Be The Business – Pro Tips For Better Business Travel
Whether you’re the CEO of a multinational corporation or the owner of a small business, it is essential that you equip yourself for the world of business travel. Anybody, regardless of their background and training, can hop on board a first class flight, travel halfway around the world to meet a client, and then fly back to make a half-ways decent report; what you NEED is to make yourself stand out as the most effective time and resource manager. To do this, you must consider the fact that where you are and how you present yourself has a major impact on the outcome of your meeting and the clients’ perception of your business.
The hotel you choose to stay at is more than simply a place to come back to at night for rest. The hotel lobby can be a magnificent place to meet prospective (or current) clients to discuss the affairs of your business. Try to match the location of your meeting to the content of your meeting. After all, explaining to a client your need to increase prices while meeting them in the lobby of one of London’s most expensive hotels will leave your customer wondering how much of the increase in cost is paying for the private Jacuzzi in your room. Similarly, if an investor sees that the company can only afford a run-down motel on the edge of the city, they’re not likely to see your business as a profitable one.
Of course, there is always the possibility that your business is unable to afford the type of hotel that would “wow” your clients. Naturally, an “away from hotel” meeting is a necessity in these situations. It is far too easy to jump to the “where” in these situations without considering the “how”. Even if you’re not picking your client up and driving them to the meeting place, it is extremely important to choose the proper mode of transportation to arrive at the meeting in. Hiring a car puts you in control of your travel plans and gives you the flexibility to change them if a meeting overruns or plans change. International firms like Hertz, Avis and Alamo car hire are available at virtually every airport in the world and offer accounts with substantial discounts and upgrade options for frequent business users. Again, like the hotel, choose your vehicle dependent upon your clientele and the nature of the meeting.
Meeting over a meal is good if the benefit of meeting with the client in this way exceeds the cost, in both time and money, of the meal. Of course, the oldest business standby is something that must also be considered. Meeting a client over coffee is both classic and effective as the caffeine can provide a rejuvenating boost for yourself and your client. Caravan Kings Cross in London offers a large enough space for your discussion to be private and features a vaulted ceiling that may help your client realize the lofty potential of the discussion.
Choosing an effective place to meet is at the core of the business world. Following these tips will help you better represent yourself and your business to your customer when you can’t do business from the comfort of your office. Recognizing that how your client perceives you goes beyond your suit and smile and into the environment you choose to do business in will help make your next business trip more profitable.