MRS. FIELDS’ RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: MIX PERSONALIZED SERVICE WITH SAVORY EXPERIENCES TO MAKE LIFE FUN AND PROFITABLE

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Whether you bake cookies for international distribution or book travel for families of four, the road to success lies in the experiences you create for your customers, according to Debbi Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields®, motivational speaker and author of books that include Mrs. Fields® Cookie Book: 100 recipes from the kitchen of Mrs. Fields and Debbi Fields’ Great American Desserts.

Fields, who created an insatiable recipe for worldwide distribution of cookies and baked goods after taking a leap of faith on one store in Palo Alto, Calif., in 1977, will be the keynote speaker at Travelpalooza, a program for independent and home-based travel agents sponsored by Global Travel International (GTI). Fields is scheduled to share her entrepreneurial vision and experiences with more than 400 GTI agents and leading travel industry executives on Monday, December 4, 2006 from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m., PST at the Venetian® Resort Hotel and Casino, site for the three-day marketing-education-networking event (December 3 - December 5).

“I think the best way to sell anything, is to demonstrate your personal love for whatever your product and celebrate what makes you special,” said Fields, who sold her Mrs. Fields® company in 2000 and now spends much of her time on the speaking circuit. “Cookies and travel can seem like commodity-based businesses but what truly sets them apart are quality and service. I think travel agents should see themselves as ‘concierges.’ They are in the business to create experiences and need to get to know their customers intimately so that can meet their needs.

“Personalized service creates relationships that can last a lifetime. If I were in the travel industry I would most likely put itineraries together that were fun and unique and gather friends and family to participate in order to get started.”
That’s exactly what the “retired” Fields did last year when she gathered her family together to get healthy for the holidays.
“We went off to a boot camp and had the time of our lives,” said Fields, mother of five and stepmother of five. “All one needs to do is think about all the fun things to do and the endless places to go!”

Fields’ modest beginnings and entrepreneurial success has been well documented in the business pages, but she said she found her greatest wealth in family and friends.

“I love being a mom and the chief cookie lover but it is a challenge, one that I am learning how to juggle on a daily basis,” Fields said. “Technology has played a key role in allowing more family time and flexibility.”

Fields favorite cookie?
“Right this very minute…I could do a White Chunk with Macadamia Nut…but that could change!” she said.

Travelpalooza will take agents through themed experiences that allow them to “travel the warm blue waters of the Caribbean, taste the exotic flavors of the Mediterranean and experience the extravagance of Europe.”

About Global Travel International——
Global Travel International (GTI), and www.globaltravel.com pioneered the home-based Independent Travel Agent model in the U.S. and currently has more than 35,000 Agents. Specializing in cruises, vacation packages and group travel, GTI is a privately-owned company that invests primarily in training, technology and marketing to equip its agents with the competitive resources necessary to successfully operate their own home-based travel businesses. By joining GTI, experienced travel agents can focus on selling travel and building their businesses without the burden or cost of a traditional storefront agency. Whether full- or part-time, experienced or beginner, GTI supports its agents with a team of more than 100 professional support personnel located at GTI’s headquarters in Maitland, Florida. Now in its 12th year, GTI is the world’s largest Independent Travel Agent network, generating over $125 million in annual revenue. GTI is a member of and/or accredited with the following organizations: ARTA, CLIA, ARC and IATAN. For more information on GTI, visit www.globaltravel.com.

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