5 Tips For Planning a Successful Business Trip
Business travel can often be a stressful experience due to concerns about travel safety and other logistics along with making a good business impression. Regardless if it is for personal or professional reason, travel takes much preparation. The goal of your trip is to handle business and if you are worried and stressed out, you won’t be able to present yourself to the best of your ability. Preparation not only makes you more relaxed but it helps your mind focus granting you more capacity to stay on point during your meeting.
When you plan your trip correctly you can have peace of mind before you set out to minimize stress and be ready for the business part. Corporate travel is quite popular and you want to know and understand how to plan a business trip successfully. Here are some tips on how to do so.
- Research your destination.
Make sure you know a little bit about your destination beforehand so you not only know what type of place you’re going but to get an idea of the culture and extra activities you may want to do.
Research your appointed destination to get familiar with how the city works regarding transportation, people, and businesses. This will also help you get to know your clients if you are meeting new ones but also prepare you for what your current clients may be like at home.
One extra thing you might want to do is to research restaurants in the area. For example, if you’re traveling to Baltimore on a business trip, it wouldn’t hurt to know where you can get the best brunch in Baltimore. Brunch meetings are great because of the relaxed environment, and are actually preferred by many due to their unique but casual nature.
You will be going somewhere unknown and want to make sure you are knowledgable on the proper etiquette so you don’t look foolish or offend anyone. There will be differences in behavior so read up on your destination’s culture.
- Make travel arrangements early.
Once you have learned of the business trip, you must begin planning your business trip as soon as you can. Whether you are intending to go alone or travel as a group, you want to set up proper transportation and accommodations. You want to book the appropriate hotels or resorts. Make sure you understand what kind of transportation you will be using as well. Determine the distance to know whether you should drive or book a flight. If you must book a flight, it is ideal that you prepare yourself for the time you will need and what luggage you should pack.
Think about the small stuff when it comes to accommodations on a business trip, like if the plane and hotel will have WiFi, how long it will take to fill out any necessary paperwork, and more. Business travel is all about planning and thinking ahead so your trip goes smoothly. Figure how you will be getting around. Most cities in the US have ridesharing apps and the option for rental cars. You can even find deals on these things if you look in the right places online.
Popular ways to get around in almost every city:
- City Transit
- Lyft
- Uber
- Taxis
- Rental car
- Trains
- Subway
- Create an itinerary.
Build your itinerary ahead of time so you know exactly what you are supposed to do and when. Use your itinerary to help you stay on schedule, too, as your time may be hectic when you are traveling for business purposes. If you make your itinerary detailed enough you will have something to refer back to throughout your trip.
- Remember your needed documents
Make sure to remember the required documents for your trip. You don’t want to get all the way to the airport and realize you left your passport or identification at home. That will not look good to your employers or to your clients if you are late. If you need a visa, make sure you have that as well. You also want to remember any documents or files that you must bring for business purposes. It can be easy to focus on travel logistics and forget about the small necessities.
- Pack the essentials only.
Try to avoid overpacking and remember that you will only need the essentials. Don’t consider your business trip vacation and pack extra things, you want to keep your luggage lightweight, especially if your trip isn’t too long. Make sure you have the electronics needed whether it is your laptop, cell phone, or tablet. Don’t forget the chargers and other electronic accessories you will need.
You want to bring only the things you need, like your business clothes, shoes, and sleepwear along with toiletries and your cosmetic bag. Remember any medication that you may need and if you wear glasses, you should bring your contacts, as well. Be prepared by packing extra cash or a backup a credit card for emergencies or spontaneous situations. Overall you want to make sure you are prepared for your business trip ahead of time.
