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The Right Way to Travel

When you travel, make the most out of it!  Make sure that you are taking the same care to preplan and organize yourself when it comes to travel.

Travel with a Sales-Ready Kit

Always keep a go-bag with essentials for selling on the road: Portable chargers, presentation materials, and backup USB drive, Business cards, Sample materials or small branded leave-behinds.  Make sure you carry this onboard, if you lose your bags, you are still prepared to work!

2. Arrive Early — Mentally and Physically

Whenever possible, fly hours before a key meeting. It gives you time to rest, scout the meeting location, and review notes.  There is nothing worse than spending the time, money and effort to travel to your client and not be prepared or be able to accomplish what you came for. A calm, prepared salesperson sells better.

3. Digitize Your Materials

Keep your presentation files in cloud storage and on a USB stick. Confirm they open correctly on both Mac and Windows. Always have an offline version in case of Wi-Fi issues.

4. Pack Smart, Dress Smarter

Bring wrinkle-resistant, mix-and-match business clothes. A neutral jacket and slacks can work with multiple shirts or blouses — keeping your look sharp without extra luggage. Always carry one “presentation outfit” in your carry-on.

5. Plan Meeting Logistics in Advance

Confirm who’s attending, what the room setup will be, and whether you’ll have AV support. Have a Plan B — your own laptop, HDMI adapter, and hotspot. A smooth start sets the tone for a confident pitch.

6. Leverage Travel Downtime

Use flights, Uber rides, or layovers to review leads, update your CRM, or send thank-you notes. Turning travel time into “relationship-building time” adds hours back to your week and improves time management.

7. Choose Hotels Strategically

Stay close to your client or venue, even if it costs a bit more. Time saved in the morning is worth more than money saved at night. Bonus: choose hotels with strong Wi-Fi, quiet rooms, and early breakfasts.  If possible use schedule breakfast and dinner meetings to maximize productivity.

8. Always Networking

The person next to you on the plane or at the hotel bar could be a future customer or referral. Keep your intro conversational, not salesy. “What brings you to Chicago?” goes a long way.

9. Protect Your Focus and Energy

Sales travel can drain you. Maintain your routines — workouts, hydration, and decent meals. Avoid stacking too many meetings in one day; energy sells as much as information does.  – Don’t use this opportunity to party!  Nothing worse than being tired and hungover going into a morning meeting.  Boy Scout motto rules the day – Be Prepared!

10. Follow Up Before You Fly Home

While the conversation is fresh, send a short thank-you email before you board your flight. It shows professionalism, keeps momentum, and can move deals forward before you’re even home.  Make sure IF you didn’t close the business on the call, you closed on the next steps and make sure you reinforce that in your follow up email.