You are heading out of town for a big meeting. Maybe it is with customers or prospects, or perhaps it an internal company meeting. Nevertheless, there are at least three areas that you should think strategically about prior to your departure.   

1. Agenda – If at all possible, YOU should create the agenda. Seek to craft a time-sensitive agenda that meshes with the deliverables you are hoping to achieve during your meeting(s). In addition, be aggressive with regard to insisting that key decision-makers and influencers attend appropriate meetings. Nothing wastes more time than traveling a great distance, only to meet with lackeys who will “convey” your message to the right people (and, more than likely, misinterpret your message it in the process).   

2. Attire – Dress similarly to what your hosts will wear. Keep in mind that one person’s “business casual” does not mirror another’s. For example, one client may interpret business casual as dress slacks, a button-down and a jacket, while another may view it as jeans and a nice shirt. Make certain you gain clarity on appropriate and accepted attire.

3. Attitude – Even though you will be a guest, seek to embrace a host-mentality. Do not walk around like you own the place, but seek to make your customers, prospects, or colleagues comfortable with you, the agenda, and the desired results. In the process, you will become comfortable in a foreign place.

Let me know some other best practices that make your out of town meetings successful.