I think I could shift gears and switch to travel consulting after the month I’ve had in the air! But I digress…..
After decompressing at the exceptional Fairmont Pacific Rim, I boarded Air Canada flight 007 for Hong Kong en route to Kuala Lumpur. As I was switching carriers from Star Alliance to One World on this trip I opted not to check bags which turned out to be a doubly smart move considering we were delayed, and my three hour connection was reduced to 1 hour!
Turns out the new 777-300 has a known problem of leaking condensation from the overhead baggage compartments. 15 passengers from the flight had to be removed as they were sitting under a waterfall. Thankfully, I was comfortably seated in my new “Queen chair”, as the flight attendants called it, unaffected.
I do want to thank the Air Canada Super Elite Concierge for arranging an escort in the Hong Kong airport. I’m not sure I could have found the Malaysian Air gate on my own. Jessica Cheung was very efficient, using a train, a bus, and a little walking to get me to the gate with 10 minutes to spare ! As I mentioned in a previous post, the key to hassle free travel is planning ahead!
Entry into Kuala Lumpur was a breeze and the drive from the airport quick. But, as international travel will do I arrived at 1:30 am wide awake! Two melatonin and a beer did the trick and I finally drifted off at 3am.
This morning by 9 am I had downed my third dopio espresso and I am sure a nap will be in order by 2pm. Perhaps by the pool is a good option?
I now have three full days to acclimatize and prepare for the Million Dollar Round Table event Thursday. Plenty of time for my mind and body to settle into the timezone and enjoy the community of 5000 international sellers about the descend on the hotel!
So what does all this have to do with sales? The most successful sellers plan ahead and always have a Plan B. They know in advance who to go to at the first sign of trouble, and have sorted out their options well in advance of needing them. Planning ahead goes beyond motioning your sales pipeline. It also applies to:
- Travel. Whether it be air or car, do you really want to be late for that important meeting?
- Sales meetings. What is your Plan A and your Plan B for the meeting?
- Your contacts. Who is your back up should your buyer disappear?
- Presentations. Can you present if your technology fails? Can you send a proposal if your email is down? Can you talk to the prospect if your phone doesn’t work?
Plan ahead. You will profit it from it!
Colleen