Business Trips
Master the art of professional business travel for export success
Today the professional business trip is considered to be one of the most effective tools in export prospection. The business trip is a high cost investment; that is why business travel should be prepared meticulously, in order to avoid unnecessary expense.
Good preparation can determine the success of the mission. It enables the company to have access to foreign markets, to seek new commercial partners and to draw up contracts with foreign firms.
Key Success Factors
The organisation of a professional business trip comprises three essential steps: preparing the departure, organisation on the spot and the follow up of the mission.
Preparing your departure
Essential preparations for a successful business trip
Transportation & Accommodation
You should book your plane ticket as quickly as possible, all the more so as some destinations do not have a regular service. Booking in advance allows you to ask travel agencies for quotations and to find the best value for money.
Accommodation is as important as the journey. Indeed, booking your hotel should also be done in advance. You should know that during trade fairs, hotels are often full.
Cultural Preparation
Before each departure, the traveler should find out about local customs by gathering practical information about his destination. He should adapt as much as possible to local customs. This information takes into account meal times, presents or even the way of dressing.
Documentation & Legal Requirements
You should prepare sufficiently ahead of time the documents you will need on the spot (leaflets, catalogs, price lists). They should be translated into the language of the country (or at least into English).
Do not wait till the last minute to check how long your passport is valid for, or to request visas and have the vaccinations done that are required for certain destinations.
On the spot
Effective management during your business trip
Time Management & Meetings
Once you are on the spot, the greater part of your time will be devoted to your various meetings. Above all you must confirm your meetings or give warning if you are late.
An exporter must know how to manage his time so as not to get overwhelmed (and give prospective customers a bad impression). He must remain flexible and limit the number of meetings in a day.
It has generally been observed that 2 to 4 meetings can be held in one day. It is better to plan for a few more days in order to best manage your time and work on each contact thoroughly.
Organizing a follow up
Crucial steps after returning from your trip
Critical Success Factor
The follow up is maybe the most important step of the mission. It amounts to giving concrete expression to and securing the various contacts set up abroad.
As soon as he arrives back, an exporter should always thank his contacts personally and send them the documentation they requested or the information they were promised. A company which does not do this, risks wrecking its contacts immediately.
Time-Critical Action
The firm must capitalize on the results of the mission at once. A contact which is not reactivated in the week following the trip is considered to be a lost contact. This lost contact makes for a commercial failure and a loss of money.
Key Takeaways
Essential points to remember for successful business trips
Advance Planning
Book transportation and accommodation well in advance, especially during trade fairs.
Cultural Awareness
Research local customs, meal times, and appropriate business etiquette.
Document Preparation
Prepare and translate all necessary documents before departure.
Meeting Management
Limit meetings to 2-4 per day for quality interactions and proper follow-up.
Immediate Follow-up
Follow up within one week or risk losing the contact entirely.
Pre-Departure Checklist
Essential items to verify before your business trip
Ready to Master Business Travel?
Apply these strategies to make your next business trip more productive and successful.