It’s no secret, people like to be impressed. If this is true in everyday life, then it goes double in business. Partners, clients, investors, and even employees need to be excited to work with you. Just like those girls in the 1950s movies, they want to be chased after and wooed, and then swept off their feet. They want you show them what makes you worth their time, and the better you can keep their attention, the more they’re going to want to stick with you.
Equally as important, people like to be impressive. We like to show off and flaunt what we’ve got. We want people to look at us and go ‘owww’ and ‘ahhh’ and wonder what it’s like to be us. This makes us feel confident and competent, and those qualities can help us build our success… which is, in turn, impressive!
So how does this relate to business travel?
One thing that’s guaranteed when you’re running a business is that there’s always another meeting… A meeting with your teams. A meeting with your partners. A meeting with clients… it doesn’t stop. (This is why secretaries were invented!) Yes, we have moved to a digital age where apps like Skype and Zoom reign supreme as the most practical method of hosting a meeting, but research indicates that most business professionals would still rather meet their partners, clients, and professional relations in person. This is where travel comes in.
Business doesn’t stop moving and neither should you
Meetings, conferences, summits, retreats, trainings, events… Networking is extensive. It will likely start out local, but as your business grows, so should your territory- and that requires travel! More travel, grander travel, and different styles of travel.
If one of the goals to is to build new relationships by impressing your prospects, it only makes sense to make a grand entrance. Whether you are venturing out to meet them, or bringing them to you, it makes a much greater statement to be transported by a private jet and a limo, than an over-crowded commercial flight that is delayed by 5 hours and a taxi. (Yes, the price tag is significantly different, but we’ll talk about that in a moment.)
In the same respect, it will always be more effective to host a corporate meeting somewhere new and exciting rather than in an office. Not to sound pretentious, but this is what a lot of people look for in a good partnership. If you are able to do so, embrace it!
For example… If you’re into golfing, forego the local course and consider meeting your most important partners in St. Andrews on one of the most iconic courses in the world! I have also seen African safari trips double as a great conference activity, as well as sailing excursions. If your aim is to be as impressive as possible, and therefore more successful, you’re going to have to get creative.
Company Retreats
And it doesn’t stop there. Business don’t build themselves. They don’t run themselves. They don’t grow on their own. Once you build your team of star employees you will need to keep them involved in the growth process. This means they need to be engaged, informed, and well-trained. All of this can be accomplished by hosting annual company retreats. A retreat allows you to gather everyone in a fresh environment to talk about what’s going on in the company, develop new strategies for success, and really focus on strengthening your teams.
And don’t just host a company picnic where nothing will get accomplished- that may build morale, but it won’t promote growth. If your objective is to expand and develop, create an experience that benefits everyone, including the company! Take your team somewhere unique and memorable with few distractions from the outside world. My favorite options for company retreats are Private Islands and Private Cruises! This may sound more like a vacation to your personnel, but I assure you, it is really in the best interest of your company!
I have an entire article that focuses solely on Planning A Successful Company Retreat that you can download for free right here.
and you can check out my short video on Company Retreats at the bottom of this page.
But the cost…
One of the first rules of business is that the money you spend on growth is an investment back into the business, and this instance is no different. If you want your business to grow, you are going to have to designate some capital to making that happen. Where and how you distribute those investments reflects the types of relationships you form and how quickly you grow. This sounds like a hard pill to swallow at first, but all of the top CEOs and business strategists will tell you that this is how it works. Again, people want to be impressed, and you should want to impress them. This doesn’t mean you should throw you money around frivolously just to be showy, but do not be afraid to spend money to attract, build, and maintain the right relationships.
*Pro-tip* Check in with your company’s tax attorney to see what in your company’s travel plan can be written off as a business expense!
Creating a successful travel plan
So, now that you’re ready to upgrade your company travel plan and create enjoyable experiences that benefit both you and the company, where do you begin? Creating a travel plan of this magnitude can become very overwhelming very quickly. For as many different reason you will need to travel you will need just as many different types of accommodations. There is no reason to take on all of the stress yourself. Do what you do best and delegate the task to a professional. Work with a Travel Specialist (agent) who is used to organizing this kind of trip and already has the resources to do so. Your travel specialist will be able to make suggestions based on your needs and get things booked for you the right way. They will become your go-to source for all of your company’s travel needs.
Don’t know where to find such a person? That’s where I come in!
I am not only a world traveler with tons of real-life experience, but a professional private travel planner, and business owner, as well.
I specialize in private travel, luxury travel, and group travel… so all of your bases are covered. I have a book of private partners that I work with to give my clients exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, but am also able to work with commercial vendors to create a trip you might have heard about somewhere else.
I would love to meet you and get to know more about your company, so if you’d like to learn more about creating a corporate travel plan, or are ready to schedule your first consultation with me, please see my info below!
I appreciate you taking the time to read this article, and I do hope you’ve found the information in it valuable. Please remember to like, follow, and subscribe so that you never miss out on my travel tips and updates! Feel free to leave a comment below letting me know how I’m doing, or a topic you’d like to see in the future!
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And while I’ve got your attention, check out my short video on Corporate Retreats!
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