Business trip advice from a first-time business traveler

As a Web Editor, I don't get to do much traveling for my job: I can usually perform all of my responsibilities from behind my desk. And unless I'm conducting a phone interview for an article, the potential for networking is usually pretty low.

So when the opportunity came to represent BuyerZone at a web content conference in Chicago last month, I jumped at it. I looked forward to learning new content ideas, meeting with industry professionals, and telling people about my company. But I didn't realize how important it was to plan ahead and use my time efficiently until I hit the road.

Here are some valuable lessons I learned from my first conference experience:

Don't overpack. I have a bad habit of packing for a two-day trip as if I'm going away for several months. After all, the airline lets me check a 50 pound bag for free, so why not take advantage? Unfortunately, this practice came back to haunt me when the airline lost my luggage. If I had just packed the bare essentials, I could have brought a smaller carry-on bag onto the plane and avoided this problem.

Keep some emergency items with you. My packing snafu not only had me scrambling to find my suitcase, it also left me without a change of clothes for the first day of the conference, not to mention the business cards and collateral I left in the luggage. Even if I did have to check a bag, it would have been smart to carry one outfit, some toiletries, and business essentials with me in the rare case the airline messes up.

Create multiple backups of your information. If you're going to deliver a presentation at a conference, always have multiple copies on you in case one gets lost or corrupted. You can quickly and easily copy data to a flash drive or CD, upload the information to an FTP server, or email a copy to yourself. Just make sure all copies contain the exact same data so there's no confusion.

Keep important files local. As my fellow attendees at the conference quickly learned, you can't always depend on a strong Internet connection. If you need access to important information during your trip, make sure to save a local copy so you can access the data even if your connection fails.

Don't plan for "me time." Visiting a new town can be fun, but don't miss out on potentially valuable networking opportunities. In my case, I almost purchased a ticket to a Chicago White Sox game when planning my trip. Luckily I didn't, because I met some great people at the conference and met them for dinner at a local sports pub. The contacts I made and the discussions I had were far more rewarding than a trip to the ballpark.

Be a spectator, not a stenographer. When you attend an information-rich conference, it's natural to want to take detailed notes to review after the event. But spend too much time on note taking and you may miss a key visual or interesting anecdote. Instead, concentrate on observing the presentation and perhaps asking a question or two. Many conference presenters will even post their slide decks online so you can review information later.

Tips for the veteran business traveler

Whether you're a rookie business traveler like me, or a true road warrior, you can always gain valuable experience for how to approach business traveling just by observing other people. Here are some things I took to heart which will serve me well on future trips.

Don't abuse expense reports. For business travelers, particularly first timers, it can be tempting to burn out your corporate credit card knowing that the company is footing the bill. But this shouldn't serve as an invitation to order rare bottles of wine or exotic entrees. Find out what your daily stipend is for meals and incidentals and stick to it. If you need to entertain clients, focus on what your business can do for them rather than showing off how much you can spend. It's important to maintain a trust with your company so they can be confident you'll do what's best for business.

Presenters: preparation is key. Whether you're leading a session for the first or 100th time, you should always practice delivering your presentation. If you seem uncomfortable or ill-informed during your presentation, that will negatively impact how others view your business. Once you have your materials ready to go, grab a few of your colleagues and perform a dry run before heading to your conference.

It's OK to disengage. If you take a quick glance around the airport, it's hard to find someone that isn't preoccupied with their Blackberry, laptop, or cell phone. Feel free to step away from this electronic overload. Take the time to read a book, watch the in-flight movie, or just relax. I guarantee that your email and voice mail messages will be there for you when you land.

Be sociable. You don't have to be in sales or marketing to network with people that could benefit your business. Introduce yourself during a break or at the end of sessions to learn more about someone else's business, background, and personal interests. Keep the conversation light and friendly, and make sure to exchange business cards to stay connected when the event ends.

Want to share your nightmare business trip experiences? Are there tips you'd like to add? Do you disagree with some of my suggestions? Let your voice be heard in the comments below!

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