Tips for Work Travel

Plan enough time to get to the airport. There is really nothing worse than having to run through an airport. Sitting in the airport for a little while longer is sometimes painful but worth making your flight on time.

Spring for Admirals Club if you are going to be in an airport for more than 4 hours. It can be a bit pricey to enter without a membership, but it is worth every penny. Free Wi-Fi and wine -- what more do you need on your layover? Plus, you can catch a little shut eye without everyone walking by your snooze spot.

Pack a snack or grab a piece of fruit from the hotel. Don’t let “hanger” get the best of you. You never know what situation you might get into later. If you don’t follow my first tip and find yourself running to your next flight, your stomach is going to be thrilled with your decision to pack a snack.

Try the local cuisine. In addition to that, also try new foods. This might be the only time in your life you visit this place. How cool is it for you to have a job that requires you to travel? A lot of people are not fortunate enough to get such a treat, and it pains to me think that you are wasting your meals on fast food when you could be eating beignets in New Orleans or lobster in Maine. Don't make a rookie mistake.

Drive or walk around the area. Similar to my previous point, this might be your only opportunity to see this place -- so don’t spend it in your hotel. Take time to soak in the place you’re traveling to. This is the perfect chance for you to get a better idea of what type of community and culture your clients are surrounded by every day. That alone can help strengthen your connection and give you significant insight into their market.

Bring a sweater. I sound like your mother, but it is true. Airplanes are cold and you never know where you are going to end up. Plus, they can make good pillows.

Bring a car charger. Unfortunately, not every town has an airport, which means sometimes you need to drive for a while to get to your final destination. If you are anything like me and use your phone for your boarding pass, then you know how much it can drain your battery. I have saved many battery lives by packing a car charger to juice up whenever possible.

Don’t let travel annoyances get you down. Delays and de-icing are things that just happen. No matter how much you moan and groan, you aren’t helping the cause. Don’t be the person that complains to the flight attendant -- nobody likes that person.

Prepare before your trip. Getting to talk to your client face to face is a much different experience than communicating over email or phone. This can sometimes be nerve-racking, especially if it is your first time officially meeting them. Over-prepare! This is your time to shine and to leave a good impression since you might not get to see them very often. Scrambling to finish reports on the airplane Wi-Fi never usually works out. Plus, in order for you to be able to soak in the place you are visiting, you don’t want to be stuck in your hotel room crunching numbers when you could have been out experiencing this new location.

Get to know your travel buddy. Traveling is such a great way to get to know a co-worker. It gives you the opportunity to talk to them outside of a normal work conversation and learn a little about their life, which can often make them more relatable and easier to work with.

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