Working somewhere new is an exciting prospect; the change of scenery can breathe new life into you. However, as we all know, work is work and making the most of every minute in a new city isn’t just for you, it’s for your company. Packing should be tactical.
Here are some essentials…
Looks
This may seem obvious for the fashionably-minded among us but you should know What you’re going to wear with What in order to craft the ideal impression. You know your schedule and there is likely to be a mix of formal, casual, business and leisure time. However as you are representing the company in a different city, it’s good to know what you are going to wear when instead of various interchangeable items.
Gifts
More often than not on a business trip, there will be some degree of wooing that needs to be done. You are the face of the company and a small token of your appreciation for a colleague or potential new clients/investors etc can seem thoughtful. Obviously, you’re not going to get your way with a set of bath salts and no pitch but it really will help you get your foot firmly in the door. It also makes you memorable. Worth a thought.
Business Cards
These should be given away as freely as you like. This is also a rule which doesn’t just apply to business trips but whenever really. Networking can happen at any time, at organised events or during an impromptu drinks function. Spread these like wildfire through your professional contacts. Spread them like the flu! This is even more important in a city where your company isn’t based.
Mobile Broadband
Even if the hotel you’re staying at has wifi, there’s no guarantee it’s going to work. ‘Er, Miss, there was no wifi so I couldn’t do it’ may have worked in school but probably wont cut it around a table of your peers. Bringing a backup of everything is the key to neutralising problems before they happen. It’s not territory you know so even if you’re certain, don’t be, and pack backups.
A Guide Book
Knowing the area like the back of your hand isn’t going to happen but you don’t want to be going in unarmed. If not a guide book then something that informs you about where you’re going. It’s an opportunity to see and experience a new town/city and doing so confidently and enthusiastically will surely impress your colleagues especially if no one you are scheduled to be around has been there before either.
