The first business trip can be a huge stepping stone in your career. It can be an opportunity to demonstrate your worth to the business and strengthen your position in the industry.
Here are a few tips to take the stress out of the trip, so you can concentrate solely on business.
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Research Your Contemporaries
If you are meeting with partners, distant colleagues, potential clients or customers – it is always worth doing your research beforehand. Seek them out on LinkedIn and view their professional profile to get a better understanding of their professional history, connections and abilities. The personal interests and associations sections can also give you a greater insight into their personality.
LinkedIn also gives you the opportunity to seek out other like-minded professionals from your industry in case you wish to reach out to them and arrange additional meetings whilst in the local area.
Increase Value for your Boss
Loyalty and incentive schemes can help increase the value of your business trip for both yourself and your management. Loyalty schemes in industries necessary to travel lead to future benefits for the business, yourself and the management.
The Hilton Hhonors scheme can help business trippers earn points against their stays in Hilton hotels around the world which can be redeemed for future stays. This will make it more valuable for your management to put you up in Hilton hotels rather than cheap, unfancied motels – making your stay more comfortable and restful.
Similarly, the PartnerPlusBenefit scheme from Lufthansa can be used to make flying with Lufthansa and nine partner airlines more valuable than budget airlines. Again, this can improve your comfort and professional efficacy.
Research the Local Area
A little bit of research into the area you are visiting can vastly improve your experience whilst on your business travels, and could even improve relations with any business people you are meeting. Use TripAdvisor to find highly regarded cafes and restaurants in the area to impress colleagues or simply to enjoy a nice meal or drink by yourself.
The site can also be used to discover local sights and attractions to fill any free time you may have during your travels.
Be Free to Roam
If your business travels take you overseas, you may be subjected to high data roaming charges should you wish to contact loved ones back home or keep in touch with the office. Upgrade your mobile phone tariff to help reduce unnecessary costs and charges for making overseas calls. EE offers a selection of plans making it more affordable to call home from your business trip.
Fight Jetlag
Travelling through time zones can be incredibly difficult for first-time business trippers. The onset of jet lag and tiredness could see you lose concentration in meetings or presentations or even display an aura of lethargy. Here are a few tips for avoiding jetlag and staying awake and alert throughout your trip.
- Adjust your body clock before travelling. Increasingly alter your sleeping and eating patterns slightly for four days before the trip.
- Drink at least 8 ounces of water for every hour you are in the air.
- Don’t drink alcohol on the day of the flight or the day before.
- Fly overnight and try to catch your usual allocation of sleep.
- Take in the sun. When you reach your destination try and spend some time in the sun to encourage your body clock to adapt.
About Carson Derrow
