step #3. Make the sale- Now that people know about your business, ask for sales. After you ask for
the sale, close the deal.

Step #4. Continue steps two and three until your financial goals are met, and then keep doing steps
two and three!

If you get tired of your idea or if your idea stops selling, get a new idea. The plan for staying self-
employed is simply to continue being able to make money for yourself without a boss.

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 5 Tips to Promote Yourself and Your Brand
If someone searches your name online, do you know what happens? I do find you, your website, or
news articles about your business? Or do I find everyone but you? When it comes to marketing your
business, success starts with your name. Google “Tammy Levent” and everything you see on that
search results page is the marketing I’ve done to build my brand – and with it, my businesses.

Here are five ways to start building your reputation and recognition in your community and online.

Tip #1. Brand Yourself and Your Business. Brand your name along with what you do, whether
you own your own business or not. If you’re staring at your business card, it should be your face and
name first, then your company. When you brand it like it’s yours, no one will forget your name if you
end up working for yourself later. Always use your first and last name – and maybe even your middle
name – to set yourself apart.

Tip #2. Make the Front Page of Your Own Search Results. My email signature is: “Tammy Levent –
Google Me.” I’m the only “Tammy Levent” in the world, which was no accident. I was born Stamatia
Kavourakis, which is hard to pronounce, harder to spell, and impossible to brand. I’m not saying you
have to change your name, but have something that stands out. In the age of social media, personal
branding is one of the most important things you can do to get you and your business on the map.

Tip #3. Be Consistent. Make sure your website and all of your social media pages are the same, i.e.
photos, logo, colors, other visuals. What would McDonald’s be without their famous golden arches?
Or Starbucks without their prominent green and white mermaid? These logos are branded and
consistent. The biggest mistake businesses make is constantly re-branding themselves. Invest up front
in one great logo that is clean, simple and timeless, and stick with it.

Tip #4. Print Lots of Business Cards – and Use Them. There are two ways to never run out of
business cards: Never hand them out and hoard them in your office or wallet, or, print 5,000 of them
and hand them to everyone you meet and leave them on every flat surface. Which way do you think
successful people choose? Your card is the cheapest form of advertising, so use both front and back to
give as much detail on as you can, and use all of them.

Tip #5. Position Yourself as an Expert. Position yourself as the expert in your field and you’ll
increase your brand recognition, your credibility and your sales. Become an expert by using Strategic
Partnerships to get yourself published in blogs, local magazines and newspapers. Don’t turn these
opportunities into advertorials for your business – just offer genuinely helpful advice and you’ll not
only expand your brand recognition, but also gain the respect of your community.

Driven by Passion
If you are not passionate about your business, it’s time to change your business! Anthony Robbins
said, “There is no greatness without a passion to be great, whether it’s the aspiration of an athlete or
an artist, a scientist, a parent, or a businessperson.” Passion is the key to happiness in your business,
passion is the key to closing big deals and passion is ultimately the key to success.

When you are passionate about your business, it shows. You will be excited to get up in the morning and
tell people about what you services or goods you can provide. Your excitement will become contagious
making people want to be your customers. If you don’t believe in what you are selling, why would anyone
ever want to buy it? Having passion makes work feel less like work. It’s always better to do something you
want to do instead of something you feel like you have to do. Being passionate in your business allows
you to think outside of the box, set yourself apart, get creative and work longer hours with less stress.

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Of course, passion is not all you need to succeed, but without it, don’t expect your business to ever
give you the success you deserve. Wondering how to find your passion-based business? Sit down with
a piece of paper and a pen and write down what your life would look like life if money wasn’t an issue.
Really think about it and be honest with yourself. Once you have finished this, look at what you wrote
closely and brainstorm what kind of businesses would give you the lifestyle you just wrote about.

This exercise is what led to the business I have worked in and loved for nearly two decades. When I
was asked what I would do if money didn’t matter, my answer was that I would travel the world. It’s
important to note that when I was asked this question I had hit rock bottom and was in the middle
of the worst time of my life. My children were in ICU and I had just lost my grandmother due to a
tragic car wreck, I was still healing from the mental and emotional wounds from an armed robbery
of a jewelry store I owned just a year before the car accident and I had not a dollar to my name.

With no money and in emotional and mental turmoil, I still found my passion. After brainstorming
what kind of business would help me travel the world Elite Travel was born. Since then I’ve traveled
to many places and will travel to many more places all the while getting paid to send others all over
the world too!

Overcoming Fear of Rejection

Any time there is something to sell there is the chance for rejection. How can a business owner/ sales
person overcome the fear of rejection? Here are some ideas to help you accept the word NO!

Realize it’s inevitable. You are going to get rejected at least once in your business. Going in expecting
the word no softens the blow when and if it comes. Just think of how much more surprised and
happy you will be when you get a yes. Fearing the attempt is worse than the attempt itself- Doctors
often tell children that have to get immunization shots to quit thinking about it and just get it over
with. Why? They know that when your body gets worked up anxiety and tenseness will follow and
could result in the shot hurting more. It’s the same with a sales pitch. Just do it and get it over with. At
least a sales pitch won’t end with a shot!

Get excited about the word no. Many successful people believe that the word no is simply an
abbreviation for New or Next Opportunity. The cliché is true that when one door closes, another one
opens. Something better may come along because of this rejection.

Realize that not asking gets you nowhere. At least trying to make the sale could provide a change. Not
even attempting the sale guarantees things will stay the same. Think of it as a learning experience-
One business owner put it like this, “You can get bitter or you can get better.” Maybe your rejection is
a clever way of the universe telling you how to improve your business. For example, ask the prospect
why they said no and you could not only learn something, you might even find a way to convince
them to say yes in the future.

Make a game of it. See just how many times you can hear the word no in a day. At the end of the day
you will have at least tried to get a yes. As a bonus, all of that practice will help you start perfecting
your pitch.

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 5 Tips to Find the Right Strategic Partner
I’ve used Strategic Partnerships to grow every business I’ve ever owned. Partnerships are the driving
forces behind your continued growth.

Tip #1. What do you need? To determine where to look for your Strategic Partner, you first have to
decide on your goal. What does your business need to expand, grow, and become more profitable? Decide
on your goals first, and then find the Strategic Partner who can benefit by helping you reach them.

Tip #2. Ready to expand? Who is your target demographic? When you “want to bring in more
business,” what you really mean is that you want to bring in the right type of clients for your business.
For example, if you run adventure- oriented vacations in which your clients prefer hostels to hotels,
don’t try to partner with your local senior center! One of my key niche markets is Destination
Weddings, for which I strategically partnered with both a large couples’ resort chain and one of the
nation’s top bridal shows. As a travel agent, I had already brought the resort numerous weddings
and was able to offer them increased visibility for their brand by partnering with my brand, which
we did through offering trip giveaways at bridal shows (scoring a free booth and branding on every
flyer, advertisement and banner in the process). But, let’s say your niche is adventure travel – try
approaching your local sporting goods store. It all depends on your demographic.

Tip #3. Give as much as you want to take to attract a valuable partner, you have to be a valuable
partner. Think about what you have to offer, whether that’s a percentage of the business that comes in
as a result of your partnership, a free trip, or even your time. A partnership only works when it goes
both ways. And – make it legal. Put your partnership in writing, because it’s your name, reputation
and brand on the line.

Tip #4. Look to your vendors. One of the best places to look for partners with whom to build your
brand is your current vendors. You’ve already got half of a strategic relationship already – as your
business increases, so does your ability to increase their business. Whether your vendors are resorts,
cruise lines, or businesses in your community, invite them to build both of your brands together.

Tip #5. Partnering with Nonprofits is powerful. Charities and nonprofits often have patrons you’d
like as clients as they have disposable income, one of the benefits of strategically partnering with
charities. Another is gaining the support of your community as your community will rally around
you when they learn about the good you’re doing. I strategically partnered with my local performing
arts center by offering them a percentage of any business I got when they passed out my brochures,
flyers, advertisements. I’ve so far received around a million dollars’ worth of business, with lots of
positive press.

Strategic Partnerships using Direct Mail Marketing

When most people think of direct mail they think of junk mail. They often forget that direct mail,
when done correctly, can be extremely effective in growing strategic partnerships. Direct mail gives
marketers the capabilities to develop a strategy for personalized communication with an individual
or select set of individuals. Through proper targeting and segmenting of key selects marketers are
able to speak directly to the recipient of the mail piece by utilizing information about their key
demographics. Proper segmentation allows you, the marketer, to leverage the language, as well as
images and graphics that are most comfortable and most familiar to your prospects demographic.
With recent advances in variable print technology each mail piece can be customized to include
specific information about the consumer.

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An example of this would be “Dear Jenny Jones, I remember when I had my first child I was
amazed by her beauty. I was also terrified about her future. I started thinking about Life Insurance
and wanting to make sure she was taken care of. I began searching for a Life Insurance agent that
would have my best interest at heart. It was this search that lead me down the path of becoming
an insurance agent. If you are anything like I was then you too have these fears. Contact me at
813.555.1234 to make an appoint to discuss your situation with someone who truly understands
the task of being a new mom, me. I look forward to seeing pictures of your new little bundle and
discussing safeguarding her future.”

So, how did this example help to develop a strategic partnership? First, I used knowledge about the
prospect (new parent info) to market to them the correct insurance server for their lifestage. Second,
I spoke directly to Jenny using her first name. Third, I spoke to Jenny, woman to woman, mom to
mom and developed a sense of comradery and understanding.

Using Strategic Partnerships in Direct Marketing Once you have a strong strategic partnership
you can look at direct marketing as a great avenue for leveraging this partnership and sharing
information about both/all of your companies. There are many ways strategic partners can approach
marketing. If you have complementary goods or services you can put those products together to offer
prospects a packaged deal on items. Some great examples of this are flight and hotel deals, or flight
and auto rental packages. You can also work together to offer your clients and customers a special
deal from your strategic partner and vice versa. When a consumer has a level of trust and comfort
with one brand it can be very beneficial to utilize that trust to offer the consumer a product or service
of your strategic partner.

An example of this could be; you have a marketing agency and utilize your customer email list to
offer your clients a special promotion from a local VOIP provider that could save your customers
hundreds of dollars per year on their business phone service. The VOIP provider also promotes your
marketing services to their customer base and in turn both sets of customers get to reap the savings
that are being offered by the strategic partners.

Co-op marketing is another form of direct marketing where strategic partnerships are leveraged.
With co-op marketing a company that is promoting a specific brands product or service will often
receive marketing funds from the manufacturer or producer of the product that they are able to
utilize to promote that product being offered by the end sellers business. This type of marketing
is often used via email and direct mail marketing channels and will include logos and promotions
specific to the product being offered by the manufacturer. The advantage of this type of marketing for
the end seller is that they are able to promote both their company and the product they are offering
by utilizing the manufacturer’s funds. The manufacturer is able to promote their product on a local
level through their dealer/sales network.

How Strategic Partnerships Work For Charity

Here is Tammy Levent with Sister Sledge at one of
her epic birthday parties. Charity events that are just
a dinner, an auction, and on-stage entertainment,
followed by a heart-wrenching video asking for yet more
money, are not making as much money as they used to.
In this economy, none of us are – unless we change the
way we do business.

When our incomes are adversely affected, charities take

a deep hit, which means the most at-risk communities
bear the brunt of economic meltdowns. But we can’t
expect people to let go of their hard-earned money
without giving them an unforgettable experience – that

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 also benefits them - in return. Charity events need a new model that meets the needs of this tough
economy, and through using Strategic Partnerships, my themed Tammy Levent’s Annual Birthday
Bash bring together a winning combination of powerful forces. Not only do my events benefit a
terrific local charity, but they strengthen the local economy, expand the reach of local businesses to
new markets, and – they’re over the top sexy.

As an entrepreneur and long-time resident of Tampa Bay, I’ve developed hundreds of relationships
within the business community, and more friendships than I can count. When my birthday came
around a few years ago, it occurred to me that I could both help my professional connections and
support one of my favorite local charities by transforming my personal celebration into a charity
event to support the Friends of Joshua House Foundation.

The “models” of the fashion show for Tammy’s

“Greek to Freak” birthday party Image Source My
latest Birthday Bash event had a “Greek to Freak”
theme with a harem, a hookah lounge, belly
dancers, a late-night VIP section with a club-vibe,
a fashion show and beautiful men and women
walking around with trays of specialty foods made
right here in the bay area. It felt like going to a
private party at a club, and hundreds of people
came ready to get their freak on.

The models in the fashion show weren’t your average “models” either. I teamed up with a local weight
loss clinic owned by César A. Lara, M.D. and took some of his patients that had lost a significant
amount of weight gave them a complete makeover and put them in gorgeous ball gowns from
Lending Luxury and let them have their moment in the spotlight to shine.

By working with local businesses, we were able to save money on everything from the venue to
the desserts. We used the event to promote local entrepreneurs, like Beth Blacker of “Taking Care
Packages,” who donated her delicious sweet treats and spread the word on her baking business at the
same time. Our venue was courtesy of a strategic partnership with our local Jaguar dealership, who
gained access to potential Jag-owners by giving us a chic setting. I spend very little out of pocket to
host these events (how many charities can say that about their annual fundraisers?), and raised more
than $10,000 in a single night.

The Friends of Joshua House Foundation

was thrilled with the results, and the check
I handed over. Donations from my Birthday
event help them provide a safe haven for
abused, abandoned, and neglected children
in Hillsborough County with a therapeutic
residential group care program for ages six to
seventeen.

When small businesses help charities, and charities help promote and support small businesses,
you can create a powerful synergy that allows both to thrive in the most difficult economic
circumstances. When hundreds of influential local business leaders get in the same room with
“Tammytinis,” they have the ideal opportunity to strengthen the entire local economy by creating
connections that promote mutual success.

I’ve now partnered Elite Travel with charity organizations using Consigned Vacation Packages as this
is a win win for everyone!

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 Haven’t Contacted a Strategic Partner yet?
DO IT NOW!
What, do you think I keep talking about Strategic Partners for my health? We’re trying to build your
business here!

Start by sending this email to your potential Strategic Partner right now:

Hi _____, We met at _______________, and I got your name on my card. I’d like to Strategically
Partner with you. Here are 5 things I can offer you to help you grow your business – or, at least five
things I’d like you to keep in mind if you know someone else with whom I could Strategically Partner.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Please let me know what your needs are and how we can fit together. What are your 5
things?

Sincerely, Your name and business info hereKeeping in Front of your Clients

Without a doubt you have heard the phrase “out of sight out of mind” at least once in your life. This
saying definitely holds true in business. If you are not in your customer’s mind when they need you,
your competitor could get their money instead of you. So we make sure to do a blast email every
month to our client database. And while the local ABC Morning Blend show I was on was great for
local promotion, I knew I needed to move on to a national show for more exposure, so joined the
team at NBC Daytime. justgotrav with Tammy levent is on every Wednesday at 10:00 am and offers
watchers the best travel tips and ways to save money when traveling. Since then I have been asked to
become Executive Producer for 2 Travel TV shows.

Strategies to keep yourself and your business in

front of your clients:
Strategy #1. Follow up after you first meet them. Reach out and let them know you were pleased to
meet them. For example, “It was nice to meet you today Mary. If you ever need a hair stylist, I hope
you will think of me in the future.” Simple and quick and plants the seed in Mary’s mind if she ever
needs your service in the future.

Strategy #2. Follow up after you have done business together. Email your customers and make sure
they were happy with the transaction.

Strategy #3. Get on social media. You should be blogging, vlogging, posting to social media and
hanging out where your clients are hanging out.

Strategy #4. Get local publicity. Send press releases to the media to get your name out there and
generate buzz about your business.

Strategy #5. Send newsletters with deals and coupons. Not only does this keep you in your
customer’s mind, it could lead them to a purchase they hadn’t intended because of the impulse to
cash in on a deal!

Strategy #6. Mail a card or send an ecard for their birthday or anniversary. Bonus points if you can
offer a freebie or special deal to help them celebrate their special day.

Strategy #7. Host a contest for past and present clients to win something.

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 Strategy #8. Check in with a quick hello via phone or email if it has been a while since you did
business together or since you met the person.

Think about it: What are your favorite ways to keep your business in the mind of your clients and
potential clients?

Can I Build a Business Without a Lot of Capital?

Absolutely! If you have a service to sell, you can start building today with nothing but word of mouth.
If you have a product to sell, it’s a little more difficult, but you can still build your business with little
capital. At the beginning of this book I told you the brief version of how I started Elite Travel but it’s
important to remember that when I started the business I was $180,000 in the red! If anyone knows
how to start and build a business without any capital, I think my history proves I do.

A few ideas to start service and product based businesses with little-to-no capital:
Service Based: 1. Tell everyone you know that you have this service. Email accounts are free and
many websites can be started for free. It may not begin as the most professional email address and
website, but there are no rules saying you can’t start earning income by tonight if you just start telling
people about your service. 2. Ask your contacts to tell their contacts about your service. Offer a
referral incentive and get things moving. 3. Two words- strategic partnerships! You have seen this
come up in many of my blog posts, articles, workshops, books and videos. I’m bringing it up again
because that is one of the best ways to start a business without a lot of capital. If you have something
you can give that costs you nothing, and the other party has something you need that doesn’t cost
them anything to give you either – doesn’t it make sense to barter what you have for what you need?
Product Based: Yes, you will need some products to sell, but who says you have to buy a bunch of
those products at once and have them in inventory? 1. Start with the prototype or just one product
and do a pre-product launch. Sell like crazy, then produce and ship. The kicker here is to make
sure you have a plan in place before you start taking orders for how you will produce and ship the
product. 2. Email, Facebook, and twitter that pre-product launch. Get the word out everywhere!
Maybe do a Youtube video explaining why people need this product. Can you sell it at a discount
since it’s prelaunch? Convince people they are getting a deal and that they have to act fast! 3. Again,
I’m going to bring it up- strategic partnerships! Is there a company you can team up that needs this
product for their clients? Reach out to them!

All of these ideas cost little or no money. Think outside the box, be creative and you will start earning
money in no time!

Putting an End to Procrastination

Picture this. You’re a sales person with a quota of 10 sales per month and you assume if you make
100 calls at least 10 of those people will buy. The first week of the month you slack off and figure you
will make up the time by making all the calls later. Then, in the second week of the month a major
project eats up your entire work week. You don’t stress because you figure you will just make 10 calls
per day for the next two weeks. No biggie! Week three comes and goes and you decide no problem!
You’ll just make 20 calls per day in the fourth week. Now week four is here and it’s crunch time. You
freak on every call and it is obvious in your tone with every caller you are desperate. Hang up after
hang up you fear Friday because you aren’t sure you will make this month’s quota. Sound familiar?
Procrastination is a nasty beast.

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Here’s How to Tame That Beast:

• Write it down! If you need to make 100 calls, write that down.

• Make it public. Tell someone your plan and how you intend to execute the plan.

• Start immediately! It’s the old adage of don’t put off ‘til tomorrow what you can today.

• Celebrate! For every five or 10 calls you make celebrate. Give yourself a few minutes to check in
on facebook, do a quick word search/Sudoku or even grab a snack. Don’t take too long celebrating
though because you have to get back to work!

• At the end of today’s work day create a to-do list for tomorrow and then do the items on that list as
soon as you get to work. Don’t wait! Just do it now.

Stopping procrastination is a learned habit. The more you get into the mindset of “Do it NOW!” the
easier it will come. The only way to stop procrastinating is to practice not procrastinating. So what
are you waiting for? Stop reading this and get back to work!

MAKE YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE! I make myself accountable everyday by making a list. I have
to do everything on that list every single day, so I always make myself accountable. The only person
who can make you accountable is you!

How Do I Get Press? Am I Even Newsworthy?

I send out 3 press releases every year. Here’s my 2018 press releases as examples.

Redefining What it Means to be a Travel Agent

Entrepreneur Promotes Travel Through Video Segments
Tammy Levent Announces Another Year of ItsMyBag.Cool

*I created the ItsMyBag website with one goal - to give

every kid and teen in foster care their own bag. When a
child is in foster care the heartbreaking reality is that their
belongings are usually held in garbage bags, which sends a
very damaging message to these kids and teens that they are
as disposable as their belongings.

How can you make yourself newsworthy?

• Team up with a celebrity or another industry expert to teach a class or seminar. I teamed up
with Kevin Harrington to host a two day intensive at Secrets Wild Orchid Resort in Jamaica on
what it takes to not just be a Travel Agent but to be a Travel Entrepreneur! When celebrities are
involved in an event or several industry experts gather together for one thing you are almost
guaranteed some news coverage!

• Host a Grand Opening Party. If your business is a brick and mortar one, use it to your advantage!
Host a grand opening party and invite EVERYONE! Been in business a while and need an excuse
to revive the company? Host a grand re-opening. Offer free drinks and food and then send a press
release to every local publication in your area with the announcement. If nothing else, this should get
your company mentioned in the local things to do section of the paper, online event calendars, etc...

15
 • Write a book! What are you an expert in?
Write about it. Not so good at writing? Hire a
ghostwriter and tell them exactly what you want
to say. Then, you could host a book launch online
and at your office or a local eatery. Once again,
send out a press release to the media announcing
your book and that you are available for
interviews on the subject. Mention your launch
party as well.

• Host an event for charity- In case the first two

newsworthy ideas didn’t get your attention, hosting an event is one of the fastest ways to get into
the local event calendars. Hosting an event for charity is even more likely to get you in the press
because everyone loves a feel good story about helping others.

• Start a controversy- The old joke about any news is good news applies here. If you really want
to get people talking, do something controversial. For example, a law firm in Tampa Bay made it
public that they want marijuana legalized in Florida. Within hours of this public announcement
it seemed as though every news station and even many radio stations in Tampa Bay were talking
about the lawyer and his company because it was controversial. I personally used medical
marijuana to beat cancer and have shared my story.

• Launch a ground breaking product- It’s obvious that if you find a cure for a major disease it
would be easy to get press, but what if you just have a product that solves some other problem? At
the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’m going to once again say that you need to write a press
release. Tell people why its groundbreaking and what problems it solves. Then, send that press
release to the local media and to national publications that cover similar products.

Once you send out your press release, follow up! Keep your name in the minds of the journalists you
are reaching out to. The ideas above are just a few ways to get press, but there are plenty more.

How Can I Get on Some Blogs?

Getting featured on a blog can help you boost your business in a few ways. It directs traffic back to
your website for free, boosts your credibility in your industry, increases your visibility, increases your
perceived worth and more. It’s easier than ever to add a royalty free picture, which can really make
your blog stand out from the rest. So how do you get featured? Enter the art of the pitch!

You need to send a pitch to both blogs and any social media outlets that connect to you so they know
who you are. They could eventually come across your website, but that could take forever. Therefore,
your best bet is to reach out to them first.

Follow these steps and you’ll be featured in no time:

1. Figure out which blogs you want to be featured on. Research the blogs you think will boost you
and your brand the best. If it’s a home décor site and you are trying to boost your travel business,
are you sure this is the best fit for being featured?

2. Decide what you have to offer that blog. Why should they care about you? For example, let’s say it’s
a small business blog with small business tips for entrepreneurs. Do you have a perspective to offer
that would help the readers of that blog?

3. Write your pitch. It should be short and to the point. Long emails are boring and could be deleted
before the reader gets past the first sentence. Just a quick blurb with exactly what you want to offer
the blog is all you really need.

16
4. Your subject line should be catchy and appealing. You’re most likely going to be sending your pitch
via email, so make sure you give them a reason to open it. “10 Reasons Your Business is Failing” is
more likely to get opened than “I Have A Blog Idea for You”.

5. You should have other material prepared in advance before sending your pitch. If they respond
quickly, you want to be able to follow up just as fast so they won’t forget about you.

Now all that’s left to do is send your pitch. You might not hear back right away. You might not hear
back at all. Don’t take that personally! Keep in mind, especially if it’s a popular blog, that the owner of
that blog is probably inundated with requests to be featured. Be patient and keep trying and someone
will respond! As you get featured on more blogs it will be easier to get featured on others.

Why Do I Need a Writer in My Business?

Whether you run a company with five employees or 5,000 employees- odds are you’re a very busy
person. You handle the scheduling of meetings, hiring new employees, training folks on new
programs, managing social media, bookkeeping, and on and on the list can go. You may outsource
some of these tasks to save yourself time. Another task you might not even realize you need but can
also outsource is writing.

Here’s how hiring a writer could help you in several aspects of your business:
You are passionate about your business and can most likely talk about it until you are blue in the face.
However, for some people putting words on a page about any subject, even one they are passionate
about makes them cringe. A writer can take the things you say and form them into complete,
understandable, sentences for you.

All the content on your website has to be written by someone. The same thing goes for in-house
newsletters, training manuals; emails that you send out to your list offering new products, the
possibilities are endless.

A writer can take care of your company’s blog too. Why have a blog? It builds your credibility in the
community, offers answers to your potential customers, explains your products, etc...Give the writer
a list of topics and they can research and write about them for you.

Imagine you need to get the attention of the media. Pitches and press releases to local newspapers,
TV stations, magazines and radio stations can be written on your behalf by your writer.

If you do promote your business on social media, your writer could prepare posts in advance for you
that you can post or schedule for when you’re ready for them to go live. Considering writing a how-
to guide for your business or maybe even your memoirs? Your writer could ghost-write those books
for you too.

You can hire a writer as a part-time employee, on a per-job basis or even full-time depending on the needs
of your business. Hiring a writer frees up your time for all the other activities you do on a daily basis.

Finding Sales Leads

If you have been in sales longer than a minute, then you know that finding leads is the only way to
eventually make a sale. Most of my leads come from my social media pages and from TV. Where do
these mystical creatures known as leads hang out?

17
 Here are five places you can look to find them:

1. Your current and past customers: Every single time you make a sale, you should always do at least
two things: Follow up to make sure you customers are happy with their purchase and ask them for
a referral. If it has been a while since the transaction, reach out and check in. Who knows? They
might need your product or service again! Checking in will also keep you in their minds in case
someone they know needs your product or service.

2. Be a vendor at a trade show/expo: Are you a wedding photographer? Why aren’t you at wedding
shows? Are you an interior decorator? They have home shows for that too! Are you a dentist? Get
out there for the back to school expos! Some trade shows and expos will give you the list of all the
attendees for participating as a vendor.

3. Give something away: Hosting a contest for anything on social media pages generally means you
will have a form that needs to be filled out to contact the winner. Giving something away gets your
name and your business name out there and all those entry forms are sales leads!

4. Get on social media and post things people will share: Posting funny pictures and interesting
stories will get people talking. Sometimes when they share it they will give you credit as the source
and that could lead to potential customers.

5. Write a blog: Sure, we keep our blogs up to date because we love sharing relevant information
with people but we also do it for the potential sales leads. Providing valuable content will generate
traffic and that traffic is full of possible customers.

Finding New Business in Unexpected Places

Almost everyone hates sales calls – right? I don’t. I used to make them myself. Yes, I used to be one of
those people selling timeshares to Granny over the phone, and I was so successful at it, the company
asked me to help write their sales scripts and train their call staff. That experience not only taught me
how to make a sale under the worst possible conditions, but also taught me this very important fact:
Telemarketers are people too. And I never throw a person away.

One week, a telemarketer from a paper shredding company called my offices at Elite Travel, and I
picked up the phone myself. I told the young man that we didn’t do very much shredding – maybe
four boxes a year – and, disappointed, he prepared to hang up the phone. “But wait,” I told him.
“I have an idea for you. I work in a building with a lot of medical reps who probably shred a lot
of paper, so why don’t you send someone out here?” The guy thanked me, and thanked me again
for being nice to him (hardly anyone ever is), and one of the sales reps from his office made an
appointment with me for the following week.

When the paper-shredding company sales rep walked into my office, I asked if I could get my paper
shredding done for free if I helped her land clients in the building. Done. Next, I suggested that since
she is in contact with corporations every day, we should become Strategic Partners – I’d give her a
referral bonus for any incentive travel business she pointed my way. Then we began chatting about
her personal plans for a girlfriend’s getaway to a resort – she named one I would never recommend –
and I suggested a few of my favorite properties as possible alternatives. She called her girlfriend, one
thing led to another, and the next day she booked a $10,000 trip with me.

Yes, I booked a $10,000 sale from answering a telemarketing call – because telemarketers are people
too, and you should never throw people away.

Is this the only takeaway??

18
Takeaways:

• You can find business everywhere if you’re open to it.

• Never throw people away, even if you’re sure they can do nothing for you.
• Strategic Partnerships are one of the most powerful tools you can use to expand your business –
that sales rep may be peddling paper-shredding, but she’s carrying my cards in her pocket.

I Need More Referrals

Looking for more referrals in your business? Make sure to compensate your referral business. I have
an ambassador travel program and it works perfectly for getting more referrals.

Here are some ideas on where you can get referrals for your business:

• Ask for them. The easiest way to get more referrals is simply to ask for them. Ask your friends,
past clients, family, people in your networking group, anyone you can think of. You never know
who can help you get to the next level in your business. Be confident, not shy and ask as many
people as you can.
• Trade for them. Make a deal with other businesses to give and get referrals. Let people know you
are out there recommending them to potential clients by introducing them via social media or
email. In exchange the next time they know of a potential client for your business, they will give
out your name.
• Do something charitable. Giving away something or sponsoring something will encourage
charities and groups you assist to refer folks to your business. For example, if you are a
photographer you could photograph an event for free for a local group and get that group to refer
others to you.
• Offer bonuses for referrals. You could offer something as little as a free dinner certificate or as big
as a cash bonus. Note- some associations and networking groups frown upon this. In fact, some
groups will actually kick you out if they learn you are offering cash and gift incentives for referrals.
If you are a member of one of these groups, go about getting your referrals another way.
• Give out your business card everywhere you go. I’ve given my card to my waitress during lunch,
to my vendors and to almost anyone I meet. If the person you give the card to doesn’t need your
services, they might know someone else who does.

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 4 Steps to Making the Sale & Keeping the Client
There’s no magic – just a little strategy, personal attention, and timing. When you meet someone,
get their contact information. And, ask if they would mind if you add their name to your database.
It doesn’t matter whether you meet someone on the street, at a trade show, or a meeting – have your
card ready and get theirs! Then, be sure to ask to add their name to your database (they’ll most likely
say yes), because there’s nothing worse than unsolicited email. It’s called SPAM and it gets blocked.
Yours won’t.

Here are 4 steps to follow:

1. Send them a quick personal note – just something simple to say it was nice to meet them at [Fill-
in-the-blank], and that you’re available any time if they want to get the insider news on upcoming
deals and hot new resorts. Also, if you have one, mention your referral bonus program (you should
have a referral bonus program!).

2. E-Blast away! A few weeks later, after you’ve added them into your mass-mail service, send them
an e-flyer with a video about what makes your travel agency unique. Don’t have a video yet? Invest!
From here on out, add them to your lists to receive your email blasts – both the ones for your
business, and travel deal blasts from your vendors. One of my favorite e-mails I send out compares
our travel services to what people can find online (and there are so many ways people can go
wrong with online booking!).

3. Call them. Yep, seriously. After about four months of e-blasts and deals, I’ll actually call a lead by
phone just to say “Hello,” and start building our personal relationship by being genuinely interested
and friendly.

4. Show your appreciation. Retaining your clients is as easy as appreciating them. That’s all you need
to do! At the beginning of every year, I send out a note thanking my clients for their business, and
each of my agents does the same with all of their clients. In the note, be sure to remind your clients
about your referral bonus program, because that shows appreciation too!

Easy Ways to Increase Your Sales

If you are a sales person then you know that the more sales you make is typically a direct correlation
to how much money you see on your paycheck.

If you want to see more green, here are some easy ways to increase your sales:

• Get involved in the lives of your customers. Care about them and let them know it. When you
are genuine people are more likely to care about you and what you are selling too.

• Hone in on your niche. Perhaps the reason you aren’t selling is because you are pitching your
product or service to the wrong people. Get clear on who your target market really is because let’s
face it a bald man never needs a haircut.

• Have a killer pitch! The best sales people make their product or service sound as awesome as it is.
If you don’t talk like it’s amazing, why would anyone buy it?

• Pitch less people. It might seem counterintuitive but if you focus on the irons you have in the fire
instead of throwing in more, you might actually accomplish something.

20
• Upsell. If you already have a customer on the hook, try selling them an additional item. When you
order popcorn at the movie theater you are usually asked if you want to purchase a soda with it.
Upselling is your way of getting more money without much more work.

• Be persuasive but not pushy. If you make it clear that you are just trying to get a sale out of
someone they are less likely to buy. Be personal and friendly reminding your customer you are a
human being and not a robot with a script.

• At some point you have to actually ask for the sale. You can tell someone as long as you want
how fabulous your product or service is, but if you never ask for the sale, you might not ever get it.

• Find more sales leads and then pitch them!

I Want to Move my Business – Will it Hurt Me?

Whether or not it will hurt you to move your business depends a little on what your business is. If
you sell a product/service online and have only dealt with your clients online, then no, moving your
business probably won’t hurt you. In fact, if you brand your business correctly from the beginning
moving shouldn’t hurt you at all.

However, if your business was built solely on the relationships with people in the area you are
currently living in then yes, moving your business could hurt you a little. How much it hurts you
depends on you!

For some people and some businesses moving a business will mean building it from the ground up all
over again. Luckily for you, if you are moving your business, I have a few ideas to help soften the blow:

• Get into networking pronto! When you arrive in your new place and get settled, get your new
business cards printed and hit the networking circuit immediately to let people know you are new
in town and opened for business.

• Send a press release to the local media. Any exposure to let people know who you are can help
you start generating credibility in your new spot and the free advertising doesn’t hurt!

• Send an email/notice to all of your current clients announcing the move. Perhaps your current
clients can still use you or if not can direct you to people that could use your goods or services in
your new location.

• Announce the move on social media and your website. You never know where your next referral
may come from.

• Consider hiring someone in your old location to take over for you in your absence. For
example, a photographer that was moving to Ohio hired a second shooter to finish her Florida
accounts so she continued making money while transitioning her business in her new location.

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 How You Can Start Living Your Dream
“We Have Infinite Power” to live the lives we want – that’s my personal motto. While it’s easy to say,
you need to believe that it applies to you. Before you can access your power to build your dream life,
there are three things you need to do first to lay the foundation.

Think about what you are passionate about and then do that! Don’t do anything hoping for money
and success. Do it because you sincerely give a damn about it. If you don’t start something out of
love you will fail. Period! You must be doing the thing you do because you love it and have a serious
passion about it.

Stop dwelling on the past. You can’t look back and run forward at the same time. Responsibilities
claim us, our own choices seem to limit us, personal tragedies can rip our lives apart - and suddenly,
we see more closed doors than open ones. But the open doors are there (and if they aren’t, you can
make them). Successful people don’t lead charmed lives in which nothing bad ever happens, but they
don’t dwell on their failures either. They move on from Plan A to Plan B – all the way down to Z –
when things don’t work out. It’s not about staying positive; it’s about having a learning curve.

Your best teachers are the people who have hurt you. Learn from them.

Sometimes it’s not an act of God that prevents us from living our dreams – people are just as capable
of knocking us down. Learn from those experiences so you can avoid them the next time you see
warning signs.

Surround yourself with people who are living their dreams. It’s like you tell your kids when they’re
growing up: you are who you’re with. If you surround yourself with people who are stuck in their
bad situations, it’s too easy to remain mired in your own limitations. Instead, surround yourself with
people who inspire you, and who you can learn from.

Think about it: What is your dream?

If You Take Nothing Else From This Book

If you take nothing else from this book, I want you to take this to heart. I’ve always run my businesses
with two main things in my mind: never throw people away and remember that the success of my
clients is my success.

Every person in your life was put there for a reason and no one should ever be treated as easily
discarded. You never know what the future may hold and whether or not you will need one another
at some point.

The success of my clients is my success too. I take great pleasure in boosting others up. Working
together rather than against each other will help us all in our businesses. The goal is to be stronger
and as cliché as this is going to come off it’s so true that United We Stand and Divided We Fall! Who
can you boost up today?

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 The Travel Agent’s Success Kit

Are you a successful agent?

The world is changing rapidly. If you aren’t keeping up it could be costing your company money!
Whether you’re an established travel agent, thinking about starting your own travel agency, or an
entrepreneur looking for innovative ideas for success, the Travel Agent Success Kit is for you!

TASK - Travel Agent Success Kit

TASK participants have the ability to leverage themselves in the industry! TASK was created in
2014 to help travel agents take their business to new levels. Whether you are a brand new agent just
starting out or are a seasoned veteran looking for growth or even somewhere in between TASK has
what you’re looking for to become the success story you’ve dreamed of.
TASK is accessible online and contains 22 hours of unique travel-related material. Topics include lead
generation, marketing, social media, branding, higher commissions, great vendor relations, strategic
partnerships, and more. This handbook simply redefines what it means to be a travel agent.
Expert advice from me and other experts are included, all with a goal of teaching you the business
strategies you need to get your business on the road to prosperity.

TASK LIVE 1 TASK LIVE 2

TASK Live Events

TASK Live events are in-depth intensive live trainings that walk agents through the TASK kit step-
by-step. These events are held at high end resorts around the world and upon completion of a TASK
Live training you will walk away with a firm grasp of everything you need to know to run your travel
agency. You learn the very tools and tricks Tammy Levent used to grow Elite Travel into an award
winning agency that has been around for twenty years and has done more than $120 million in
traveled business.

TASK Live Agents are prepared to generate leads immediately after they return from a TASK event.
When you join a TASK Live event you become part of an elite family of agents who always support
each other. TASK agents are introduced into a community of travel agents from all over the world.
Tammy Levent will open the door for many new opportunities by setting each TASK Agent up with
two operators and vendors that want to work with you! You will NOT find any training program
that will provide you with that. Each member will receive a TASK Certificate that can be proudly
displayed on their website. When you mention that you are a TASK member to certain operators you
will receive VIP service. The value of being a TASK Live Member is priceless!

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 TASK Consulting
You’ve purchased the TASK Kit and watched every video taking copious notes, perhaps you have
even attended a TASK Live event. Now it’s time to dive even deeper into your business! When
you sign on for one-on-one TASK Consulting you are getting exclusive access to my contacts
and strategic partners. I’ll help you create and cement vendor relationships, negotiate marketing
possibilities, advertise your business, and get access to leads as this is what’s needed to keep those
crucial travel dollars coming in.

Just a Few of the Many Testimonials We Receive!

“Within just 30 days of using Tammy Levent’s techniques, I just landed my largest commission yet, a
wedding to be held at Dreams Palm Beach in Punta Cana worth upwards of $180,000.00.”
- Haley Davis- Destination-HD Travel-Kansas City , Missouri

“Tammy Levent is an inspirational speaker who helps teach ways to think outside the box to succeed
in business, especially as she does in the travel industry. Tammy takes ownership and develops key
strategies to build relations while branding her expertise in travel. Networking along with her expertise
has proven success.” -GoGo Worldwide Vacations; June Young, Gogo Worldwide Vacations, Orlando Florida

“Your course is fantastic. You have put it together beautifully. Yes, you gave me what I needed quickly,
which was the leveraging part of the travel business. I have worked with most industries, however travel
was not one of them. So, I went in search of a forward thinker in this industry and found you! So thank
you!!” -Karissa Lewis, The Business Transformation Queen, Australia

“As a travel professional since 1985, I read your story thoroughly. You are a wonderful example of a
travel agent who sticks with the client until they are safely back at home. Under these circumstances
of the complimentary trip, you were between too many obstacles to do anything other than their
insurance. I pray he makes a full and speedy recovery and AZAMARA pays for their transportation
back home. -Mannette Raines, Travel With Mannette as part of Travel Alliance Network
The Travel Industry has always been an industry built on relationships. All of our successes are built
around it. Whether it’s the relationship a travel agent has with their preferred wholesaler, their client,
or the myriad of other relationships you build every day, it’s important we all build them and respect
them. At GoGo, our longstanding relationship with Travel Agents have helped us mutually prosper. We
respect that relationship and are continuously looking for new creative ways to grow them. The biggest
tool to have in business are your ears. While it sounds simple, the act of listening and understanding
will lead to some of the most profitable partnerships you could have.” - Jim, GoGo Worldwide Vacations

“I truly enjoyed the seminar this past Tuesday. I’ve been working for 3 months now as I just graduated
college. I always enjoy learning and was very inspired by your life story, your drive, and willingness to
help. I thought each speaker provided valuable information and tools. Hopefully you, myself, and Philip
can get together sometime soon to discuss future opportunities. Again, I really enjoyed the seminar and
look forward to seeing you again.” - Gabriel Carnrite, Sales & Marketing Consultant, Direct Mail Systems, Inc.

“What an awesome event. In the beginning I felt I may feel left out as I am from far away, but soon I
felt so much part of the group. You are such a master connector. So awesome!”
- Pritam Sinha, Organizer, San Fernando Valley Real Estate Club

“I really appreciate you taking the time to do these and helping our industry!! It’s greatly appreciated.
Tammy Levent is an inspirational speaker who helps teach ways to think outside the box to succeed
in business, especially as she does in the travel industry. Tammy takes ownership and develops key
strategies to build relations while branding her expertise in travel. Networking along with her expertise
has proven success. Excellent presentation. Your “fearless” approach to this topic was very refreshing.
Looking forward to seeing more presentations!”

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“Being a TASK agent has completely changed my business for the better. For the few months that I have
been with TASK I have remodeled my business plan and I am already seeing the benefits from it. I
was shocked when Tammy called me directly before I even signed up for TASK. She put me and my
business in check within minutes helped me see the bigger picture on how to be more successful with my
business. Watch the training videos until they make sense and implement them! Shut up, take notes
and listen to what she tells you! I really appreciate all that she has helped me with so far and the crazy
thing is I am only getting started!” - Alan Eskelsen/Travel Professional of Kalilei Vacations

“Tammy helps me to learn and her style of teaching is crack the whip type of personality, which I really
like. That type A that says very, very motivational, “You can do it. This is how you’re going to do it.
I’m going to give you the tools to do it and I’m going to teach you how to do it. And then I’m going to
make sure you do it.” So her style is very supportive, very loving, but very tough as well. And there’s no
excuses. There’s no excuses why you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing.”

“I can honestly say that Tammy has made a difference in how I run my business I found TASK to be an
intense couple of days but so worth it in the end, Its not easy let me warn you but if you do the work,
you will see the difference. How I leverage strategic partnerships and many more things that I do in my
business today are as a direct result of TASK. Best Wishes and I hope you take the plunge.”
- Suzette Finlayson of Island Expert Travel

“Thanks to Tammy, I not only was able to turn the wedding from hell to a one that I am profiting
nicely from (was even able to have 90% of the wedding book excursions and transfers which before
they declined), I was able to get free travel to attend the wedding (client really wants me there for some
reason), and got new clients (some of the wedding guests) who who want me to book outside trips
(some of which have already booked those trips with me). Other client trips have not been this stressful
but, Tammy knows how stressful this one was for me because I expressed it to her during T.A.S.K. As
the wedding approaches in less than two weeks, it has gotten easier and easier because of Tammy’s
advice. I don’t know why I waited 2 years to go to T.A.S.K. but thank God I went! I am a firm believer
in give props and thanks when due. Thanks so much Tammy!!!” - CKs Travel

It’s a great day to start your path to great success!

I’m always accessible, so please don’t hesitate to contact me -
Tammy@tammylevent.com or (866) 726-9090. I’m here for you!

Request more info about:

TASK Kit - Learn the secrets to becoming not
just a travel agent, but a successful entrepreneur!
ENROLL NOW to win against online booking
engines, gain your clients’ trust, and redefine
what it means to be a travel agent.
Sink or Swim - The life story of Tammy Levent
shows that only through extreme pressures and
stresses can you truly turn a life into a diamond.
Her inspiring story will help anyone to build
on their setbacks and create a life that truly is a
diamond to behold.

TASK Live 1 - Once you go through your TASK
Kit so you can get your travel business on the
right track, you’re ready for the next step. We have
the perfect opportunity for you! Come join us
for the next T.A.S.K. Live event! Take advantage
of this awesome opportunity to learn even more
about how to build your travel business!
TASK Live 2 - You have gone through TASK Live,
survived and hopefully thrived. Now we are doing
a special event for you to celebrate your success!
Connect with me on Social Media
TASK FAMS
Consulting Services - Do you want to EXPAND
your business? Is your goal to LEAD your
industry by setting trends and defining your
niche? Are you ready for the ride of your LIFE?
Then let CEO and entrepreneur extraordinaire
Tammy Levent show you the way. Get ready to
get wild – wildly successful, that is!

Here’s to your success!

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