Every Memorial Day, the residents of Elm Grove, Wisconsin, dress up in their red-white-and-blue apparel to attend the village’s annual parade. It’s a classic Americana moment with marching bands playing patriotic tunes, fire trucks blaring their sirens, stilt-walkers teetering around, classic cars puttering along the route and, of course, tributes to fallen soldiers.
Another fixture of the parade: the popcorn, popped by Elm Grove Travel. For three decades, the team at the travel agency has hosted a popular stand along the parade route, helping the business become more visible in its local community. Year after year, parade spectators look for Elm Grove Travel’s booth — and when they want to plan a trip, they look for Elm Grove Travel then, too.
Setting up a booth at a beloved local event is just one way for travel advisors to become more visible in their communities to drive sales. Even if you don’t have a big budget, there are proven tactics to boost visibility and generate revenue through local partnerships and marketing, as many advisors have learned firsthand. With a little creativity and confidence, these partnership pros promise you’ll be able to source new business leads from your neighbors — and feel good about giving back to your hometown along the way.
You Have To Show Up
Start by thinking about your specific community. Ask yourself: What events are popular in town? Is it possible to be there in person?
The parade popcorn stand is one way to chat with parents while kids enjoy a free salty snack, said Jenny Cagle, owner of Elm Grove Travel. Her team gets time to ask about the family’s travel desires and answer questions about the destinations her agency serves — all while the kids are entertained. As the family walks away, they’re carrying a branded popcorn bag with the agency’s logo, serving as a reminder of the conversation.
While a parade is a big draw in town, don’t miss out on smaller events, too, like car shows, holiday open houses, trick-or-treat nights and events at local schools, Cagle said. Each time Elm Grove Travel attends an event, the agency hands out a magnet, postcard or tote bag that potential clients might hold onto. Cagle suggests drilling down as locally as possible — ask your team members if there are events in their specific neighborhoods that might be a good fit.
We really just try to be where the people are,” she said. “We want to get in front of the markets, but also just support all these little community events. Part of it is self-serving, but a big part of it is also for the give back to the communities.”
Shayla Northcutt, owner of Northcutt Travel Agency and self-described “travel queen,” said it’s important to think strategically when you decide to spend your time at an event. Northcutt is based
in Houston, Texas, which often hosts massive bridal shows. In the past, she’s invested between $5,000 and $10,000 for a booth there, only to secure two honeymoon clients. But for $100 at a smaller community show, she’ll often walk away with three or four new clients. Though something like a school fair may seem inconsequential compared to a larger event like a bridal show, she thinks you’re likely to get a better return on investment at the more personal, community-minded events.
“Doing those smaller shows, you feel less intimidated, especially for newer agents,” Northcutt said.
Showing up for in-person events gives advisors a chance to speak one on one about the places they’re passionate about. Northcutt recommended coming prepared with business cards and flyers, which you can create with the help of Canva and VistaPrint. Ideally, bring something to engage people, she suggested, like a business card with a scratch-off sticker offering prizes, such as a free pen or a vacation discount.
“It’s something fun and interactive to make people want to come over to actually see and visit with you,” she said. “You have to have something inviting in order for them to come talk to you.”
People in your community want to know you and see you, Northcutt said. Even if you’re active on social media, “people want to see that face-to-face” interaction, she added.
Think Like a Local
When it comes to sponsorships, dig into community pride. What do people love where you live? In Minnesota, it might be ice hockey. In Indiana, basketball fever may have swept your town. In Texas, it’s the rodeo, as Northcutt can attest.
As she put it: “Take it back to your roots.”
As a Texan, Northcutt knows how big of a deal the rodeo is in Houston. The agency sponsors her hometown’s Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, where cowboys and cowgirls proudly wear a Northcutt patch. That sponsorship isn’t just visible to fans in the arena; it’s also on view when the athletes tag the agency on social media and when the competitors appear on TV commercials. As Northcutt made friends with rodeo supporters, she even organized a trip for about 40 people to attend the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
If you have kids, Northcutt recommends sponsoring their sports teams. For Elm Grove Travel, the agency has backed everything from an adult baseball team to sponsoring a hole at local golf tournaments.
Be Patient With Results
Though it’s difficult to track exactly how much return on investment you’ll get from an event or sponsorship, both Cagle and Northcutt recommend this strategy as a complement to other digital marketing techniques. While a Facebook ad or Instagram Reel provides automatic data on clicks and views, the in-person route is more of a slow burn.
“We have to be patient because it’s not like we get a flood of new business the week after the event,” Cagle said. “If someone expects instant results, they’re going to think that the campaign didn't work. But then six months or a year down the road, or after they've done a couple of events, that momentum starts to build.”
On client intake forms, be sure to ask, “How did you hear about us?” and make that question mandatory. Northcutt suggested using a dropdown-style question where you can include such options as at a local event, in a Facebook community group, from a friend, etc.
“Then you can really, really track your pipeline and know where these people came from,” she said.
Ultimately, Lead With Your Heart
Both Northcutt and Cagle cited charity organizations and volunteer opportunities as drivers of their business, though that’s not why either one got involved with these groups.
Cagle serves on the board of the directors of the Elm Grove Business Association and Bobbie Nick Voss Charitable Funds, in addition to being a member of the local rotary club. Northcutt works with charities, such as livestock shows, and maintains a scholarship at Texas A&M University.
“Lead with your heart first and then you’ll reap the rewards of what’s to follow,” Northcutt said. “Don’t do things with the wrong intentions. I never started off volunteering to promote my agency. Lead with heart and that will find you more business than just going in with a business mindset.”
When you work with a charity, she said, you’ll find like-minded people who you want to be around, and they might just be willing to share your work through word of mouth.
“It’s in our hearts to give back, but it also gets our name out there,” Northcutt said. “It not only makes you feel amazing about doing volunteer work and charity giving, it also does put you out there as a presence in the community.”
Originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of The Compass magazine
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