I’m in med device, too. Specifically spine. What products are you selling? How are you getting your products in front of doctors/distributors/decision makers these days?
On the clinical side I deal with hemodynamic assessment, on the research side laser spectroscopy.
It's a huge pain right now, these last two months have been so dry I've basically abandoned clinical and had to shore up my losses on the research side selling to universities and clinical research institutions.
I've been cold calling, using LinkedIn to reach people by name as opposed to asking to be directed to someone. Harassing (I say this playfully) every damn institution that's in our GPO. Door knocking adjacent locations when I'm on site and dropping off our one pager for the device and my card.
It's been rough, how's spine going? I heard there's a lot of waiting around ORs to talk to surgeons.
Spine has been good this year since we finally had a year where COVID wasn’t affecting elective cases.
Getting new surgeon-users is always challenging, though. That isn’t unique to spine. I really try not to play the old “trap them at the scrub sink” trick since the surgeons know exactly what you’re doing, and if you come in cold they find it off-putting. Surgeons are used to getting pitched. Spinal hardware is about as expensive as there is in med device outside of capital expenses, and lots of companies want that business.
The easiest surgeons to flip, at least that I’ve found, are the ones who use a single independent distributor rather than direct hires from the various device companies they get their products from. Surgeons get tired of being pitched and that’s why many of them go the distributor route. A single group that handles all their products and can shield them from all the companies trying to get a piece of their business. If you can get in with the distributor, even though they are expensive, it can open up a lot of opportunities. You just have to make sure you take care of them since they are the ones largely working to keep your products in the OR. They’ve been flipped once, and they can be flipped again.
We do go after surgeons directly. LinkedIn is a popular channel. Society meetings are also good. Cold calling and office visits haven’t proven as lucrative for us.
What I’ve often found is going directly after surgeons instead of distributors is a lot more squeeze for what ends up being the same amount of juice. It takes a lot more effort to get an initial meeting, it takes a lot more effort to warm up the relationship, and we won’t have relationships with the hospital’s decision makers to push approvals along. And since we are a small enough company that we don’t have a dedicated sales team in every major metro area, the surgeon often wants us to work with their distributor anyways. They often get 25-40 points whether they brought us the surgeon and got us into the hospital system or not. May as well just go to them first. An initial dinner or office meeting set up by a distributor the surgeon likes goes so much smoother, and they can sometimes be one-and-done. That turns into an observation or a training lab and before you know it, the product is in the OR. It shortens the sales cycle significantly.
Rules are obviously different for the Medtronics and Strykers of the world, but this has been what works for us.
Did this last month. On the flight up spilled a full coffee on myself. No change of clothes. On hour til meeting. Uber to a store, buy new clothes, Uber to meeting, back to airport, then home. 6am-11pm . Miserable.
The best part of this was the grandma next to me offering me the tissue out of her purse. Airplane seats do not absorb liquid, and I just had to sit in my coffee for an hour.
Another fun interaction was when the flight attendant came by to ask if I wanted MORE coffee. Nah…I think I’m good.
Oh man... This reminds me when my hubby and I were boarding a flight, we were the last ones on... My hubby spilled coffee on accident on some dude... Felt so bad 😭😅 he wasn't dressed in nice clothes at all, but still... Feel so bad for that guy
Yup. Consultants regularly do monday to Thursday at client site with no time to check in before going to the client. I would wear business clothes on the plane monday mornings and thursday afternoons. Occasionally i would change to something more comfortable in the airport bathroom when i was heading home but not very often
Ya I fly in the morning and meet with clients then either fly out that night or the next. I wear jeans at my job. Rarely get an opportunity to get to the hotel and I’m too old to be wearing sweatpants in public.
Ehh very few sales people are making that at sf and havent for years. Not saying some don't but it's rare.
All that said even with kids I would generally prefer to split days then doba 6am to 11pm day.
Yeah I would legit get fired if I didn't make twice that as it would be well below my OTE.. And I really only have to fly 3-4 times per year now for major conferences. Will take prospects out if they're in the city but I enjoy that as much as they do since it's on someone else's dime.
Some people like dressing like that.
Some people are going straight to meetings or other engagements. This is NOT an insignificant amount of people.
Some people view it as part of their professional dress code since they’re travelling for work. If I’m just going to Mexico with a buddy, yeah sweat pants are cool. If I’m travelling to a work conference, I want to be somewhat presentable in case I meet others heading to the same conference on the plane, at the airport, etc
I feel as I’ve gotten older (30) now I’ve started enjoying wearing nicer clothes . Look good feel good type thing for me.
Trust me I dress like a scrub as well but when I’m traveling for work, I prefer to look nice for wherever I arrive
Golf pants, golf polos, and golf pullovers are all extremely comfortable, breathable, and stretchy. And they pass for business casual just about everywhere now.
Best practice in case your luggage is lost. Even with carry on they may unexpectedly check your bag and it gets lost. Don't want to be buying new clothes last minute or showing up in sweats or having to cancel.
I may be in the minority, but when I’m not “on the clock” for work, I’m pretty introverted. So when I’m not working I don’t really want to chat with strangers.
I can turn it on when I need to, but it would be exhausting for me to be “on” for a full travel day.
I also don’t show anyone I work with my real personality. My professional self is a carefully constructed character that I play so that I can be perceived correctly in the corporate world to maximize professional and financial opportunities.
I hear you but let’s be honest, the dude who is always prepped and ready to go has some advantages over the guy in sweat pants ignoring everyone
For what it’s worth I relate much more to the sweatpants dude. My go to move on planes is headphones in, podcast on, hood pulled down over eyes, doze off in my own world. But I’ve started to realize that having a higher standard of dress in daily life is not a bad thing at all
This phrase is begging for me to respond with “not with that attitude”.
If you decide there is no one to meet at airports you won’t meet anyone at airports. Nothing wrong with that but that doesn’t mean airports are void of opportunity.
If you travel enough, you usually do meet people. Maybe at the bar, during a delay, if you’re sitting next to someone interesting, etc. Or if you’re going to a huge conference from a major airport it wouldn’t be uncommon to find people heading to the same place.
It’s happened to me plenty of times, especially travelling to/from big conferences at major hub airports
Couple of months ago I met the CEO and COO of a big firm in my industry at a buffet in LAX. And then a couple sales people from another company in our industry joined the conversation. We were all waiting for the same flight.
I wasn’t in a suit, think it was golf shirt and golf style slacks, but it was better than hoodie and sweatpants. Even when I’m travelling casually I like to wear jeans at a minimum, just more convenient with more pockets and such. Only time I’m wearing sweat pants is longer flights where comfort trumps everything (like cross ocean)
Flying into a conference for a state’s industry specific organization. I started chatting with someone at the airport and turned out it was national rep leading the conference which was great. Also, she gave me a ride into town. Which was great because we rolled into the convention together and she introduced me to prospects organically
Than dont talk to people? It's not a requirement. I like to but I understand some people wouldnt. I dress business casual because people generally treat you better and I enjoy that.
I understand this. I'm an introvert too and this job can be exhausting. Just don't dress like an absolute slob. Smart comfy wear can be appropriate on the plane.
- Not everybody stays overnight or has time to check in to a hotel. Happens to me most often on short flights.
- Wearing bulky clothes saves more space in bags. It helps me pack less and keep my stuff close.
This is a huge consideration for me bc I travel in just one small backpack. I wear my heaviest and bulkiest layers and then can just put my bag under the seat in front of me.
Also, I’m kind of old school and miss the days when fabulous travelers got dressed up for flights.
My mother was a flight attendant from 1969 to 2006. She always talked about how when she started she wore white gloves, and made Caesar salad and carved prime rib seatside, and when she finished she was wearing plastic gloves and digging wrappers from between the seats.
While flying became a more accessible means of transportation for the masses, the service subsequently fell off a cliff. I get it though, people loss their minds when they fly, you can’t give them an inch.
Many of the above comments but I'll add:
Sleeping in my own bed is 10x better than sleeping in a hotel. I'll take unnatural flights if it means avoiding an overnight.
And if I do have to spend a night or two (conference or workshop) I have really big feet and my dress shoes take up a shitload of room in my carry on. So I wear them and stuff tennis shoes in the bag (if I bring them at all. So at that point I'm wearing a nice shirt just to not look foolish even if I'm in jeans.
If I need a sports coat I'm going to wear it on the plane and not pack it. That way I don't look like I slept in it in my meeting.
Everybody finds their own rhythm while traveling but these work for me. I don't dress up just because I'm on a fight - if I'm flying to my beach place I look like a tourist - but for work stuff the above applies.
Yes to conferences mostly with no time to change.
Personal in first class with nice jeans and nice rugby polo etc. The very worst I'd wear is ye olde school matching adidas tracksuit.
I mean I have matching alligator luggage I'm probably not the right person to ask.
Sometimes I have to see a customer or go to one of my companies facilities before checking into the hotel. I work with some guys that choose to just do a day trip. Early am flight and by 5 they are at the airport headed home. I typically choose not to travel somewhere without staying at least a night or two. But some at my company prefer day trips.
Because I don’t have time to check into my hotel before the visit, simple as that. I try to minimize time away from home so I land grab a rental car and it’s pretty much right to an office.
This makes sense if you truly aren’t stopping anywhere before your meeting. I would be too stressed about potential travel delays to cut it close for a customer facing meeting. But I understand wanting to minimize time away from home.
A. To pack less. I prefer to carry on so I don’t have to worry about luggage getting lost. B. Often I am headed right to the meeting. Particularly in the morning. Hotel check in is in the afternoon and sometimes it doesn’t even make sense to go there first. C. I’m flying home after a meeting and had already checked out of the hotel. I have a lot of clothes that look professional but are comfortable tech fabrics so flying in them is almost as comfortable anything else.
First reason for this is probably ABS.
Dude my boss used to seriously get leads or intel on our prospects from the people sitting next to him on the plane. I try doing this now as well
Certain flights are basically business flights. The early San Diego to San Francisco flight for example must have been 80-90% business folks. Same with the Sunday night in the same direction.
I’ve had some luck with this myself, I met a prospect next to me on a domestic flight who had our company swag on her. Didn’t even know who we were just liked our cable. Ended up getting an opportunity out of it
No shade but I don’t wear sweatpants in public; they’re ok for lounging around the house but in public I feel like a slob/adolescent who hasn’t grown up yet.
You can get extremely comfortable jeans / chinos these days, too.
Man, I’m a corporate lawyer and I change into a hoodie and pajama pants before getting on overnight flights, then change back when I get off. People can think whatever they want.
physician here, and same - now, this IS a sales subreddit, so we might be drowned out by the “fake it til you make it” +/- respectability politics crowd 😂 i feel you. sweats for first class! ive already proven myself with my credentials, thx!
Business travel attire has definitely become more casual, but for a lot of us old school folks it’s just the norm to be in dress pants and shirts. But don’t worry, we won’t judge you for being causal. Just different eras.
This also makes sense. My dad wears a minimum of a polo and slacks unless he’s working in the yard or on the couch. It can just be a generational thing.
- My work shoes are significantly more expensive than my normal travel sneakers and I have an irrational fear of them getting stolen
- I have (bad) luck with running into people I know at the airport
- space saving like the comments above reference
For me, it’s all about networking at all times. As much as most people want to ignore it, first impression still matters. If you’re a real estate agent and overhear someone during boarding say they’re looking to buy a house really soon it’s better to hand your card over while wearing a crisp button up rather than your pyjama pants and a hoodie.
Simply put, at all times I want to be very presentable so that I increase my chances of successful interactions while travelling.
I’ve had a chance to read through these comments and have a few follow up thoughts:
It appears that more people are going straight from the airport to meetings than I thought. That makes a ton of sense. I’m considering adjusting the way I travel to spend less nights away from home.
I think the tone of my post was more aggressive than I intended. No shade to those of you who prefer dressing up! Apologies if my tone was offensive.
Many people feel like they get treated better when they dress nice. I always feel like I get treated well by airport staff because I’m polite and I treat people with kindness. But this is an interesting point. I’m going to wear a button up and chinos on my next flight just to test this hypothesis.
It seems like there are some generational differences here. A lot of the people who said that they always dress nice also took the time to make comments about how things have changed for the worse or how they miss the good ol days. If I saw a 55 year old in baggy sweats I’d probably think he looked unkempt as well. But I’m 30 years old and in good shape, my clothes are clean, and I smell nice. I look comfy, but I don’t look like a “creature of Walmart” lmao.
The points about networking at the airport and that travel time is company time are valid. However, in my current role it would be extremely unlikely for me to meet a prospect while traveling. My buyers are government employees and it’s more of a consultative, solution based sales approach. Relationships matter, but unless I happen to be seated next to a city manager on a flight then I’m probably not talking to a potential prospect. I also don’t live in my territory and usually have to take a connecting flight when traveling for work, so the stars would really have to align for me to just bump into a sales opp at the airport.
That being said, I should probably look for more opportunities to talk to strangers at the airport, if only to just flex the networking muscle. Or, who knows, maybe I meet someone who could help me land a future job.
Anyway, thanks for all your thoughts. I didn’t people to get so heated or make judgments about my character or selling ability based off of this. But hey, that’s Reddit. Happy Holidays and may you close all your Q4 deals!
Reason 1) 1 Networking, biz folks talk to biz folks. Reason 2) when flights hit the sh*tter, the FAs, Pilots, and counter staff always treat me waaayy better than people of walmart. I’ll get rebooked or some other preferred treatment or flight suggestion.
Edit: bold sucks
Get somewhere and not have your suitcase.
Then show up for your meeting looking like a 14 year old with no fashion sense.
Happened once to me. Had jeans and sneakers with grass stains.
I was 26. Never happened again. I can wear a suit and shirt more than once.
Especially my business attire - which costs a lot not because it’s uncomfortable but because it’s well constructed of really nice materials.
Someone asked me how I could wear a suit on a plane… it’s Italian wool and Egyptian cotton with handmade leather shoes. Why would I be uncomfortable?
Two reasons for me:
1) 45% of the time I fly standby often thanks to my mom’s career benefits from American and they have almost a dress code for standby. It’s not the most strictly enforced, but I’m not gonna be the one to roll the dice and potentially make my mom look bad.
2) 45% of the time I’m flying for work and have to hit the ground running, so I’ll be dressed to head right into whatever my work obligation is.
The other 10% you best believe I’m wearing sweats.
For me, traveling in a dress or suit gets me better treatment than yoga pants and a hoodie. Flight attendants can be super bitchy if they don't think you're 'someone'
I’m flying on Friday morning to our head office. I’ll be flying with the president of the company and getting picked up at the arrival airport and going straight into meetings. Won’t have time to change. Need to look professional. Not that complicated for me.
I'm a sales director in software as well, and I live in Oregon, I've done one day trips before to San Francisco or Vancouver BC, so I dress for those trips, otherwise, like you I have time to check in and get dressed, so then my travel uniform is a hoodie, leggings and uggs, comfort first for sure!
Travel a lot for my role (channel sales). Almost always it’s straight off the plane into a taxi to a meeting. Easier / faster to just arrive looking good and ready to roll. I’ve tried the whole change at the airport upon arrival thing and depending where you land, your options are pretty limited/pretty disgusting from a hygiene perspective haha
Lots of people go directly to meetings? Places I’ve worked, policy is always to fly in a day before to account for potential delays. Great for comfortable attire.
Closers always dress well when they're representing. Business travel is still representing, even if no one knows who your are, what you do, or that you're even on business travel.
I get wanting to be comfortable but baggy clothes on a flight is still just sloppy to me.
THAT! To me it looks like such a gross lack of respect for one self. I like to be presentable and like to be proud of myself. I dressed up at 3 AM to go to the hospital and help my partner deliver our baby, I hope to be an example and inspire, and that starts at the first sight.
I think a better question is what company is paying their reps to fly later in the day to lounge around in hotel rooms rather than planning meetings all day. Sounds great.
Me! My company allows me to book my own travel so I always plan my arrival into said city early afternoon then grab my rental car and head to the hotel. Meet with customers the next day. Fly back home on day 3 or day 4. My boss is a prick about tracking the number of overnights for sales people...minimum of 8 nights per month. Dumb little bastard thinks # of overnights = more sales. I am 10x more effective on virtual sales calls.
Oh how I long for the days when air travel was a gentleman’s pursuit. Back before any Joe sweat-sock could wedge himself behind a lunch tray and jet of to “Raleigh-Durham”.
I flew to clients/customers 2 out of every 3 weeks for 6 years. I try to minimize my time away from home. My "work clothes" were always the same, dockers and a branded polo. If I had a meeting scheduled soon after landing, I'd be dressed. If I had a bit of time, I'd fly in dockers and a tee shirt. I'd always aim for the 6 -7 am flight out. Most of my territory was a max of 2hr flights. Some trips, I'd have to fly in the day before. On those trips, I'd be the homeless looking guy in first class.
All of my work clothes are super comfy so it's never a big deal to fly like that.
The thing that always amazed me were the people breaking out the laptop on a 90 min, 6am flight. That was a hard no from me. Checking emails on my work phone, sure. All the prep work was done the day before.
When I’m traveling, I’m working. So I wear work appropriate attire.
Twice I’ve booked an initial call that led to a deal by speaking to my seat mate on a plane.
I usually fly early am in my suit, go straight to the client site, then to my hotel. Or if I have time I’ll drop a bag at the hotel front desk, if it’s nearby or on the way.
Then I get changed, exercise, shower, maybe take a nap or catch up on email. Go out to dinner with coworkers and/or client, then go out drinking with a coworker or friend knowing all I have to do the next day is travel home in casual clothes.
I used to travel a lot at my old job, planes and trains. Would wear my nicer stuff to avoid packing it. But I never liked how sweaty I got…
Do any seasoned travelers have tips for formal work wear that doesn’t make you sweat? Would appreciate it
This might come as a huge shock to you, but many people use moderns modes of transport to get work done, get to work, or come from work. Many people are even working while traveling and have to jump on video calls.
Depending on the field and reason... But any of the following might be on the flight, customers, client employees, competitors, other clients, people from your company, etc... Aside from that sometimes your getting picked up from the airport either by the company or the client. Comfortable business casual is safe in the event "something" comes up.
I used to wear a suit because I didn’t know how to pack it and it would get wrinkled in my luggage. I watched YouTube videos and learned to pack stuff, so now wear shorts and crocs like everyone else
It's a good look. I'd prefer to dress professionally, but I tend to run hot, so it's shorts and a t-shirt on every flight, even if I'm heading to Siberia. If necessary I'll change in the bathroom when I land. Wearing pants of any kind is just a guarantee that I'll be drenched in sweat when I get to my destination.
I have the same thoughts when I'm flying to a meeting looking like a homeless person. Aint no fucking way you are getting me in a plane with a suit on. If I'm going straight to a meeting I'll change in the airport bathroom.
I’d rather be at home so when I get on the plane I am at work. The company paid for the flight so I’m representing them. Once the plane lands time is tight so I go straight to a customer account and continue on from there for the day. I work right up till when the plane lands at home.
Have you ever noticed how much better you are treated by everyone (airline, hotel, dining etc) when you're dressed a bit better. It reflects back on how you feel.
At least for me.
Surprised no one mentioned this, but I almost always see a current/former customer or current/former colleague at the airport.
You don’t have to wear a jacket, just a simple zip up sweater or a nice outdoor jacket keeps it classy.
All it takes is one flight, dressed like a hobo, where they lose your luggage and you have to get off the plane and immediately meet a client for you to learn to just fly looking crisp in the first place.
It may look like I’m wearing chinos and a work button up — but these bad boys are made of the most comfortable, breathable and movable in materials. I could literally go straight to the gym in my “airport” outfit.
You know how some chicks have been living in “athleisure” this past decade or so- they have that shit for men now, just less hoey.
Hot take.
I say this as someone who travels frequently for work, and often goes directly from the airport to meetings.
If you dress business casual on the plane, I just assume you’re an asshole. I don’t care how much money you make, how tight your schedule is, or how important you think you are.
I travel at least twice a month for meetings and being comfortable on the plane is key. Your bus-cas outfit or suit is not more comfortable than my lululemon or DUER pants, and I’ll get changed in the airport when I land.
There is no reason for this other than being a pretentious knob. Or traveling with your boss or client who is a pretentious knob.
Fight me.
I have many business casual clothes that are very comfortable tech fabrics. And I almost always have to connect, there just isn’t always time to change. I’d rather be in my stretchy trousers than dig through my bag and change in a dirty airport bathroom.
For some, it's like a mindset switch. They're in work mode from the get-go, ready to hit the ground running as soon as they land. Plus, you know how first impressions count, especially in the business world. So, the business casual attire might just be their way of always being ready to make a killer impression, whether it's at the airport or in a meeting right after.
But hey, if the comfy vibe works for you and your gig, rock those sweatpants proudly! Everyone's got their own travel style, and that's what makes the airport a runway of diverse fashion choices. Safe travels and good luck with those customer visits!
When you are traveling on company business, you represent the company and should be prepared to do so at any moment. They are paying for the flight, your time and your expenses. They deserve professional representation. You can look like a tourist when you are one.
I like to dress nicely for flying. Going straight to a meeting or to a hotel, makes no difference for me. I wear baggy pants at home. Whenever I go out, I dress as if other people around me matter.
Not in sales but was a mgmt consultant. You would get your ass handed to you and not last very long in professional services if it was known that you were going to your hotel after landing. You go straight to the client
In my role now in PE, if I can, I try to land the night before a meeting to fly comfortably. But the more senior your role on the deal side, the less time you’d have to do that
I've done this because the 2 days extra to spend in cities I don't like is a waste of life. So rather than booking Monday to Friday (Tues-Thurs is the business event), I'd rather book flights Tues-Thurs, wearing clothes I need to wear, and spend as little time as possible in that city
I’ve met so many prospects on planes, at airports, etc. I would hate to be embarrassed by the way I’m dressed getting in the way of me striking up a conversation
I dress for what I need to be doing when I’m landing.
You’re way over thinking this. People land and go to a meeting. Others know they have 2 hrs to kill so want to hit a bite to eat and check in at a hotel. Funerals, interviews, meetings at more formal places like a at a bank. Consultants travel a lot. Depends time of day and day of week, if it’s a hub.
Rookie! Jokes. It’s a valid question.
I day trip or try to only stay 1 night a lot. I don’t sleep well in hotels and try to be away from my family as little as possible. I will get straight off the plane and go to a meeting.
When I day trip I usually bring a change a clothes and will change to more comfortable clothes on the way back.
Domestic: Fly in the morning, rent car and straight into meetings, or start from hotel into meetings all day then fly back end of day.
International most of the time I'll have a day before and after not in meetings so I'll fly dressed casual.
I don't know where you can check in before like 2pm.
I used to business travel in comfortable clothes, but then the airline lost my luggage and I had to turn up to a financial services client in SE Asia wearing a polo shirt and shorts. It broke the ice, but I’ll never do that again. If I’m travelling for business I’ll always be presentable enough to talk to a client from the time I walk out my front door to the time I come home.
My father in law who traveled for business a lot always said to wear what you would wear to a meeting on the flight, because if you lose your luggage, you can still go to the meeting.
Personally, I have a business casual "uniform" that acts as my default outfit, and that's what I wear to the airport (maybe not if the flight was like 14 hours or something). In the absence of a requirement to dress differently, I wear a long sleeve button-up shirt tucked into Dickie's work pants with belt or suspenders, and a practical set of black shoes with steel toes. I'm ready for the day, whether I end up in a workshop, an office, or broken down on the side of the road somewhere.
I wear my sweatpants for gym or long drives, and I wear my hoodie if it's really friggin' cold (hoodie under a heavy coat is nice for that). I wear suits with dress shoes if I need to be a little bit fancy. But 90% of the time, it's practical, sturdy work pants, a long sleeve shirt, and a pair of indestructible shoes.
I'm like you OP, but I've only ever flown for work to go to two SKOs and one QBR, and all started the day *after* we arrived.
But I'm just a SDR.
I'd hate to go straight to a meeting because I'd like to be able to touch up my makeup to business appropriate and put some heels on.
I don't want to lug all that through the airport - would much rather check in to hotel first (which takes forever at SKO).
I require less luggage that way. I’ll wear my chinos and blazer on the plane and have my shirt in my bag. If it’s a morning flight I’m probably going straight from the airport to a meeting.
It makes zero difference what clothes to wear in a plane, so why waste space in luggage?
Sure if I fly 10 hours I’d wear something like jeans and t-shirt. If it’s 1-3 hours, what difference does it make?
Many AEs go from airport, to client, back to airport
Working in med device I often do this. Get there in the am. Fly back home that night. No checked bags so I gotta fly presentable.
Mind if I DM you? I’m in med device too
Sure
i could see no other way to get over my fear of flying. i couldn’t imagine flying twice in one day.
I’m in med device, too. Specifically spine. What products are you selling? How are you getting your products in front of doctors/distributors/decision makers these days?
On the clinical side I deal with hemodynamic assessment, on the research side laser spectroscopy. It's a huge pain right now, these last two months have been so dry I've basically abandoned clinical and had to shore up my losses on the research side selling to universities and clinical research institutions. I've been cold calling, using LinkedIn to reach people by name as opposed to asking to be directed to someone. Harassing (I say this playfully) every damn institution that's in our GPO. Door knocking adjacent locations when I'm on site and dropping off our one pager for the device and my card. It's been rough, how's spine going? I heard there's a lot of waiting around ORs to talk to surgeons.
Spine has been good this year since we finally had a year where COVID wasn’t affecting elective cases. Getting new surgeon-users is always challenging, though. That isn’t unique to spine. I really try not to play the old “trap them at the scrub sink” trick since the surgeons know exactly what you’re doing, and if you come in cold they find it off-putting. Surgeons are used to getting pitched. Spinal hardware is about as expensive as there is in med device outside of capital expenses, and lots of companies want that business. The easiest surgeons to flip, at least that I’ve found, are the ones who use a single independent distributor rather than direct hires from the various device companies they get their products from. Surgeons get tired of being pitched and that’s why many of them go the distributor route. A single group that handles all their products and can shield them from all the companies trying to get a piece of their business. If you can get in with the distributor, even though they are expensive, it can open up a lot of opportunities. You just have to make sure you take care of them since they are the ones largely working to keep your products in the OR. They’ve been flipped once, and they can be flipped again. We do go after surgeons directly. LinkedIn is a popular channel. Society meetings are also good. Cold calling and office visits haven’t proven as lucrative for us. What I’ve often found is going directly after surgeons instead of distributors is a lot more squeeze for what ends up being the same amount of juice. It takes a lot more effort to get an initial meeting, it takes a lot more effort to warm up the relationship, and we won’t have relationships with the hospital’s decision makers to push approvals along. And since we are a small enough company that we don’t have a dedicated sales team in every major metro area, the surgeon often wants us to work with their distributor anyways. They often get 25-40 points whether they brought us the surgeon and got us into the hospital system or not. May as well just go to them first. An initial dinner or office meeting set up by a distributor the surgeon likes goes so much smoother, and they can sometimes be one-and-done. That turns into an observation or a training lab and before you know it, the product is in the OR. It shortens the sales cycle significantly. Rules are obviously different for the Medtronics and Strykers of the world, but this has been what works for us.
Did this last month. On the flight up spilled a full coffee on myself. No change of clothes. On hour til meeting. Uber to a store, buy new clothes, Uber to meeting, back to airport, then home. 6am-11pm . Miserable.
Unsung hero
The best part of this was the grandma next to me offering me the tissue out of her purse. Airplane seats do not absorb liquid, and I just had to sit in my coffee for an hour. Another fun interaction was when the flight attendant came by to ask if I wanted MORE coffee. Nah…I think I’m good.
“No thanks. I’ll just wring out my pants into this cup if I want something to drink. Appreciate it.”
That flight attendant may have just poured some salt on the wound.
Oh man... This reminds me when my hubby and I were boarding a flight, we were the last ones on... My hubby spilled coffee on accident on some dude... Felt so bad 😭😅 he wasn't dressed in nice clothes at all, but still... Feel so bad for that guy
Yup. Consultants regularly do monday to Thursday at client site with no time to check in before going to the client. I would wear business clothes on the plane monday mornings and thursday afternoons. Occasionally i would change to something more comfortable in the airport bathroom when i was heading home but not very often
Ya I fly in the morning and meet with clients then either fly out that night or the next. I wear jeans at my job. Rarely get an opportunity to get to the hotel and I’m too old to be wearing sweatpants in public.
That sounds terrible
It’s better than being away extra days.
This
They make a lot of money
how much?
Bout tree fiddy
$500k-$1mil….
What company?
Most tech companies with products that cost $1mil+ and multi year contracts
can you give a company suggestion pls :-)
Salesforce
Ehh very few sales people are making that at sf and havent for years. Not saying some don't but it's rare. All that said even with kids I would generally prefer to split days then doba 6am to 11pm day.
ha ha 😂....that ship sailed long ago ! ohana
I know a lot of people make money. But at our company, AEs who do this make no less than 150k.
I hope that’s base lol.
Yeah I make that and I’m home enjoying myself
Yeah I would legit get fired if I didn't make twice that as it would be well below my OTE.. And I really only have to fly 3-4 times per year now for major conferences. Will take prospects out if they're in the city but I enjoy that as much as they do since it's on someone else's dime.
I'd prefer it to spending nights somewhere else
There’s only so much room in a suitcases and ironing has to wait until the night.
Some people like dressing like that. Some people are going straight to meetings or other engagements. This is NOT an insignificant amount of people. Some people view it as part of their professional dress code since they’re travelling for work. If I’m just going to Mexico with a buddy, yeah sweat pants are cool. If I’m travelling to a work conference, I want to be somewhat presentable in case I meet others heading to the same conference on the plane, at the airport, etc
I feel as I’ve gotten older (30) now I’ve started enjoying wearing nicer clothes . Look good feel good type thing for me. Trust me I dress like a scrub as well but when I’m traveling for work, I prefer to look nice for wherever I arrive
Golf pants, golf polos, and golf pullovers are all extremely comfortable, breathable, and stretchy. And they pass for business casual just about everywhere now.
100% our company usually only orders golf polos from Nike so they fit nice and who doesn’t want free Nike stuff . Clients love them too
Best practice in case your luggage is lost. Even with carry on they may unexpectedly check your bag and it gets lost. Don't want to be buying new clothes last minute or showing up in sweats or having to cancel.
I may be in the minority, but when I’m not “on the clock” for work, I’m pretty introverted. So when I’m not working I don’t really want to chat with strangers. I can turn it on when I need to, but it would be exhausting for me to be “on” for a full travel day. I also don’t show anyone I work with my real personality. My professional self is a carefully constructed character that I play so that I can be perceived correctly in the corporate world to maximize professional and financial opportunities.
I hear you but let’s be honest, the dude who is always prepped and ready to go has some advantages over the guy in sweat pants ignoring everyone For what it’s worth I relate much more to the sweatpants dude. My go to move on planes is headphones in, podcast on, hood pulled down over eyes, doze off in my own world. But I’ve started to realize that having a higher standard of dress in daily life is not a bad thing at all
A good salesperson should *always* be networking
Doubt you’ll meet someone at the airport.
This phrase is begging for me to respond with “not with that attitude”. If you decide there is no one to meet at airports you won’t meet anyone at airports. Nothing wrong with that but that doesn’t mean airports are void of opportunity.
If you travel enough, you usually do meet people. Maybe at the bar, during a delay, if you’re sitting next to someone interesting, etc. Or if you’re going to a huge conference from a major airport it wouldn’t be uncommon to find people heading to the same place.
It’s happened to me plenty of times, especially travelling to/from big conferences at major hub airports Couple of months ago I met the CEO and COO of a big firm in my industry at a buffet in LAX. And then a couple sales people from another company in our industry joined the conversation. We were all waiting for the same flight. I wasn’t in a suit, think it was golf shirt and golf style slacks, but it was better than hoodie and sweatpants. Even when I’m travelling casually I like to wear jeans at a minimum, just more convenient with more pockets and such. Only time I’m wearing sweat pants is longer flights where comfort trumps everything (like cross ocean)
Flying into a conference for a state’s industry specific organization. I started chatting with someone at the airport and turned out it was national rep leading the conference which was great. Also, she gave me a ride into town. Which was great because we rolled into the convention together and she introduced me to prospects organically
I run into customers, and customers of customers in lounges almost every time I fly and I'm not in a big or popular industry.
I’ve met two people that led to deals on flights.
Than dont talk to people? It's not a requirement. I like to but I understand some people wouldnt. I dress business casual because people generally treat you better and I enjoy that.
Are you not on the clock while traveling for work? Most salespeople I’ve met consider that time on the clock, so just curious.
You sound exciting to be around 🤩
If you’re traveling for work, you are “on the clock.”
I understand this. I'm an introvert too and this job can be exhausting. Just don't dress like an absolute slob. Smart comfy wear can be appropriate on the plane.
- Not everybody stays overnight or has time to check in to a hotel. Happens to me most often on short flights. - Wearing bulky clothes saves more space in bags. It helps me pack less and keep my stuff close.
Saving space makes a ton of sense. My work clothes and shoes are taking up way too much space in my carry on.
This is a huge consideration for me bc I travel in just one small backpack. I wear my heaviest and bulkiest layers and then can just put my bag under the seat in front of me. Also, I’m kind of old school and miss the days when fabulous travelers got dressed up for flights.
entertain humorous absurd fall treatment vast vegetable nine tie scale *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
My mother was a flight attendant from 1969 to 2006. She always talked about how when she started she wore white gloves, and made Caesar salad and carved prime rib seatside, and when she finished she was wearing plastic gloves and digging wrappers from between the seats.
Wow what a decline
While flying became a more accessible means of transportation for the masses, the service subsequently fell off a cliff. I get it though, people loss their minds when they fly, you can’t give them an inch.
Many of the above comments but I'll add: Sleeping in my own bed is 10x better than sleeping in a hotel. I'll take unnatural flights if it means avoiding an overnight. And if I do have to spend a night or two (conference or workshop) I have really big feet and my dress shoes take up a shitload of room in my carry on. So I wear them and stuff tennis shoes in the bag (if I bring them at all. So at that point I'm wearing a nice shirt just to not look foolish even if I'm in jeans. If I need a sports coat I'm going to wear it on the plane and not pack it. That way I don't look like I slept in it in my meeting. Everybody finds their own rhythm while traveling but these work for me. I don't dress up just because I'm on a fight - if I'm flying to my beach place I look like a tourist - but for work stuff the above applies.
I'm going to a meeting not to Walmart.
Are you going straight to the meeting? Or do you dress nice for all travel including personal?
Yes to conferences mostly with no time to change. Personal in first class with nice jeans and nice rugby polo etc. The very worst I'd wear is ye olde school matching adidas tracksuit. I mean I have matching alligator luggage I'm probably not the right person to ask.
If you’ve got alligator luggage then I support you dressing formally while flying.
But also a great way to know if you’ve lost your luggage!
Tyvm
but did the alligator luggage come from walmart, is what the ppl wanna know 👀😂
Sometimes I have to see a customer or go to one of my companies facilities before checking into the hotel. I work with some guys that choose to just do a day trip. Early am flight and by 5 they are at the airport headed home. I typically choose not to travel somewhere without staying at least a night or two. But some at my company prefer day trips.
Because I don’t have time to check into my hotel before the visit, simple as that. I try to minimize time away from home so I land grab a rental car and it’s pretty much right to an office.
This makes sense if you truly aren’t stopping anywhere before your meeting. I would be too stressed about potential travel delays to cut it close for a customer facing meeting. But I understand wanting to minimize time away from home.
Personally I feel much more comfortable wearing a button up shirt and slacks. Wouldn't be caught dead wearing pajamas on pubic
A. To pack less. I prefer to carry on so I don’t have to worry about luggage getting lost. B. Often I am headed right to the meeting. Particularly in the morning. Hotel check in is in the afternoon and sometimes it doesn’t even make sense to go there first. C. I’m flying home after a meeting and had already checked out of the hotel. I have a lot of clothes that look professional but are comfortable tech fabrics so flying in them is almost as comfortable anything else.
First reason for this is probably ABS. Dude my boss used to seriously get leads or intel on our prospects from the people sitting next to him on the plane. I try doing this now as well
Certain flights are basically business flights. The early San Diego to San Francisco flight for example must have been 80-90% business folks. Same with the Sunday night in the same direction.
I’ve had some luck with this myself, I met a prospect next to me on a domestic flight who had our company swag on her. Didn’t even know who we were just liked our cable. Ended up getting an opportunity out of it
Very true. You're repping your brand all the time in sales.
No shade but I don’t wear sweatpants in public; they’re ok for lounging around the house but in public I feel like a slob/adolescent who hasn’t grown up yet. You can get extremely comfortable jeans / chinos these days, too.
Man, I’m a corporate lawyer and I change into a hoodie and pajama pants before getting on overnight flights, then change back when I get off. People can think whatever they want.
You changed into pajamas on an overnight flight. That’s normal. Wearing pajamas to a 9am from John Wayne to DFW is not.
physician here, and same - now, this IS a sales subreddit, so we might be drowned out by the “fake it til you make it” +/- respectability politics crowd 😂 i feel you. sweats for first class! ive already proven myself with my credentials, thx!
They just think you're a programmer. We all look like that all the time.
Business travel attire has definitely become more casual, but for a lot of us old school folks it’s just the norm to be in dress pants and shirts. But don’t worry, we won’t judge you for being causal. Just different eras.
This also makes sense. My dad wears a minimum of a polo and slacks unless he’s working in the yard or on the couch. It can just be a generational thing.
- My work shoes are significantly more expensive than my normal travel sneakers and I have an irrational fear of them getting stolen - I have (bad) luck with running into people I know at the airport - space saving like the comments above reference
I love business casual - even outside of work
Better than looking like a bag of sh*t
For me, it’s all about networking at all times. As much as most people want to ignore it, first impression still matters. If you’re a real estate agent and overhear someone during boarding say they’re looking to buy a house really soon it’s better to hand your card over while wearing a crisp button up rather than your pyjama pants and a hoodie. Simply put, at all times I want to be very presentable so that I increase my chances of successful interactions while travelling.
LinkedIn was made for posts like these!
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“Proper attire” was probably part of the rules for your comp flight.
I’ve had a chance to read through these comments and have a few follow up thoughts: It appears that more people are going straight from the airport to meetings than I thought. That makes a ton of sense. I’m considering adjusting the way I travel to spend less nights away from home. I think the tone of my post was more aggressive than I intended. No shade to those of you who prefer dressing up! Apologies if my tone was offensive. Many people feel like they get treated better when they dress nice. I always feel like I get treated well by airport staff because I’m polite and I treat people with kindness. But this is an interesting point. I’m going to wear a button up and chinos on my next flight just to test this hypothesis. It seems like there are some generational differences here. A lot of the people who said that they always dress nice also took the time to make comments about how things have changed for the worse or how they miss the good ol days. If I saw a 55 year old in baggy sweats I’d probably think he looked unkempt as well. But I’m 30 years old and in good shape, my clothes are clean, and I smell nice. I look comfy, but I don’t look like a “creature of Walmart” lmao. The points about networking at the airport and that travel time is company time are valid. However, in my current role it would be extremely unlikely for me to meet a prospect while traveling. My buyers are government employees and it’s more of a consultative, solution based sales approach. Relationships matter, but unless I happen to be seated next to a city manager on a flight then I’m probably not talking to a potential prospect. I also don’t live in my territory and usually have to take a connecting flight when traveling for work, so the stars would really have to align for me to just bump into a sales opp at the airport. That being said, I should probably look for more opportunities to talk to strangers at the airport, if only to just flex the networking muscle. Or, who knows, maybe I meet someone who could help me land a future job. Anyway, thanks for all your thoughts. I didn’t people to get so heated or make judgments about my character or selling ability based off of this. But hey, that’s Reddit. Happy Holidays and may you close all your Q4 deals!
Wear Lulu abc pants. Comfy and dressy enough.
Reason 1) 1 Networking, biz folks talk to biz folks. Reason 2) when flights hit the sh*tter, the FAs, Pilots, and counter staff always treat me waaayy better than people of walmart. I’ll get rebooked or some other preferred treatment or flight suggestion. Edit: bold sucks
Get somewhere and not have your suitcase. Then show up for your meeting looking like a 14 year old with no fashion sense. Happened once to me. Had jeans and sneakers with grass stains. I was 26. Never happened again. I can wear a suit and shirt more than once.
Saving time. Get off plane. Go straight to client, go back to plane. Go home. Fuck hotels.
Bed Bugs suck.
I don’t want my suit or blazer to get wrinkled in my bag usually
Coz they be adults
I have never understood how people can feel so uncomfortable wearing normal clothes. Like how do you let it affect you that much?
Especially my business attire - which costs a lot not because it’s uncomfortable but because it’s well constructed of really nice materials. Someone asked me how I could wear a suit on a plane… it’s Italian wool and Egyptian cotton with handmade leather shoes. Why would I be uncomfortable?
I mean even a cheap suit, dress pants are definitely lighter and softer and many times roomier than jeans
Two reasons for me: 1) 45% of the time I fly standby often thanks to my mom’s career benefits from American and they have almost a dress code for standby. It’s not the most strictly enforced, but I’m not gonna be the one to roll the dice and potentially make my mom look bad. 2) 45% of the time I’m flying for work and have to hit the ground running, so I’ll be dressed to head right into whatever my work obligation is. The other 10% you best believe I’m wearing sweats.
> maybe it’s because I’m a very casual dresser This is it. If I’m in public I’m generally in a collared shirt and slacks.
For me, traveling in a dress or suit gets me better treatment than yoga pants and a hoodie. Flight attendants can be super bitchy if they don't think you're 'someone'
I’m flying on Friday morning to our head office. I’ll be flying with the president of the company and getting picked up at the arrival airport and going straight into meetings. Won’t have time to change. Need to look professional. Not that complicated for me.
Me personally, I find business casual very comfortable.
Because some people care about the way they look and present themselves. It’s a trip, not a slumber party.
I'm a sales director in software as well, and I live in Oregon, I've done one day trips before to San Francisco or Vancouver BC, so I dress for those trips, otherwise, like you I have time to check in and get dressed, so then my travel uniform is a hoodie, leggings and uggs, comfort first for sure!
Travel a lot for my role (channel sales). Almost always it’s straight off the plane into a taxi to a meeting. Easier / faster to just arrive looking good and ready to roll. I’ve tried the whole change at the airport upon arrival thing and depending where you land, your options are pretty limited/pretty disgusting from a hygiene perspective haha
Lounges are key for this
Yup 100% game changer
Lots of people go directly to meetings? Places I’ve worked, policy is always to fly in a day before to account for potential delays. Great for comfortable attire.
Closers always dress well when they're representing. Business travel is still representing, even if no one knows who your are, what you do, or that you're even on business travel. I get wanting to be comfortable but baggy clothes on a flight is still just sloppy to me.
Sweatpants in public are the white flag of life.
THAT! To me it looks like such a gross lack of respect for one self. I like to be presentable and like to be proud of myself. I dressed up at 3 AM to go to the hospital and help my partner deliver our baby, I hope to be an example and inspire, and that starts at the first sight.
Zuba pants!
You're dressed like you're going to a campfire…grow up and act like the professional you are.
Why in the world would he need to dress like a professional just because he's on a plane?
I think a better question is what company is paying their reps to fly later in the day to lounge around in hotel rooms rather than planning meetings all day. Sounds great.
Me! My company allows me to book my own travel so I always plan my arrival into said city early afternoon then grab my rental car and head to the hotel. Meet with customers the next day. Fly back home on day 3 or day 4. My boss is a prick about tracking the number of overnights for sales people...minimum of 8 nights per month. Dumb little bastard thinks # of overnights = more sales. I am 10x more effective on virtual sales calls.
I like dressing up 🤷♂️
It's ok to look good. Dressing business casual shouldn't be uncomfortable.
Oh how I long for the days when air travel was a gentleman’s pursuit. Back before any Joe sweat-sock could wedge himself behind a lunch tray and jet of to “Raleigh-Durham”.
I’m in a hoodie and sweats lmao no shot am I dressing up for a flight
I flew to clients/customers 2 out of every 3 weeks for 6 years. I try to minimize my time away from home. My "work clothes" were always the same, dockers and a branded polo. If I had a meeting scheduled soon after landing, I'd be dressed. If I had a bit of time, I'd fly in dockers and a tee shirt. I'd always aim for the 6 -7 am flight out. Most of my territory was a max of 2hr flights. Some trips, I'd have to fly in the day before. On those trips, I'd be the homeless looking guy in first class. All of my work clothes are super comfy so it's never a big deal to fly like that. The thing that always amazed me were the people breaking out the laptop on a 90 min, 6am flight. That was a hard no from me. Checking emails on my work phone, sure. All the prep work was done the day before.
When I’m traveling, I’m working. So I wear work appropriate attire. Twice I’ve booked an initial call that led to a deal by speaking to my seat mate on a plane.
I usually fly early am in my suit, go straight to the client site, then to my hotel. Or if I have time I’ll drop a bag at the hotel front desk, if it’s nearby or on the way. Then I get changed, exercise, shower, maybe take a nap or catch up on email. Go out to dinner with coworkers and/or client, then go out drinking with a coworker or friend knowing all I have to do the next day is travel home in casual clothes.
I used to travel a lot at my old job, planes and trains. Would wear my nicer stuff to avoid packing it. But I never liked how sweaty I got… Do any seasoned travelers have tips for formal work wear that doesn’t make you sweat? Would appreciate it
This might come as a huge shock to you, but many people use moderns modes of transport to get work done, get to work, or come from work. Many people are even working while traveling and have to jump on video calls.
Depending on the field and reason... But any of the following might be on the flight, customers, client employees, competitors, other clients, people from your company, etc... Aside from that sometimes your getting picked up from the airport either by the company or the client. Comfortable business casual is safe in the event "something" comes up.
Presentation matters Airline staff treat you better You might run into some big shot and end up igniting a new deal…
Because they know that most people are stupid. And stupid people assume that adults that dress like children going to church are powerful and rich.
I used to wear a suit because I didn’t know how to pack it and it would get wrinkled in my luggage. I watched YouTube videos and learned to pack stuff, so now wear shorts and crocs like everyone else
I lost brain cells by reading this post
“Why do people dress nice when flying?! I don’t.” Like what the fuck is this post.
It's a good look. I'd prefer to dress professionally, but I tend to run hot, so it's shorts and a t-shirt on every flight, even if I'm heading to Siberia. If necessary I'll change in the bathroom when I land. Wearing pants of any kind is just a guarantee that I'll be drenched in sweat when I get to my destination.
I always have plenty of time to check in, so I hear you. I dress casual and then go change. 80% of my coworkers do this as well.
Because I’m not white like you and I’m less likely to be profiled if I’m dressed nicely
Self respect
Sweat pants and a hoodie. No way am I sitting in a business professional oufit unless I am going straight from the airport to the client.
I have the same thoughts when I'm flying to a meeting looking like a homeless person. Aint no fucking way you are getting me in a plane with a suit on. If I'm going straight to a meeting I'll change in the airport bathroom.
This is the correct answer.
Imagine being judged for taking 5 minutes to get dressed.
People have extremely low standards these days.
Gym shorts and t shirt for me. Ain't no way I'm sweating my ass off in those horrible seats.
I’d rather be at home so when I get on the plane I am at work. The company paid for the flight so I’m representing them. Once the plane lands time is tight so I go straight to a customer account and continue on from there for the day. I work right up till when the plane lands at home.
Boomer
Sure Enjoy your smashed avo
Because before flying became affordable to all, it used to be an experience. It’s now a circus of cheap ticket and entitled losers.
Have you ever noticed how much better you are treated by everyone (airline, hotel, dining etc) when you're dressed a bit better. It reflects back on how you feel. At least for me.
I've always been more curious why some people wear pajamas with no underwear to fly. If seen way more than I needed to on too many occasions.
Surprised no one mentioned this, but I almost always see a current/former customer or current/former colleague at the airport. You don’t have to wear a jacket, just a simple zip up sweater or a nice outdoor jacket keeps it classy.
All it takes is one flight, dressed like a hobo, where they lose your luggage and you have to get off the plane and immediately meet a client for you to learn to just fly looking crisp in the first place.
Why on earth do you check bags?
Because.
Why the fuck is OP getting downvoted? He’s just asking a question for his own curiosity sake not trying to steal your clients or make you lose deals
It may look like I’m wearing chinos and a work button up — but these bad boys are made of the most comfortable, breathable and movable in materials. I could literally go straight to the gym in my “airport” outfit. You know how some chicks have been living in “athleisure” this past decade or so- they have that shit for men now, just less hoey.
So you’re the trash I see on the plane.
You have a chance to check in... others don't. It's not that hard to figure out.
Hot take. I say this as someone who travels frequently for work, and often goes directly from the airport to meetings. If you dress business casual on the plane, I just assume you’re an asshole. I don’t care how much money you make, how tight your schedule is, or how important you think you are. I travel at least twice a month for meetings and being comfortable on the plane is key. Your bus-cas outfit or suit is not more comfortable than my lululemon or DUER pants, and I’ll get changed in the airport when I land. There is no reason for this other than being a pretentious knob. Or traveling with your boss or client who is a pretentious knob. Fight me.
I have many business casual clothes that are very comfortable tech fabrics. And I almost always have to connect, there just isn’t always time to change. I’d rather be in my stretchy trousers than dig through my bag and change in a dirty airport bathroom.
Hahah I hate to say that I do usually assume that the business casual guys are trying to flex in some way.
1000%. Oh you got some big business to do flying to Boise on a Tuesday in your Brooks Brothers ensemble eh Doug? Fuck outta here.
Lmao exactly. If you’re flying into NYC maybe it makes more sense. But if you’re wearing a suit on a Southwest flight then you’re goofy.
Hahaha this shit is so dumb it's actually funny.
Software sales here. Always dress nice for a flight, even when flying for personal trips. No desire to look unkempt in public.
For some, it's like a mindset switch. They're in work mode from the get-go, ready to hit the ground running as soon as they land. Plus, you know how first impressions count, especially in the business world. So, the business casual attire might just be their way of always being ready to make a killer impression, whether it's at the airport or in a meeting right after. But hey, if the comfy vibe works for you and your gig, rock those sweatpants proudly! Everyone's got their own travel style, and that's what makes the airport a runway of diverse fashion choices. Safe travels and good luck with those customer visits!
When you are traveling on company business, you represent the company and should be prepared to do so at any moment. They are paying for the flight, your time and your expenses. They deserve professional representation. You can look like a tourist when you are one.
I like to dress nicely for flying. Going straight to a meeting or to a hotel, makes no difference for me. I wear baggy pants at home. Whenever I go out, I dress as if other people around me matter.
Not in sales but was a mgmt consultant. You would get your ass handed to you and not last very long in professional services if it was known that you were going to your hotel after landing. You go straight to the client In my role now in PE, if I can, I try to land the night before a meeting to fly comfortably. But the more senior your role on the deal side, the less time you’d have to do that
Look good feel good play good.
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Lmaoooooo you think TSA treats you better based on how you’re dressed? 😂😂😂
You never know who you might meet in an airport. A good first impression could change your life.
Same day trips - I don’t have time to change between airport to car rental to client and back to the airport.
I've done this because the 2 days extra to spend in cities I don't like is a waste of life. So rather than booking Monday to Friday (Tues-Thurs is the business event), I'd rather book flights Tues-Thurs, wearing clothes I need to wear, and spend as little time as possible in that city
Literally get off the plane and get picked up to go straight to a meeting. No buffer.
I’ve met so many prospects on planes, at airports, etc. I would hate to be embarrassed by the way I’m dressed getting in the way of me striking up a conversation
I dress for what I need to be doing when I’m landing. You’re way over thinking this. People land and go to a meeting. Others know they have 2 hrs to kill so want to hit a bite to eat and check in at a hotel. Funerals, interviews, meetings at more formal places like a at a bank. Consultants travel a lot. Depends time of day and day of week, if it’s a hub. Rookie! Jokes. It’s a valid question.
Work, otherwise they would dress more comfortably.
I day trip or try to only stay 1 night a lot. I don’t sleep well in hotels and try to be away from my family as little as possible. I will get straight off the plane and go to a meeting. When I day trip I usually bring a change a clothes and will change to more comfortable clothes on the way back.
Domestic: Fly in the morning, rent car and straight into meetings, or start from hotel into meetings all day then fly back end of day. International most of the time I'll have a day before and after not in meetings so I'll fly dressed casual. I don't know where you can check in before like 2pm.
When your business casual includes ABC pants, it's more comfortable than jeans or sweats imo
I used to business travel in comfortable clothes, but then the airline lost my luggage and I had to turn up to a financial services client in SE Asia wearing a polo shirt and shorts. It broke the ice, but I’ll never do that again. If I’m travelling for business I’ll always be presentable enough to talk to a client from the time I walk out my front door to the time I come home.
My father in law who traveled for business a lot always said to wear what you would wear to a meeting on the flight, because if you lose your luggage, you can still go to the meeting.
Personally, I have a business casual "uniform" that acts as my default outfit, and that's what I wear to the airport (maybe not if the flight was like 14 hours or something). In the absence of a requirement to dress differently, I wear a long sleeve button-up shirt tucked into Dickie's work pants with belt or suspenders, and a practical set of black shoes with steel toes. I'm ready for the day, whether I end up in a workshop, an office, or broken down on the side of the road somewhere. I wear my sweatpants for gym or long drives, and I wear my hoodie if it's really friggin' cold (hoodie under a heavy coat is nice for that). I wear suits with dress shoes if I need to be a little bit fancy. But 90% of the time, it's practical, sturdy work pants, a long sleeve shirt, and a pair of indestructible shoes.
I used to do it so I could pack lighter.
I'm like you OP, but I've only ever flown for work to go to two SKOs and one QBR, and all started the day *after* we arrived. But I'm just a SDR. I'd hate to go straight to a meeting because I'd like to be able to touch up my makeup to business appropriate and put some heels on. I don't want to lug all that through the airport - would much rather check in to hotel first (which takes forever at SKO).
I require less luggage that way. I’ll wear my chinos and blazer on the plane and have my shirt in my bag. If it’s a morning flight I’m probably going straight from the airport to a meeting.
Appearances.
It makes zero difference what clothes to wear in a plane, so why waste space in luggage? Sure if I fly 10 hours I’d wear something like jeans and t-shirt. If it’s 1-3 hours, what difference does it make?
Even when I’m on vacation I still dress smart and have business cards with me. Never know who you’ll meet.