Tips and Tricks for the Professional Woman on the Go and Making Business Travel Great 

I don’t know about you, but when I drop the “I’m going on a business trip” line into a casual conversation, I pretty much feel like a corporate superhero; for some employees this may be the worst news ever (I can hear the moans of “I have to go where?!”), but for others going on a business trip is a treat. I am, most times, the latter person in that situation. Travel is one of my passions, and gearing up for a trip makes me feel like I’ve earned the right credentials to be sent out to do business – and I’m going to see new vistas to boot!

Fortunately, incorporating this passion into my professional life has been an exciting adventure, thus far. I am not saying business trips are a walk in the park, by any means. In fact, many times, they can be stressful and tiring. Especially when it’s your first time traveling for business and you’re new to the concept of optimizing a business trip for time efficiency, work effectiveness, and personal pleasure. However, taking the positive spin on business travel and the right preparation can make any business trip, not only successful from a work perspective, but also a memorable experience.

Welcome to Corporate America

I began my professional career — and comfortably took my place in corporate America — three weeks after graduating from college. Yes, from college to corporate in under three weeks can be a very difficult transition – but that’s a typical timeline for many and can be an easier transition for those who thrive on constant activity. Who needs sleep when you can partake in another extracurricular activity, right? I was ready to jump right in, and felt that taking the summer off might get in the way of the extreme success I knew I would soon achieve. (Yes, I am a millennial. How could you tell?)

I began my career in lead generation and qualification, otherwise known as Business/Account Development. The job: call 80-100 people a day, and tell them why they need whatever it is you’re selling. I’d been cold-calling for years, and felt up to the task. In fact, I was excited to get started!

I was assigned the Metro New York territory, and was calling Fortune 500 companies every day begging them to listen to all of the brilliant things I had to say. Needless to say I experienced some serious roadblocks. People love to hang-up on you mid-sentence, laugh at you, put you on the spot with technical questions, etc. Luckily, I knew this was going to be the case, and faced these obstacles head-on.

Time to Pack Your Bags

Three weeks into my new role, I was told I would be sent to New York for my first-ever Quarterly Business Review (QBR). Not knowing what a QBR was, I was both mildly horrified and thrilled: I happen to love New York, and couldn’t have been more pleased at the opportunity to pay one of my favorite cities a visit.

Of course, the first step was to get the perfect power outfit. Check. Book my travel. Check. Purchase tickets to a Broadway show to see in my (limited) spare time. Check. I was set and elated at the thought of meeting my bi-coastal counterparts. The only thing left to do was pack.  So herewith are my practical tips in that area:

• Always carry on your luggage. Nothing can put a damper on a three-day business trip like your checked baggage getting lost — and you going without your essentials in a new city.
  • Pack light and pack smart. Anything that doesn’t fit in a carry-on bag shouldn’t make the cut.
  • Professionalism is key, but comfort is important too! Make sure you’re packing a wide variety of work clothes that make you feel confident and stylish. When you reach your destination, you want to have the options that make you look and feel your best when meeting new co-workers.
  • No one wants to look a hot mess: Pack wrinkle-release spray (I never leave for a trip without this!), or utilize your hotel’s ironing board.
  • Shoes: I realize how much we all enjoy a good pair of heels. However, your feet will be absolutely killing you by day’s end, if you aren’t careful. I suggest packing a pair of flats in your computer bag, just in case. Better safe than sorry!
  • Layers are crucial: Conference rooms are often way too hot, or way too cold. If you have a long meeting scheduled, bring a cardigan that matches your outfits. Basic colors always work – black, white, and gray match everything.

Keep it Businesslike, Even with a Drink in Your Hand 

Most professionals, especially sales people, work hard and they also play hard; and in a city like Manhattan – after all, it’s “the city that never sleeps” — one might have qualms about attending a Happy Hour with (near-perfect) strangers, a.k.a work colleagues you speak with on the phone daily and weekly, but have never met in-person. I certainly did, even though I am not shy, everybody knows that Happy Hours can be a little nerve-racking.

But then, after a ten-hour meeting (!), everyone is understandably ready for a drink. So, how did I handle my first dive into the business trip social hour? I decided to reward myself with some atrocious frilly, pink cocktail as a treat for surviving my first QBR. I slowly sipped my drink as I chatted with my teammates about why I loved New York, what to do before my flight the following day, where they lived in relation to the hotel I was staying in, etc. I finished my cocktail, and immediately switched to water for the rest of the evening. Success.

Tip: I highly recommend switching out water for alcohol in professional situations where you’re looking to make a good impression. Err on the side of caution, always.

How you can make this work for you: if you ever feel pressured to drink in a work-like setting (which I hope you never would, how awful!), there is a little trick to which I have become accustomed: make friends with the bartender, and ask that they serve you club soda with a salted rim and a lime, for the remainder of the evening. This tricks all coworkers into thinking you’re sipping vodka tonics all night. Works every time.

Networking is Better Than Souvenirs

Networking is everything. Use every moment, that isn’t spent listening to presentations or taking notes, to network and get to know work colleagues. Shake hands, ask questions, have fun and collect business cards — the whole nine yards. This is something you simply must do in these professional situations.

How to network like a pro:

• Make the most of the time, and use it to your advantage!
• Smile until your cheeks hurt
• Use mnemonic devices to remember everyone’s names
• Make some kind of personal connection
• Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Mingle. You won’t regret it!

Make Some Memories with Pre-Departure Explorations

I’m a big believer in making the most of any type of travel, even if it’s for pleasure.  And on a business trip,  you are obviously there for work-related reasons, but that doesn’t mean you can’t cram one fun activity into your free time. Most times you are doing this activity with your carry-on in hand.  C’est la vie – no big deal. For example, I dropped my bag off with the concierge the last morning in New York, and walked through the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I then grabbed a quick lunch in one of my favorite Manhattan spots, and was ready to make the trek home.

Lesson:  “It’s the little things.” So:

• Do some research on a city before you make your trip, and go prepared for a mini-adventure.
• Get revved-up about this opportunity: pick one place that sounds interesting and make it a point to experience it, first-hand.
• For instance: a restaurant that serves something crazy. Perfect. A museum. Even better.
• And, of course, there is always time for shopping…of any kind.

Above all, don’t be that person who goes from the office to the hotel to the airport. Be the person who makes a memory in addition to doing great work.