Zero to Booked: How We Built a Travel Advisor's Complete Business System in Just 5 Days
When Alexis of Wanderlust Coordinator came to me, she had exactly one thing going for her: passion for travel.
No branding. No website. No systems. Nada.
Just a vision of helping people plan dream-worthy trips and the desire to turn her side-hustle into a legit business that actually, you know, made money. (Relatable, right?)
Five days later? She had a complete digital ecosystem with automated lead generation that had her saying—and I quote:
"It's the BESSSTT! I'm so excited to blast this everywhere."
Even better? She requested exactly ZERO revisions. That's the dream scenario, folks.
Here's how we transformed "just an idea" into a fully operational business machine in less time than it takes most people to decide what to name their business. Let's dive in.
The Challenge: Starting from Zero (Like, Literally Zero)
Alexis had been planning trips for friends and family as a side project for years. But turning that into a real business? That's where things got sticky.
Her starting point looked something like this:
No Branding: Unless "I like travel" counts as a brand identity (spoiler: it doesn't)
No Website: AKA no way for potential clients to find her or book her services
No Systems: Everything was manual, which meant scaling up would be a nightmare
No Lead Generation: Relying solely on word-of-mouth referrals (which are powerful, but she was missing out on all those potential clients already searching for travel help online)
What she did have was clear business goals:
Generate consistent leads that turn into bookings
Look legitimate and trustworthy (crucial in the travel industry)
Streamline her processes so she could focus on planning amazing trips, not managing inbox chaos
This wasn't just about slapping together a pretty website. Alexis needed an interconnected system that would work as hard as she does.
The 5-Day Transformation Process
Let me walk you through exactly how we went from zero to "holy crap, I have a real business" in five days flat.
Day 1-2: Building a Brand That Sells the Dream (Not Just the Destination)
First things first: a travel brand needs to make people DROOL. Period.
We developed a full branding suite with serious wanderlust vibes:
Color Palette: Terracottas and sunset oranges mixed with oceanic blues and aqua greens—colors that literally make you want to hop on a plane immediately
Logo Design: A paper airplane with a wispy trail that says "we make your travel planning effortless" without saying a word
Typography: Paired personality-filled Bugaki (for headlines) with structured Klein (for body text)—because travel should be fun, but your itinerary better be organized
The key strategy? Creating a brand that balances "I'm totally fun and get your travel dreams" with "I'm professional enough to trust with your $10K vacation." That's a delicate dance, people.
Day 3-4: Crafting a One-Page Website That Converts Like Crazy
When most people hear "one-page website," they immediately think "temporary" or "just a landing page." But let me tell you about the strategic powerhouse a well-designed one-page Squarespace site can be. For Alexis, we built a site that did heavy lifting in minimal space:
Killer Hero Section: Immediately communicating who she helps and why people should care
Trust-Building Elements: Highlighting her expertise and approach
Objection Crushers: Addressing the "why use a travel advisor?" question before it even forms in visitors' minds
Strategic CTAs: Making it crystal clear how to take the next step
But here's where it gets really good...
Day 5: Implementing a Lead Generation System That Works While She Sleeps
This is the part most new businesses miss entirely. Having a pretty website is useless if it doesn't actively build your business while you're off doing literally anything else.
We created two strategic lead magnets:
6-Day Itinerary: Tour de Paris (for the city-lovers)
12-Day Itinerary: Discover Thailand (for the beach enthusiasts)
Why these specific destinations? I asked Alexis to pick one city destination and one beach destination that were either trending with her target audience or up-and-coming hotspots. This gives her immediate insight into what kind of travel her leads are interested in based on which guide they download.
Then came the fun systems part that makes my nerdy heart happy:
Created drool-worthy, branded PDF guides in Canva (visuals that make you want to book a flight YESTERDAY)
Built a seamless lead capture system that maintained our exact design requirements:
Created simple name+email Squarespace native forms that fit perfectly with our design aesthetic
Used Zapier as the behind-the-scenes connector between Squarespace and Flodesk
Set up Zapier to not just transfer contact info but also automatically segment leads in Flodesk based on which guide they downloaded
Created automated email sequences in Flodesk that instantly deliver the right guide to the right person
Added nurturing email sequences in Flodesk that turn those cold leads into warm prospects over time
Quick transparency note: I'm a Flodesk partner because I genuinely use and recommend their platform. If you purchase through my partner link, you'll get 50% off your first year, and I'll earn a commission. This girl doesn't recommend anything she doesn't believe in.
The result? While Alexis is out living her best life or planning amazing trips for clients, her website is:
Collecting leads 24/7
Automatically delivering the right travel guide
Segmenting subscribers (beach lovers vs. city explorers)
Nurturing them with relevant follow-up content
Providing Alexis with insights on what destinations to focus on
All without her lifting a finger. THAT'S what I call a business system.
The Results: A Complete Business Transformation
In just five days, Wanderlust Coordinator went from "just an idea" to a fully operational business machine.
Most importantly, Alexis immediately started generating leads from people who weren't quite ready to book but wanted travel inspiration—people she would have missed completely before.
These "cold" leads now had a low-pressure way to experience her expertise through the travel guides, creating a pipeline of potential clients warming up in her system instead of bouncing away forever.
Steal These Strategies for Your Own Business
Whether you're in travel or any other service industry, here are the key takeaways you can implement:
1. Create Lead Magnets That Segment Your Audience
The brilliance of having two different lead magnets (Paris vs. Thailand) isn't just that they're valuable—it's that they instantly tell Alexis what kind of travel each lead is interested in.
What You Can Do: Create 2-3 lead magnets that appeal to different segments of your audience. Pay attention to which one gets downloaded more—that's market research happening automatically!
2. Visuals Matter More Than You Think
For Alexis's business, I emphasized creating absolutely stunning visuals. Why? Because in travel (and many other industries), people need to envision themselves experiencing what you're offering.
What You Can Do: Invest in high-quality visuals that don't just show your service—they help potential clients imagine the EXPERIENCE they'll have working with you.
3. Address Objections Before They Form
One major section of Alexis's site tackles the "Why work with a travel advisor?" question head-on, explaining the benefits and addressing cost concerns before visitors even have to ask.
What You Can Do: List out every objection someone might have about working with you, then address them directly on your website. Don't wait for them to email you with doubts—crush those objections proactively.
4. Automation Doesn't Have to Be Complicated
We hit a technical snag with form formatting, but instead of compromising the design, we found a workaround using Zapier to connect Squarespace forms to Flodesk.
What You Can Do: Don't let technical limitations stop you. There's almost always a workaround that lets you maintain your design standards while still creating automated systems.
5. Launch Fast, Iterate Later
We got Alexis up and running with a complete one-page Squarespace website in 5 days. This isn't a temporary solution or a "we'll add more later" compromise—it's a fully-functional business machine with everything she needs right now to generate leads and grow her business.
Could she expand in the future if she wants to? Sure. But there's a massive difference between "starting simple with everything you need" and "not starting at all because you're trying to build the perfect 10-page site."
What You Can Do: Identify the absolute minimum you need to start generating leads and focus there first. You can always expand later.
For Travel Advisors Specifically: My Best Advice
If you're a travel advisor looking to level up your online presence, here are my industry-specific tips:
Focus on experiences, not just destinations: Your copy and visuals should transport potential clients to the feelings they'll have during travel, not just show pretty pictures of places.
Address the awkward money question: Many people don't understand how travel advisors make money or if it costs more to use one. Be transparent about your business model to build trust.
Show your expertise through content: Whether it's itineraries, guides, or blog posts, demonstrate that you know your stuff beyond what they could Google themselves.
Use high-quality, immersive visuals: This is non-negotiable. Poor quality images signal poor quality experiences to potential clients.
Create a system for staying in touch: Travel isn't an impulse purchase. Most people plan months ahead, so having an email nurture sequence keeps you top-of-mind until they're ready to book.
Want a Business That Actually Works While You Sleep?
Whether you're starting from scratch like Alexis or you have an existing business that's not generating enough leads, the principles are the same:
Create a brand that resonates with your ideal clients
Build a strategic website designed for conversions
Implement systems that keep working when you're not
If you're ready to transform your business from "just an idea" to a lead-generating machine, let's talk about how my 5-day 1-Page Website package could be the perfect launchpad for your business.
Want to See More of This Project?
Obsessed with how this travel business transformation turned out? (Same, not gonna lie.) Check out the full visual feast in the Portfolio here: Wanderlust Coordinator: Squarespace Website for Travel Advisor
And yes, the visuals are so gorgeous you'll probably need to book a vacation immediately after viewing. Consider yourself warned!
