Business Travel: How to Get the Job Done on the Road

Business travel is a part of just about every small business owner’s life. Whether you’re a veteran road warrior or a novice business traveler, a few simple tips will help you ensure your next business trip is a success.  

• Be prepared. Have the marketing materials you need to seal the deal ready ahead of time, whether that’s a snazzy presentation, professional-looking proposal, sell sheets, brochures or business cards. Always pack more copies than you think you’ll need—you never know when opportunity will present itself on the road! Better yet, place your print order ahead of time to be completed at a print center near your hotel, or delivered to your hotel before you arrive.
• Use the cloud. Forget about dealing with USB thumb drives that can easily get lost, or the confusion of emailing versions of documents back and forth. Storing business documents online using cloud storage solutions means you and your team can always access, update and share the information you need, no matter what time it is or where you are.
• Take advantage of mobile printing. You never know when you’ll need to print a document, leave-behind or presentation for a client or prospect. Download mobile printing apps to your smartphone and tablet and use them to print at a print center near you. For even greater convenience, have your print order delivered to your hotel or client’s office.
• Ship it. Want to get through check-in faster and avoid the lines at baggage claim? The secret is avoiding baggage. Instead or lugging suitcases or bulky boxes, use travel shipping services that let you ship everything from your luggage to your presentation materials to signage for your trade-show booth to your destination ahead of time. No more dragging a heavy suitcase through the airport—traveling light lets you skip hassles and relax.
• Make your vehicle a mobile advertisement. If you or your employees frequently drive to visit clients or spend most of your days in the car making sales calls, why not have your vehicle do double duty? Vehicle magnets are an affordable way to turn either a business or personal vehicle into an ad-on-wheels for a day, and easily removable when the workday is done.

By following these simple tips, you’ll present the right image of your business whether you’re on the road or off.

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