Tweet

Life Lessons From The Airport

Written by: Laura Posey

Article Overview: After a whirlwind business trip, I learned several lessons about how selling and travel are similar.

Life Lessons From The Airport

I’ve been on a whirlwind tour of the US for one of my clients recently. In seven days I was in Las Vegas, Orlando and Chicago and while the adventure was tiring, I noticed that you can learn a lot of good lessons about selling while in the air (and airport). Here are some of the ones I learned.

First and foremost, be prepared. Flying requires you to know how you’re getting to the airport and when, how you’re getting from the next airport to your hotel, where you’re staying, how you’re getting around town, etc. You’ve got to have a plan with time frames and exact ideas of what you need. While in Chicago I discovered out that cabs from the airport cost $55 to take me to my hotel, while prearranged “limos” (Chicagoan for Town Car) were only $30. Your sales are the same way. If you don’t know where you’re going and how you’re going to get there, you’ll never arrive at the destination of your choosing.

Simplify and take only what you need. When traveling, it’s nice to have an outfit for any possible situation; however, anyone who has traveled for a living will tell you how hard it is to lug all that “possibly useful” stuff around. If you plan carefully, you’ll likely have all you need. Only on rare occasions will you want something extra. You can then get creative and figure out how to adapt. It’s the same with selling. Don’t drag a huge presentation binder around with a ton of brochures. A notepad and your brain will usually do. If you find out in an appointment that you need something more, you can always go get it and come back later.

Be flexible. You have to have a plan but as any frequent flyer can tell you, you need to have a backup. Planes, and prospects, don’t always run according to our desires so you have to be prepared with an alternate way of reaching your goal. If you planned on landing a large account at the beginning of the year and it doesn’t pan out, be ready with a backup plan to get you to your goal.

Meet your neighbor. So often in our daily lives we get so caught up in our own agendas that we forget to engage the people around us. In a cab on the way to my hotel recently I had a terrific conversation with a software salesperson from DC. She told me all about her company’s lack of good training, etc and we ended up exchanging cards for follow up. If I’d simply worked on my laptop or stared out the window I might have missed a golden opportunity to meet a prospect. How well do you know your neighbors or the people down the hall from you at work? Take a moment to find out who they are and who they know- it might just lead to some sales.

Ask questions and do research. Before I left for Las Vegas last week I called the hotel to check on amenities. I found out that their fitness center wasn’t going to open for many months and that it would be a waste of my time to pack my workout gear for that leg of the trip. I also checked the weather online and discovered that Vegas in January is cold so I’d need more than the light shirt I was planning to pack. Asking questions about your prospects and doing research about their business beforehand can save you lots of wasted time and possible embarrassment in the sales process.

Listen. Sitting in O’Hare airport Wednesday night I overheard several gentlemen from a local IT firm discussing projects that were going on at the company. They were discussing hiring, layoffs, outsourcing and many other topics of interest. I picked up lots of great information for some of my referral partners. You never know when a piece of information will be useful. Listen to everyone you meet and let them tell their stories. You may just find a lead or a referral for someone else.

The lessons here don’t just apply to sales and flying- they apply to life in general. Getting what you want in life and being happy are a matter of having a few good habits that you practice over and over. Be prepared, yet flexible. Meet people, ask them questions and listen to the answers. Keep it simple. Practice those things this year and you’ll find you get the life you want.

Related Articles
  Small Things Can Lead to Big Impressions
  Navigating the Airport of Tomorrow
  Important "Lessons Learned” For Leaders, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  Ten More Important “Lessons Learned” For Leaders, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  Learn from Golf... Create More Revenue

Article Tags:



Related Forum Posts
The Second Life Platform - Greetings! I'm not sure how many of you have heard of or are sensitive to Second Life and its related entities. However, Second Life is a fantastic platform to mimmick real life business operations in a real currency based economy. There are plenty of successful stories for creative individuals, but I'd highly suggest doing your research and appreciating Second Life for what it is, and what it isn't.
Re: The Second Life Platform - [quote="JBunion":fhe23fsu]Greetings! I'm not sure how many of you have heard of or are sensitive to Second Life and its related entities. However, Second Life is a fantastic platform to mimmick real life business operations in a real currency based economy. There are plenty of successful stories for creative individuals, but I'd highly suggest doing your research and appreciating Second Life for what it is, and what it isn't.[/quote:fhe23fsu] Hi JBunion, I've heard about the site. So are you currently a member? And more importantly, have you tried to open a store front in that virtual world?
Re: Charge what you're worth - [quote="Tami Szabo":292ze3jd]People will pay you what you ask. Very few will ever up the price. You are the one who decided what you are worth. The key is that we believe our services are worth the price we are asking.[/quote:292ze3jd] Hi Tami, You're absolutely right. In "Think and Grow Rich", Jessie B. Rittenhouse says "For Life is a just employer, He gives you what you ask, But once you have set the wages, Why, you must bear the task. I worked for a menial's hire Only to learn, dismayed , That any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have willingly paid" (Napoleon Hill 35). I think the same can be said when setting prices on eBay or Craigslist, especially when people are trying to haggle you.
300 rules! - 300 was my favorite movie of 2007 and Kevin you did a great job in highlighting the Business Lessons from the Movie.
Re: Favorite Christmas movies - [quote="OmnivoreInk":1rxsgr0t]I do have to say I've never liked[i:1rxsgr0t] It's A Wonderful Life[/i:1rxsgr0t]. He spends all his life having his hopes and dreams shattered, feeling miserable, and its only at the end of his life that he can look back and realize how many friends he has, etc. But that doesn't change the fact that up until that point he was miserable![/quote:1rxsgr0t] I love the sentimentality around watching that movie with your Mom! Chtistmas is made up of all those sentimental things. "It's A Wonderful Life" is all about perspective, much in the same way that Scrooge is 'realigned' in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" - which I listen to on CD every year (sometimes twice!) Happy Christmas Everyone! Regards Martin


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Induction – your first management job

Executives and Elevators Perfecting That Pitch

Civility in the Workplace---Is it Decreasing?

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.