How to Get Paid To Travel
with Chris Hau
Learn Chris Hau’s “secret sauce” to professional traveling.
About This Course
Ah, getting paid to travel...what many would describe as a dream job may actually be more realistic than you’d initially think. In this course, professional traveler Chris Hau will break down the barriers to enter this field using his years of experience and expertise in the industry. Lessons include pitching, setting up contracts, media kits, marketing, connecting with tourism boards, insider stories from multiple industry professionals, and pro tips for key things to avoid. Plus, instructor Chris prepares a list of important documents to help you get started, all included with access to this course. And the best part: you don’t need to have ANY followers to get started. From “free” experiences to pricing strategies, uncover the “secret sauce” to travelling professionally, and finally commit to turning your passion into your career.
What You'll Learn
What it means to get paid to travel
How to break in to the industry
How to leverage your skills without any followers
How to strategize, pitch, and market your ideas to attract customers
The “secret sauce” to professional traveling
How to land free experiences
How not to land free experiences
How to develop contracts and budget your travels
The importance of contingency planning
How to build your confidence as a content creator
Watch Some Samples
We've pulled out a few clips to give you a better idea of what to expect in the course
Course Breakdown
Introduction
Welcome
Welcome to How to Get Paid to Travel with Chris Hau. In this lesson, Chris introduces himself and the course and sets expectations.
My Philosophy: Nothing is Free
Chris Hau explains why it’s essential for you to think in terms of economic value. You will likely need to invest in yourself and establish your value before getting others to pay you.
How a Free Beer Changed My Life
Chris Hau shares how he got his start in the travel industry. From his very first contact with a tourism board to how he established himself as a content creator and how he was able to build value in his content.
How Do You Actually Get Paid to Travel
Approach #1: The Publication Approach
In this lesson, Chris Hau shares one of the ways to break into the travel content industry through established publications. Chris explains how to find, reach out, and offer value to publications to benefit them.
Approach #2: The Portfolio Approach
Chris shares an alternative approach to break into the travel content industry: you could build a strong portfolio, which will allow you to impress potential future clients and establish your value within the industry.
Johnny: 'How I Got Started'
Johnny walks through the lessons he learned on his journey to becoming a full-time content creator and his struggles to get to where he is today.
Nathaniel Drew: 'How I Got Started'
Nathaniel Drew shares his story of becoming a content creator as a full-time job and using that to travel. He offers a reminder that it’s not too late for you to jump into the industry, too!
Iz Harris: 'How I Got Started'
Iz Harris shares her story of landing a job where she gets paid to travel, emphasizing the hours and hours she put into learning new skills and investing in herself to make that happen.
How Do You Actually Make Money Traveling? A Breakdown
Course Instructor Chris Hau explains how any skill can be marketable if you know how to market it. Chris lists the various ways to make money while traveling and shares ways to market yourself.
Do I Actually Need a Following?
The content you produce is more important than the number of followers you have. Chris Hau explains the value of audience engagement and shares how you can build your brand without followers.
Gear? My Starting Kit
Chris Hau shares his recommendations for a gear starting kit, including a mirrorless camera, lens, tripod, microphone, drone, and more!
Brief Overview of Camera Settings
Chris Hau shares some quick tips on how to prep your camera for a shoot, which includes researching the best practices for framing, white balance, frame rate, and more!
Homework
Course Instructor Chris Hau assigns you your first piece of homework. Find a place to jot down your answers in the course guide PDF.
Pitching
Finding the Right Contacts
You won’t get anything unless you ask for it. More specifically, unless you ask the right person for it. In this lesson, Chris Hau explains how to find and pitch contacts in your industry.
How to Write a Successful Pitch
Chris Hau outlines how to write a successful pitch. Chris discusses his best tips and tricks and offers you step-by-step pitch templates. Find these in the course guide PDF.
Media Kits
Chris Hau explains why you should have a media kit and he walks through each section of his own media kit to give you a thorough overview of this tool.
How to Market Your Videos So They Get Seen
In this lesson, Chris Hau goes over marketing best practices to help you make sure your work gets seen.
Tourism Boards
Chris Hau shares his experiences working with tourism boards and explains how you can work with them.
How to Get Invited Back
In this lesson, Chris Hau explains how building (and keeping) good relationships with the contacts and companies you work with can result in future opportunities for collaboration.
Pitching As an Individual vs. As a Company
Chris Hau compares the benefits of working with tourism boards as an individual and then as a company and encourages you to think about the distinction between the two as you build your brand.
Homework
Course Instructor Chris Hau assigns you your second piece of homework. Find a place to jot down your answers in the course guide PDF.
Next Steps
Landing Your First 'Free' Experience
What happens when your pitch is successful, and a client is interested in working with you? In this lesson, Chris Hau explains what to do after the pitch.
So What DO You Normally Charge For An Experience?
Chris Hau offers his best tips and tricks to help you figure out the monetary value of your services and what you should be charging clients.
Strategies for Landing Free Accommodation
Chris Hau reviews his best strategies for value exchanges that can be turned into ‘free’ stay at hotels and other accommodations.
Budgeting and Travel Estimates
Budgeting is an important part of any travel experience, and Chris Hau explains why you will need to use a budget if you plan to get paid to travel. Chris includes a budget template in the course resources.
Homework
Course Instructor Chris Hau assigns you your third piece of homework. Find a place to jot down your answers in the course guide PDF.
What to Avoid
Navigating Contracts
Contracts are a way to hold everyone accountable for what they say they will do. Chris Hau shares the best way to understand contracts by walking through an example contract, line by line.
How to Protect Yourself
Chris Hau discusses how you can protect yourself as you grow your brand, from contract issues to equipment issues. Additionally, Chris explains why you should consider incorporating your brand.
Contingency Plans for Weather
In this lesson, Chris offers his advice on incorporating weather contingency plans into your contracts.
Lessons I've Learned
Chris Hau shares personal experiences and lessons he’s learned throughout his career and turns these into suggestions (or warnings) for you to consider.
My Current Strategies
Chris Hau offers insight into his current business strategies, including what he does to attract new clients, stay persistent, and why he decided to expand his company and build out a team.
Where to Go From Here
How Travel is Changing
The travel industry is changing, but Chris has confidence that it’s growing with opportunities and suggests how you can take advantage.
Final Takeaways
Course Instructor Chris Hau wraps up the course with key takeaways and final thoughts. As long as you have something to say and a story to tell, you have what it takes to get paid to travel.
Meet Your Instructor
Chris Hau is a YouTuber, Instagram influencer, and Creative Director from Toronto, Canada. A creative storyteller at heart, he's an expert at crafting innovative and engaging content. His powerful imagery, relentless dedication, and passion to create have built a loyal following of filmmakers, photographers, and travel enthusiasts around the world.
How to Get Paid To Travel
with Chris Hau