{"version":"1.0.0","segments":[{"startTime":9.51,"endTime":12.95,"body":"Good day, speakers. Welcome to episode 45 of the profitable speaking"},{"startTime":12.95,"endTime":16.55,"body":"podcast. In this episode, we're gonna look at navigating the logistics of"},{"startTime":16.55,"endTime":20.323999999999998,"body":"conference speaking travel. Whether you're investing in your own resources or"},{"startTime":20.323999999999998,"endTime":24.165,"body":"enjoying the hospitality of conference organizers, I'm here to guide you through"},{"startTime":24.165,"endTime":27.159999999999997,"body":"the smart effective choices that should get you to the gig"},{"startTime":27.560000000000002,"endTime":31.32,"body":"without breaking the bank. I'm discussing everything from making the most of your"},{"startTime":31.32,"endTime":35.045,"body":"travel budget to optimizing your health and wellness on the go. Plus"},{"startTime":35.045,"endTime":38.885,"body":"I'll share some insider tips on how to navigate local, national, and international journeys"},{"startTime":38.885,"endTime":42.645,"body":"with ease. This episode is your go to guide for turning conference"},{"startTime":42.645,"endTime":46.179,"body":"travel into an opportunity for growth, networking, and unforgettable"},{"startTime":46.639,"endTime":50.08,"body":"experiences. Are you traveling on your own dime, or is the conference"},{"startTime":50.08,"endTime":53.825,"body":"paying? There's 2 different sorts of ways to travel to conferences, obviously."},{"startTime":53.965,"endTime":57.565000000000005,"body":"The first one is self funded. Self funded, basically, as it"},{"startTime":57.565000000000005,"endTime":61.22,"body":"easily says, is paying for yourself, and that brings up a"},{"startTime":61.22,"endTime":64.82,"body":"couple of things. So first of all, what is the return on investment? If you're"},{"startTime":64.82,"endTime":68.339,"body":"paying to go to speak at a conference, which means you're probably speaking for"},{"startTime":68.339,"endTime":71.52499999999999,"body":"free, are you gonna make your money back? It's all very well to say, oh,"},{"startTime":71.52499999999999,"endTime":74.16499999999999,"body":"I'm going to fly to Dubai and I'm going to speak at this conference for"},{"startTime":74.16499999999999,"endTime":77.52499999999999,"body":"free. But to fly to Dubai and back and pay for accommodation, you're probably looking"},{"startTime":77.52499999999999,"endTime":81.19999999999999,"body":"for 2 to $3,000 at least. So you need to know that you're gonna"},{"startTime":81.19999999999999,"endTime":84.88,"body":"make that money back. So you need to understand what your return on investment is"},{"startTime":84.88,"endTime":88.57499999999999,"body":"before you even say yes. So do your research and think about"},{"startTime":88.57499999999999,"endTime":92.255,"body":"it. But if the return on investment is there, then it could be well worth"},{"startTime":92.255,"endTime":95.695,"body":"your while to undertake self funding to fly and"},{"startTime":95.695,"endTime":99.03999999999999,"body":"travel to a conference. The fact that you're getting exposure"},{"startTime":99.33999999999999,"endTime":103.02,"body":"is not necessarily a good thing. As we all know, exposure is not"},{"startTime":103.02,"endTime":106.82499999999999,"body":"hard to get these days. But If it's the right exposure, if it's to"},{"startTime":106.82499999999999,"endTime":110.66499999999999,"body":"an audience that has money who would be willing to buy what it is"},{"startTime":110.66499999999999,"endTime":114.41999999999999,"body":"that you're selling or talking about, etcetera, then it's"},{"startTime":114.41999999999999,"endTime":118.19999999999999,"body":"worthwhile. So again, return on investment, great exposure"},{"startTime":118.41999999999999,"endTime":122.17999999999999,"body":"but if there's no ROI there, why would you self fund yourself to"},{"startTime":122.17999999999999,"endTime":125.82499999999999,"body":"go there? Do you have products or services to sell? Obviously, if you've"},{"startTime":125.82499999999999,"endTime":129.425,"body":"gotta pay for it, you want it to add up to something that's worthwhile to"},{"startTime":129.425,"endTime":133.22,"body":"cover the cost of your travel. At least try and cover the"},{"startTime":133.22,"endTime":136.9,"body":"costs through something like book sales. I mean, I wrote my 1st book. I"},{"startTime":136.9,"endTime":140.585,"body":"flew to a conference. I paid my own way. I spoke to a reasonably small"},{"startTime":140.585,"endTime":144.42499999999998,"body":"room, but I was actually able to sell enough books to pay for my couple"},{"startTime":144.42499999999998,"endTime":148.25,"body":"of $100 worth of flights because I flew down and back in the same day,"},{"startTime":148.25,"endTime":151.69,"body":"so it was worthwhile. I got some exposure in front of the audience that I"},{"startTime":151.69,"endTime":155.075,"body":"really wanted to be in front of, but I didn't necessarily make any big money."},{"startTime":155.135,"endTime":158.975,"body":"But the sales of the book covered my costs, and that's the most important thing"},{"startTime":158.975,"endTime":162.76999999999998,"body":"in the end. When you're traveling and you're self funded, Do you really need a"},{"startTime":162.76999999999998,"endTime":166.53,"body":"5 star room? Now I grew up camping, so for me, 5 star"},{"startTime":166.53,"endTime":169.98999999999998,"body":"is fantastic, but honestly, I'm happy with a 1 star budget motel"},{"startTime":170.275,"endTime":173.635,"body":"as long as the rooms are clean and tidy, and it's relatively close to the"},{"startTime":173.635,"endTime":176.595,"body":"conference center. The reason I like to be close to the conference center is because"},{"startTime":176.595,"endTime":179.54,"body":"of all the functions that go on. It's easy enough to walk back and forth"},{"startTime":179.54,"endTime":183.22,"body":"if you wanna go to a function at night or to go to an afternoon"},{"startTime":183.22,"endTime":187.059,"body":"tea or even just to attend some sessions if you're not speaking until the next"},{"startTime":187.059,"endTime":190.415,"body":"day. So don't always go for the top level of"},{"startTime":190.415,"endTime":193.934,"body":"accommodation. I know we all like to be fancy, but let's be"},{"startTime":193.934,"endTime":197.32,"body":"realistic here. This is an investment in a business. If you Running a business and"},{"startTime":197.32,"endTime":200.91899999999998,"body":"you had someone going to speak at a conference for you, would you pay for"},{"startTime":200.91899999999998,"endTime":203.79999999999998,"body":"them to stay in 5 star or would you put them in and say really"},{"startTime":203.79999999999998,"endTime":207.36499999999998,"body":"nice 3 star accommodation? Realistically, you would put them in 3 star"},{"startTime":207.36499999999998,"endTime":211.20499999999998,"body":"accommodation. Why should you be any different? If you got loads of money, do"},{"startTime":211.20499999999998,"endTime":214.65,"body":"what you like. But if you're in business, Keeping an eye on the purse strings"},{"startTime":214.65,"endTime":217.93,"body":"is a really important thing to do. So what if you're going to a conference"},{"startTime":217.93,"endTime":221.39,"body":"and all your accommodation and flights are are funded by the conference organizers?"},{"startTime":221.785,"endTime":225.32399999999998,"body":"A couple of things to think about here. 1st 1 is use your flight rewards"},{"startTime":225.384,"endTime":228.88,"body":"card when you're flying. In other words, try and get the"},{"startTime":228.88,"endTime":232.64,"body":"conference organizer to book your preferred airline if possible. Now it's not"},{"startTime":232.64,"endTime":236.319,"body":"always possible because some companies actually have travel companies that do all"},{"startTime":236.319,"endTime":240.085,"body":"their bookings and they only book through Qantas or Singapore Airlines"},{"startTime":240.085,"endTime":243.70499999999998,"body":"or whoever it might be. But if you do have the option, it is worthwhile"},{"startTime":243.92499999999998,"endTime":247.68,"body":"getting those flight points because you can then use them later on to go on"},{"startTime":247.68,"endTime":251.35999999999999,"body":"a self funded trip and not have to pay for those flights. So get"},{"startTime":251.35999999999999,"endTime":254.815,"body":"smart, get those points where you can. But if you're going"},{"startTime":254.815,"endTime":258.65500000000003,"body":"to find flights for them to get you there, be fair. If you can"},{"startTime":258.65500000000003,"endTime":261.77500000000003,"body":"fly at 8 AM in the morning and it's a $200 flight or you fly"},{"startTime":261.77500000000003,"endTime":265.619,"body":"at 12 and it's a $500 flight. Please do the right thing by"},{"startTime":265.619,"endTime":269.29900000000004,"body":"the conference organizers and take the $200 flight. It's really not asking that"},{"startTime":269.29900000000004,"endTime":271.90500000000003,"body":"much to have to get up an hour earlier than you normally would get to"},{"startTime":271.90500000000003,"endTime":275.58500000000004,"body":"the airport on time. So be fair and they will generally play"},{"startTime":275.58500000000004,"endTime":279.22,"body":"along and happily book with with your preferred airline. Remember"},{"startTime":279.22,"endTime":282.98,"body":"that anything over 3 hours in your contract should be business class. It's"},{"startTime":282.98,"endTime":286.63500000000005,"body":"a pretty standard speaking rule and I think it's Fair one. The"},{"startTime":286.63500000000005,"endTime":289.51500000000004,"body":"only time I think that maybe it doesn't apply is if you look at somewhere"},{"startTime":289.51500000000004,"endTime":292.875,"body":"like Australia where you might be flying from Brisbane to Perth, which is across the"},{"startTime":292.875,"endTime":296.71000000000004,"body":"country. Realistically, I I would take economy on that"},{"startTime":296.71000000000004,"endTime":299.98900000000003,"body":"myself. If someone's willing to pay business class, I'm not gonna complain about a seat"},{"startTime":299.98900000000003,"endTime":303.08500000000004,"body":"with a bit of leg room because I'm 6 foot 4, and that means that"},{"startTime":303.08500000000004,"endTime":306.845,"body":"I'm not gonna be jammed in for 6 hours. That said, I fly to Singapore"},{"startTime":306.845,"endTime":310.65000000000003,"body":"economy class, and I'm perfectly happily there. So see what works for you,"},{"startTime":310.65000000000003,"endTime":314.19,"body":"but it is a normal contract thing to have over 3 hour flight business class."},{"startTime":314.41,"endTime":317.95500000000004,"body":"When it comes to the rooms and their booking rooms on-site, Generally, where the"},{"startTime":317.95500000000004,"endTime":321.65500000000003,"body":"conference is being held, any room is good because you're not paying for it."},{"startTime":321.95500000000004,"endTime":325.71500000000003,"body":"If you wanna request something like nonsmoking, which pretty well every hotel is now,"},{"startTime":325.71500000000003,"endTime":329.29900000000004,"body":"or away from the lift wells, Fair enough. I understand that. Don't really"},{"startTime":329.29900000000004,"endTime":332.98,"body":"complain. Be happy they're giving you a room. One thing you can ask is food"},{"startTime":332.98,"endTime":336.755,"body":"food included. And that's a common thing. You might not get a conference Breakfast, but"},{"startTime":336.755,"endTime":339.755,"body":"you might get lunch while you're at the conference, and you might be invited to"},{"startTime":339.755,"endTime":342.39500000000004,"body":"the conference dinner, in which case you can save money because you're not having to"},{"startTime":342.39500000000004,"endTime":346.09000000000003,"body":"buy lunch. For me personally, when it comes to breakfast, When I travel a while,"},{"startTime":346.09000000000003,"endTime":349.61,"body":"I often have McDonald's for breakfast because normally I have cereal, and so I"},{"startTime":349.61,"endTime":353.45000000000005,"body":"prefer to have something a little different. And for 10 or $15, I can have"},{"startTime":353.45000000000005,"endTime":357.185,"body":"McDonald's. And when you buy breakfast at the hotel, it's"},{"startTime":357.185,"endTime":360.46500000000003,"body":"often 30, $40, and it's really not worth the money. You can always go to"},{"startTime":360.46500000000003,"endTime":364.03000000000003,"body":"a cafe and get a croissant, whatever you want, but find out what the policy"},{"startTime":364.03000000000003,"endTime":367.07000000000005,"body":"is before you fly there and assume that they're gonna pay for your food as"},{"startTime":367.07000000000005,"endTime":370.75,"body":"well. One thing I've asked often is, can I add extra days"},{"startTime":370.75,"endTime":374.555,"body":"at my own expense? So sometimes they'll want you to fly in, say, on"},{"startTime":374.555,"endTime":377.595,"body":"a Friday so you're ready to speak on a Saturday and then fly out Saturday"},{"startTime":377.595,"endTime":380.96000000000004,"body":"night. If I'm going to another city, some it's really nice to see another So"},{"startTime":380.96000000000004,"endTime":383.68,"body":"I'll often say, look. Do you mind if I book an extra day and push"},{"startTime":383.68,"endTime":387.04,"body":"my flights back to, say, Sunday afternoon or Monday morning or something like"},{"startTime":387.04,"endTime":390.545,"body":"that? Most conference organizers are happy with that as long as you are picking up"},{"startTime":390.545,"endTime":394.38500000000005,"body":"The cost of the accommodation for the extra days and they're happy whenever you"},{"startTime":394.38500000000005,"endTime":398.065,"body":"take the flight as long as it's within reasonable time and reasonable"},{"startTime":398.065,"endTime":401.79,"body":"cost, of course. Another thing is some speakers I know travel with their"},{"startTime":401.79,"endTime":405.23,"body":"partners. So they pay for their partner's flight and the partner stays in the room"},{"startTime":405.23,"endTime":407.47,"body":"with them because it doesn't cost any more to have 2 people in a room"},{"startTime":407.47,"endTime":411.065,"body":"than it does one. So you can also do those sorts of things. Again, it's"},{"startTime":411.065,"endTime":414.105,"body":"something you need to discuss with a conference organizer. When you're paying for it on"},{"startTime":414.105,"endTime":417.63,"body":"your own dime, that's a different story. You can do whatever you like. And last"},{"startTime":417.63,"endTime":421.39000000000004,"body":"but not least and probably, in my opinion, most important part about"},{"startTime":421.39000000000004,"endTime":425.14500000000004,"body":"when they're paying is to remember that they're hiring you to work for them."},{"startTime":425.38500000000005,"endTime":429.065,"body":"You're not the king or queen. It's simple. You're going there to speak for"},{"startTime":429.065,"endTime":432.665,"body":"them. You're not doing them an honor. They're doing you an honor by putting you"},{"startTime":432.665,"endTime":436.37,"body":"in front of their people. So don't be the king or queen and"},{"startTime":436.37,"endTime":439.889,"body":"expecting to be driven around and picked up in a limo and treated like a"},{"startTime":439.889,"endTime":443.685,"body":"god. It's not acceptable behavior. It's Quite unbecoming and if you"},{"startTime":443.685,"endTime":447.045,"body":"wanna get booked again, it's definitely not the way to go about it. Just remember,"},{"startTime":447.045,"endTime":450.805,"body":"you're only part of the machine. You're part of the conference. You're not the"},{"startTime":450.805,"endTime":454.64000000000004,"body":"whole conference. Be humble. Enjoy the opportunity you've been given."},{"startTime":454.78000000000003,"endTime":458.54,"body":"And if you do and you play the game and everybody has a good time"},{"startTime":458.54,"endTime":461.77500000000003,"body":"and You do your thing and they enjoy it. You might get invited back and"},{"startTime":461.77500000000003,"endTime":465.61400000000003,"body":"that's even more important because that gets business booked in the future plus other"},{"startTime":465.61400000000003,"endTime":469.40000000000003,"body":"people We'll, you know, recommend you and you may pick up other gigs. So"},{"startTime":469.40000000000003,"endTime":473.079,"body":"that's self funded versus, you know, conference organizer funded. What about health and"},{"startTime":473.079,"endTime":476.71500000000003,"body":"wellness? The first thing is when you're traveling, Make sure you're eating properly. It's really"},{"startTime":476.71500000000003,"endTime":479.595,"body":"important. We tend to eat little bits and pieces and all that sort of stuff,"},{"startTime":479.595,"endTime":483.36,"body":"and you can get sick really quickly in another country if you're not careful about"},{"startTime":483.36,"endTime":486.88,"body":"what you're eating or even within your own country, depending on what your diet's"},{"startTime":486.88,"endTime":490.02000000000004,"body":"normally. Your body's used to eating a certain way when you go away, eat differently."},{"startTime":490.32000000000005,"endTime":494.144,"body":"It can affect how your body functions. There's no doubt about that. You also need"},{"startTime":494.144,"endTime":497.90500000000003,"body":"to keep up your fluids because we get dehydrated more when we're traveling"},{"startTime":497.90500000000003,"endTime":501.63,"body":"because we're living in air conditioning, which often we don't leave in air conditioning at"},{"startTime":501.63,"endTime":505.47,"body":"home unless it's certain times of the year and also you're you're flying"},{"startTime":505.47,"endTime":508.59000000000003,"body":"and things like that. So drinking plenty of water as well as eating properly is"},{"startTime":508.59000000000003,"endTime":512.225,"body":"really important. Make sure that you find some places to exercise even if it's going"},{"startTime":512.225,"endTime":515.665,"body":"for a long walk every day. You know, a 5 kilometer walk is a good"},{"startTime":515.665,"endTime":519.16,"body":"thing. It keeps you healthy, keeps the blood moving, and it stops you just sitting"},{"startTime":519.16,"endTime":522.2,"body":"still. I find sometimes when I'm away speaking, I spend a lot of time in"},{"startTime":522.2,"endTime":525.5,"body":"hotel rooms or conference rooms, and it really throws my"},{"startTime":525.684,"endTime":529.524,"body":"Circadian rhythm out as they say. I need to get outside. I need to have"},{"startTime":529.524,"endTime":532.644,"body":"real air and real sunshine and things like that on me or rain. I don't"},{"startTime":532.644,"endTime":535.75,"body":"mind. Make sure you look at what sort of things you can be seeing while"},{"startTime":535.75,"endTime":538.63,"body":"you're in town. If you're going to another city and you've never been there before,"},{"startTime":538.63,"endTime":542.01,"body":"go and have a look at the museum. Go and look at some famous places."},{"startTime":542.374,"endTime":545.515,"body":"Remember, life is an experience. It's about experiencing"},{"startTime":545.734,"endTime":549.254,"body":"things. Just going there to speak and then getting back on the plane and coming"},{"startTime":549.254,"endTime":551.989,"body":"back, I think it's a waste of a massive opportunity,"},{"startTime":552.609,"endTime":556.369,"body":"so take the time even if it's a half an hour just to go out"},{"startTime":556.369,"endTime":559.8050000000001,"body":"and look at something. I'm sure you'll be able to fit it in. No one's"},{"startTime":559.8050000000001,"endTime":563.585,"body":"ever needed all the time at a conference. Don't start drinking"},{"startTime":563.8050000000001,"endTime":567.49,"body":"when you're speaking at a conference. Number 1, you'll get dehydrated. That's never a"},{"startTime":567.49,"endTime":571.33,"body":"good thing. Number 2, you do not want perchance to have a hangover when"},{"startTime":571.33,"endTime":575.025,"body":"you've gotta go on stage. It just dulls your performance, and it's really"},{"startTime":575.025,"endTime":577.985,"body":"not good to see or even worse if you go on stage when you've had"},{"startTime":577.985,"endTime":581.6650000000001,"body":"a drink. There is no excuse for that. K? Stick to soft"},{"startTime":581.6650000000001,"endTime":585.41,"body":"drinks, the water or nonalcoholic drinks, whatever it is,"},{"startTime":585.41,"endTime":589.1700000000001,"body":"while you're away on the conference. Once you finish speaking, if you wanna have something"},{"startTime":589.1700000000001,"endTime":592.885,"body":"to drink, That's fine. Your obligation's finished there, but please do"},{"startTime":592.885,"endTime":596.405,"body":"the right thing. Remember, this is a business. You're a business person. You need to"},{"startTime":596.405,"endTime":600.1800000000001,"body":"act professional. And lastly, when it comes to local travel, one of the"},{"startTime":600.1800000000001,"endTime":603.64,"body":"things I'm sorry. Travel full stop is, obviously,"},{"startTime":603.78,"endTime":607.265,"body":"COVID and flus, and I always mention this. But Every time I talk to friends"},{"startTime":607.265,"endTime":610.624,"body":"that have gone on a plane lately, they keep getting sick. So be aware of"},{"startTime":610.624,"endTime":613.265,"body":"it. Make sure you keep your flu shots and all those sorts of things up"},{"startTime":613.265,"endTime":617.059,"body":"to date and and stay healthy as possible. So there's different"},{"startTime":617.059,"endTime":620.179,"body":"types of travel for speaking, and I I feel they fall in the 3 main"},{"startTime":620.179,"endTime":623.965,"body":"categories. The first is local travel. Local travel is where it's within"},{"startTime":623.965,"endTime":626.924,"body":"an hour or 2 of your house. K. You can drive there. You can grab"},{"startTime":626.924,"endTime":630.285,"body":"public transport. It's up to you. Things to think about, you need to allow for"},{"startTime":630.285,"endTime":633.72,"body":"traffic, so don't leave it too late. Better to arrive early than late. You can"},{"startTime":633.72,"endTime":636.76,"body":"always open up your laptop and do some work in the back room. Make sure"},{"startTime":636.76,"endTime":640.4150000000001,"body":"you pack a can of deodorant if you're buying by public transport because unlike in"},{"startTime":640.4150000000001,"endTime":643.335,"body":"a car where you can control the air conditioning, it could get quite hot and"},{"startTime":643.335,"endTime":647.015,"body":"sweaty, and you do not wanna come off smelling like a wet dog or"},{"startTime":647.015,"endTime":650.69,"body":"something. Make sure you pack water so you've got water to drink. Again, dehydration"},{"startTime":650.83,"endTime":654.6700000000001,"body":"is a bad thing for any human. And lastly, if where you are"},{"startTime":654.6700000000001,"endTime":658.455,"body":"is really hot, You may be using Uber rather than walking"},{"startTime":658.455,"endTime":662.135,"body":"from say the bus station to the conference center or or a"},{"startTime":662.135,"endTime":665.71,"body":"cab, whatever there happens to be around. For example, in Singapore, it is very"},{"startTime":665.71,"endTime":669.47,"body":"hot. Even walking 4 or 5 blocks in a suit is enough to take"},{"startTime":669.47,"endTime":673.145,"body":"someone who doesn't live there and make them dripping away. So"},{"startTime":673.145,"endTime":676.684,"body":"not a good thing. So with local travel, remember, you you're working within"},{"startTime":676.825,"endTime":680.53,"body":"distance of home, but There's other things to think about there. National"},{"startTime":680.53,"endTime":684.37,"body":"travel. If you're traveling nationally, I recommend when you're booking flights to use"},{"startTime":684.37,"endTime":688.025,"body":"the flight carrier's website. So if I'm flying Virgin, which I generally do, then I"},{"startTime":688.025,"endTime":691.725,"body":"use Virgin's website to book all my bookings underneath my flight rewards."},{"startTime":692.105,"endTime":695.945,"body":"Okay? I use booking.com personally for my accommodation because I found them"},{"startTime":695.945,"endTime":699.58,"body":"to be reliable and they have some pretty good deals. I'm sure there's other"},{"startTime":699.58,"endTime":703.02,"body":"websites that you use as well, but find the one that works for you and"},{"startTime":703.02,"endTime":706.379,"body":"then stick with it because they all have reward port points attached to it for"},{"startTime":742.549,"endTime":745.785,"body":"loyalty and you can take advantage of those so that when you do need to"},{"startTime":745.785,"endTime":749.545,"body":"take a free trip, you can get cheap accommodation and get free flights"},{"startTime":749.545,"endTime":752.9499999999999,"body":"and that sort of stuff. When I talk about getting flight points, the reason why"},{"startTime":752.9499999999999,"endTime":756.63,"body":"I impress this is because literally traveling to Perth for a conference in a month's"},{"startTime":756.63,"endTime":760.305,"body":"time and the flights to Perth cost me $55 each why? Because I was able"},{"startTime":760.305,"endTime":763.8249999999999,"body":"to use flight points for 90% of the flight. Now I know you're not gonna"},{"startTime":763.8249999999999,"endTime":767.52,"body":"fly to Perth for $55 generally, but because I've got the points, It's"},{"startTime":767.52,"endTime":771.1999999999999,"body":"there. Absolutely worth looking into how you set up your flight rewards"},{"startTime":771.1999999999999,"endTime":774.66,"body":"card. So, for example, with Virgin Australia, you can link flybys."},{"startTime":774.904,"endTime":778.1039999999999,"body":"And as I have a Coles supermarket nearby and I do most of my shopping"},{"startTime":778.1039999999999,"endTime":781.625,"body":"there, every time I go to Coles and I buy food, I swipe my flybuys."},{"startTime":781.625,"endTime":784.81,"body":"Now I know some Some people aren't into the tracking side of it. Quite frankly,"},{"startTime":784.81,"endTime":788.49,"body":"I don't care because those fly by points I'm getting is what paid for"},{"startTime":788.49,"endTime":792.215,"body":"my flights to Perth. Why not take advantage of the system when"},{"startTime":792.215,"endTime":795.8149999999999,"body":"it's there for you. As you fly more and you use the same company, you"},{"startTime":795.8149999999999,"endTime":798.535,"body":"move up in your class. So you move up to silver class or a gold"},{"startTime":798.535,"endTime":801.99,"body":"class or a platinum class, and that brings with it rewards. So being gold class"},{"startTime":801.99,"endTime":805.669,"body":"means, obviously, you can go into the lounges and things like that anytime, and that"},{"startTime":805.669,"endTime":808.15,"body":"makes a big difference. Rather than having to sit in the airport with everyone else,"},{"startTime":808.15,"endTime":810.9449999999999,"body":"you can go into the lounge. It's quiet. They've got food there. You can have"},{"startTime":810.9449999999999,"endTime":814.665,"body":"a drink. They make fresh coffee, all those sorts of things. It"},{"startTime":814.665,"endTime":818.025,"body":"does make traveling just that little bit easier, and some of the"},{"startTime":818.025,"endTime":821.8199999999999,"body":"facilities have showers and all sorts of stuff. It is worthwhile being"},{"startTime":821.8199999999999,"endTime":825.5,"body":"loyal to an airline that you generally use. Another thing I would say"},{"startTime":825.5,"endTime":829.295,"body":"about airlines, but is to know which carriers never leave, and it's a well"},{"startTime":829.295,"endTime":832.975,"body":"known fact that some carriers seem to cancel their flights a lot"},{"startTime":832.975,"endTime":836.655,"body":"more. Now I'm not gonna name the airline that I would normally"},{"startTime":836.655,"endTime":840.05,"body":"say, but most Australian speakers would not fly this"},{"startTime":840.05,"endTime":843.41,"body":"particular airline because they have a habit of canceling early morning"},{"startTime":843.41,"endTime":846.435,"body":"flights. So you go to the airport and you find out your flight's canceled. Now"},{"startTime":846.515,"endTime":850.055,"body":"going to a conference, that's a really bad thing to have happen, and, yeah,"},{"startTime":850.275,"endTime":853.5749999999999,"body":"be careful which airlines you fly with. Some of them do have a reputation"},{"startTime":854.169,"endTime":858.01,"body":"for canceling early morning flights. So even though overall, the statistics look like they"},{"startTime":858.01,"endTime":861.775,"body":"only cancel, say, 20% of flights like every other airline, The 20%"},{"startTime":861.915,"endTime":865.355,"body":"they cancel is every single morning almost. Check your stats. Talk with other"},{"startTime":865.355,"endTime":868.9549999999999,"body":"speakers. You'll find out who they are pretty quickly. Always make sure you stay"},{"startTime":868.9549999999999,"endTime":872.29,"body":"close to the event, but not at the venue unless it's paid for by the"},{"startTime":872.29,"endTime":876.13,"body":"organizer. Why? Because conference venue overcharge for"},{"startTime":876.13,"endTime":879.535,"body":"accommodation always. It's almost invariably"},{"startTime":879.595,"endTime":883.1949999999999,"body":"higher than the hotel that's 1 block away, and yet the rooms are no"},{"startTime":883.1949999999999,"endTime":886.8149999999999,"body":"better. There's pretty well a standard quality in Australia I know personally"},{"startTime":887.24,"endTime":890.84,"body":"that no matter what, whether you're in 3, 4, or 5, there's no real difference"},{"startTime":890.84,"endTime":893.799,"body":"between the rooms. So they might have a few more thread counts in the sheet."},{"startTime":893.799,"endTime":897.4549999999999,"body":"Most people can't feel that. They might have nicer cleaning things so to me"},{"startTime":897.4549999999999,"endTime":901.215,"body":"and so on and so forth. So just remember, don't have to"},{"startTime":901.215,"endTime":903.6949999999999,"body":"be in the venue as long as you're close by so that you can move"},{"startTime":903.6949999999999,"endTime":907.03,"body":"back and forth easy. And thirdly, of course, brings us to international travel."},{"startTime":907.169,"endTime":910.53,"body":"I'm really strong when it comes to traveling internationally. I use a travel agent to"},{"startTime":910.53,"endTime":914.245,"body":"book my travel if I'm paying for it. The reason being is that problems"},{"startTime":914.245,"endTime":917.765,"body":"happen when you travel internationally. And when you use a travel"},{"startTime":917.765,"endTime":921.525,"body":"agent, travel agents have access to computer systems, which allow them to"},{"startTime":921.525,"endTime":925.35,"body":"get good deals, but also allow them to solve problems that you as a person"},{"startTime":925.35,"endTime":929.1899999999999,"body":"who might have organized the flight travel yourself may not be able to do."},{"startTime":929.1899999999999,"endTime":932.755,"body":"And there's nothing worse than being stuck on another country on your"},{"startTime":932.755,"endTime":936.435,"body":"own when things start to come apart. If you've got a partner, as"},{"startTime":936.435,"endTime":940.26,"body":"in a travel agent, then that's Someone else there to"},{"startTime":940.26,"endTime":943.22,"body":"help you. They can dig around. They can spend a couple of hours if necessary"},{"startTime":943.22,"endTime":946.26,"body":"sorting out the problems for you because you're gonna go back to them again and"},{"startTime":946.26,"endTime":950.0749999999999,"body":"again. It's worth their trouble. I have friends that own a travel agency, and I"},{"startTime":950.0749999999999,"endTime":953.135,"body":"always use them. And yet I know I'm fully capable of booking these flights online,"},{"startTime":953.1949999999999,"endTime":956.395,"body":"but I don't. If I go international, I go to them. It's simple. It's not"},{"startTime":956.395,"endTime":959.39,"body":"a big deal for them. Sometimes they're only, you know, small deals when it comes"},{"startTime":959.39,"endTime":962.99,"body":"to, you know, percentage wise in their pocket, but then when family wants to go"},{"startTime":962.99,"endTime":966.13,"body":"on a holiday to Europe or something, I know I still will be using them."},{"startTime":966.395,"endTime":970.0749999999999,"body":"So I recommend you you do that. When you do book all those things, make"},{"startTime":970.0749999999999,"endTime":973.355,"body":"sure you give them all your your rewards card numbers. And if you they can't"},{"startTime":973.355,"endTime":976.6999999999999,"body":"get you onto your regular airline, make sure you sign up for the rewards card"},{"startTime":976.6999999999999,"endTime":980.299,"body":"for the airline they can get you on. And remember, there's airlines that work together."},{"startTime":980.299,"endTime":984.06,"body":"So if you get, say, Chris Flyer rewards, that might work with 4 or 5"},{"startTime":984.06,"endTime":987.8539999999999,"body":"different airlines. So Look at what you need to do. Again, you can sign"},{"startTime":987.8539999999999,"endTime":991.155,"body":"up for all these reward cards generally free, so it's it's not really a hassle."},{"startTime":991.375,"endTime":994.9499999999999,"body":"Make sure you're getting insured when you travel internationally, and this is super,"},{"startTime":994.9499999999999,"endTime":998.789,"body":"super important. And make sure you add a couple of days at"},{"startTime":998.789,"endTime":1002.4449999999999,"body":"the end of when you're due back. Don't just book to the day you due"},{"startTime":1002.4449999999999,"endTime":1006.2049999999999,"body":"back. Invariably, people and I've heard so many horror stories of this,"},{"startTime":1006.2049999999999,"endTime":1009.48,"body":"not so much with speakers, but just general travel. With people who booked to say"},{"startTime":1009.48,"endTime":1012.76,"body":"Friday because they're flying back Friday, and then the plane doesn't leave and they've gotta"},{"startTime":1012.76,"endTime":1016.4399999999999,"body":"stay another 24 hours and they have an accident and something really"},{"startTime":1016.4399999999999,"endTime":1020.105,"body":"drastic happens and they end up in hospital. And their insurance ran out on the"},{"startTime":1020.105,"endTime":1023.7049999999999,"body":"Friday, and they had the accident on the Saturday. So suddenly they're in big financial"},{"startTime":1023.7049999999999,"endTime":1027.38,"body":"trouble. Please don't put yourself That position pay for a couple extra days. It's"},{"startTime":1027.38,"endTime":1031.0,"body":"only 10 or $15, whatever it happens to be. It's not worth"},{"startTime":1031.38,"endTime":1035.0240000000001,"body":"having something really bad happen to you. Okay? The worst you'd"},{"startTime":1035.0240000000001,"endTime":1038.784,"body":"probably be stuck there is 48 hours, so 2 days should cover"},{"startTime":1038.784,"endTime":1042.5,"body":"it, but it's up to you to decide that. But when you travel, most, international"},{"startTime":1042.5,"endTime":1046.26,"body":"travel, you're allowed 23 kilos when you're traveling. Some of the budget airlines,"},{"startTime":1046.26,"endTime":1049.955,"body":"but only add 20 kilos that you're allowed to have, that can make a"},{"startTime":1049.955,"endTime":1053.395,"body":"big difference. Three kilos doesn't sound like a lot, but when I recently traveled to"},{"startTime":1053.395,"endTime":1056.935,"body":"Singapore, I only had 20 kilos because I was traveling on a budget airline."},{"startTime":1057.099,"endTime":1060.299,"body":"Then when I went to come back, I realized that I'd gone with almost 20"},{"startTime":1060.299,"endTime":1063.979,"body":"kilos. So bringing back, like, souvenirs and lots of stuff actually would"},{"startTime":1063.979,"endTime":1067.4750000000001,"body":"put me over the limit. I actually what's limited in what I could bring home."},{"startTime":1067.4750000000001,"endTime":1070.595,"body":"So just be aware, you do have limits you can take. You may have to"},{"startTime":1070.595,"endTime":1074.18,"body":"pay for an extra bag. So if you got resources and things like that,"},{"startTime":1074.34,"endTime":1077.3,"body":"Find out how much extra it is to take a a second bag or up"},{"startTime":1077.3,"endTime":1080.5,"body":"to 20 kilos as a second bag and pay for it upfront. Do not go"},{"startTime":1080.5,"endTime":1084.235,"body":"to the airport With the extra bag or with being overweight, make sure you weigh"},{"startTime":1084.235,"endTime":1087.355,"body":"your bag at home because if you book it up front, it's cheap. If you"},{"startTime":1087.355,"endTime":1090.859,"body":"pay for it at the airport, it's very expensive normally. When you get to the"},{"startTime":1090.859,"endTime":1094.3799999999999,"body":"other country, make sure, and most airports have this, there's"},{"startTime":1094.3799999999999,"endTime":1097.179,"body":"counters where you can get a SIM card for your phone. Go and buy a"},{"startTime":1097.179,"endTime":1100.045,"body":"local SIM card. I think I got one in Singapore. It was 30 days with"},{"startTime":1100.045,"endTime":1103.805,"body":"a 100 gig of data for $14, which is insane. A 100 gig"},{"startTime":1103.805,"endTime":1107.16,"body":"for $14 are so cheap. And these days,"},{"startTime":1107.62,"endTime":1111.16,"body":"90% of what we do is not through phone calls. We tend to use,"},{"startTime":1111.3,"endTime":1115.0049999999999,"body":"say, Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp or something like that. So we're actually using data to"},{"startTime":1115.0049999999999,"endTime":1118.7649999999999,"body":"chat to people. So having access to data is more important than actually"},{"startTime":1118.7649999999999,"endTime":1122.48,"body":"having a phone number, especially in In the Asian countries, in"},{"startTime":1122.48,"endTime":1126.32,"body":"my experience, they're very much into using WhatsApp. Get a SIM card, and then when"},{"startTime":1126.32,"endTime":1129.04,"body":"you get home, pop it out, put your original one in and go on with"},{"startTime":1129.04,"endTime":1132.705,"body":"your life because after 30 days, they die. Try and avoid any late night"},{"startTime":1132.705,"endTime":1136.305,"body":"flights or early mornings due to time differences. So there's a couple of things here."},{"startTime":1136.305,"endTime":1139.345,"body":"First of all, late night flights, I personally hate them. I can't sleep on a"},{"startTime":1139.345,"endTime":1142.66,"body":"plane, but It can mean you're kicked out of your hotel at 10 o'clock in"},{"startTime":1142.66,"endTime":1146.34,"body":"the morning, and you've gotta entertain yourself until 10"},{"startTime":1146.34,"endTime":1149.955,"body":"PM at night. And unless you've got friends in the country or you've got some"},{"startTime":1149.955,"endTime":1153.495,"body":"place to be or something, that can be very hard work"},{"startTime":1153.715,"endTime":1157.4089999999999,"body":"to do nothing. Even trying to do some work, That's 12 hours"},{"startTime":1157.4089999999999,"endTime":1161.01,"body":"you've gotta fill in, and I personally find that sometimes that can"},{"startTime":1161.01,"endTime":1164.835,"body":"be really difficult. Okay? But think Think about it. Think about what you"},{"startTime":1164.835,"endTime":1168.355,"body":"need, and your body's different to mine, so you might be better at that sort"},{"startTime":1168.355,"endTime":1171.53,"body":"of stuff. But I find because my time zone's out, Then I'm awake when I"},{"startTime":1171.53,"endTime":1174.8899999999999,"body":"should be asleep, and I'm trying to entertain myself, and it just doesn't come together."},{"startTime":1174.8899999999999,"endTime":1178.57,"body":"It's not pretty. I recommend if you can also when you're traveling, make sure you"},{"startTime":1178.57,"endTime":1181.835,"body":"get a late checkout. That way if you are stuck there, you can get a"},{"startTime":1181.835,"endTime":1184.954,"body":"check out to 2 o'clock or something like that. At least you're not entertaining yourself"},{"startTime":1184.954,"endTime":1188.55,"body":"from 10 o'clock in the morning. That's 4 hours less that you don't have to"},{"startTime":1188.55,"endTime":1192.3899999999999,"body":"actually find somewhere to be while you're waiting at an airport or something like"},{"startTime":1192.3899999999999,"endTime":1195.51,"body":"that. So there's a couple of other areas that I also feel are worth covering"},{"startTime":1195.51,"endTime":1199.175,"body":"when it comes to traveling as a speaker. First 1 is taking resources and"},{"startTime":1199.175,"endTime":1202.795,"body":"products with you, and the 2nd one's post conference. So firstly, electronic"},{"startTime":1202.855,"endTime":1206.295,"body":"resources are really very light, so they're good to take with you because you can"},{"startTime":1206.295,"endTime":1210.09,"body":"carry them on your phone. Books can weigh a lot, but it is worthwhile"},{"startTime":1210.09,"endTime":1213.85,"body":"having books depending on what you wanna use them for. Taking a suitcase full of"},{"startTime":1213.85,"endTime":1217.625,"body":"books can be very heavy. You may find it better to actually have a"},{"startTime":1217.625,"endTime":1221.465,"body":"box of books shipped from Amazon directly if you print yourself or"},{"startTime":1221.465,"endTime":1225.3,"body":"from your, printer and have them sent straight to the airport."},{"startTime":1225.36,"endTime":1228.4,"body":"Sorry. Not to the airport, to the conference, and pick them up at the conference."},{"startTime":1228.4,"endTime":1231.135,"body":"Now if you got any left over, give them one of those business cards. Have"},{"startTime":1231.135,"endTime":1233.615,"body":"some there, and then if sometimes it might be a box of a 100, you"},{"startTime":1233.615,"endTime":1236.575,"body":"might have 20 left. Well, throw them in your suitcase and bring them home. Just"},{"startTime":1236.575,"endTime":1240.1399999999999,"body":"depends on how many you get sent and, you know, what you need them for."},{"startTime":1240.1399999999999,"endTime":1243.98,"body":"But, again, sometimes it's easier to have them shipped there than it is to"},{"startTime":1243.98,"endTime":1247.5049999999999,"body":"try and carry them there. If worthwhile, you can get posters or banners"},{"startTime":1247.585,"endTime":1250.785,"body":"printed locally, and then you can bin them afterwards. So you know what? Those pull"},{"startTime":1250.785,"endTime":1254.625,"body":"up banners, they can be done for $50 these days. And if you've got"},{"startTime":1254.625,"endTime":1258.34,"body":"a Friend in country who's a local contact basically for you, they'll be able to"},{"startTime":1258.34,"endTime":1261.06,"body":"tell you where you can get that done. It's just a matter of sending the"},{"startTime":1261.06,"endTime":1264.085,"body":"artwork, and then if you ask them nicely, they might Call in and pick them"},{"startTime":1264.085,"endTime":1267.365,"body":"up for you. Otherwise, you might be able to get a call in and and"},{"startTime":1267.365,"endTime":1270.885,"body":"your travels before you speak. So you don't have to have your banners that you"},{"startTime":1270.885,"endTime":1274.549,"body":"do and take with you everywhere if they're too heavy. One time thing is"},{"startTime":1274.549,"endTime":1278.3899999999999,"body":"worthwhile as long as you're covering your costs. If you're paying to"},{"startTime":1278.3899999999999,"endTime":1281.804,"body":"take something, make sure you sell it before you bring it home. Hey. Don't bring"},{"startTime":1281.804,"endTime":1284.684,"body":"stuff home if you can avoid it. Sell it. Get rid of it. It doesn't"},{"startTime":1284.684,"endTime":1288.125,"body":"matter. In the end, if if you're selling a book for $20 and you're paying"},{"startTime":1288.125,"endTime":1291.55,"body":"$5 for them and And you got 10 leftover. Get rid of them at $10"},{"startTime":1291.55,"endTime":1294.19,"body":"each. Get them out. It's better to have them out in public and have people"},{"startTime":1294.19,"endTime":1297.47,"body":"reading your stuff than it is to be bringing those books home because you're you're"},{"startTime":1297.47,"endTime":1301.215,"body":"missing out on $10 profit. K. You're still in front. It's still $5 in front."},{"startTime":1301.215,"endTime":1304.735,"body":"Get rid of it. Don't bring it home. And also remember that a conference"},{"startTime":1304.735,"endTime":1308.53,"body":"venue or conference organizer Maybe I will to preprint your"},{"startTime":1308.53,"endTime":1311.8899999999999,"body":"workbooks and things like that for you locally. They'll charge you for that,"},{"startTime":1311.8899999999999,"endTime":1315.57,"body":"but they could probably have it done for you. You just gotta ask."},{"startTime":1315.57,"endTime":1319.385,"body":"Again, Ask questions to find out what they can do. So post conference,"},{"startTime":1319.385,"endTime":1322.905,"body":"make sure you do your thank you's. K? It's very important in some cultures. In"},{"startTime":1322.905,"endTime":1326.47,"body":"fact, it's pretty important in every culture, but very important certain cultures."},{"startTime":1326.77,"endTime":1330.53,"body":"Make sure you stay healthy when you get home. Don't just let everything go."},{"startTime":1330.53,"endTime":1333.09,"body":"Make sure you're eating properly and all those sorts of things when you come home"},{"startTime":1333.09,"endTime":1336.675,"body":"as well. Take a day off to recover because jet lag is a real"},{"startTime":1336.675,"endTime":1340.355,"body":"thing. Some people don't get it at all. It just depends which way you're flying"},{"startTime":1340.355,"endTime":1343.48,"body":"around the world, I'm told. One way you get it worse than the other, but"},{"startTime":1343.48,"endTime":1346.76,"body":"either way, you're gonna be a little bit out of sorts because you've been moving"},{"startTime":1346.76,"endTime":1350.395,"body":"from time zone to time zone. Taking a day off Doesn't hurt unless you"},{"startTime":1350.395,"endTime":1354.074,"body":"absolutely have to be somewhere. Make sure you follow-up with people at the conference. If"},{"startTime":1354.074,"endTime":1357.43,"body":"you need to send out emails or you need to send out information or whatever."},{"startTime":1357.49,"endTime":1361.25,"body":"Get that going and make some posts to promote the conference. Obviously, you"},{"startTime":1361.25,"endTime":1363.65,"body":"can do social media posts and things like that when you're there, but make one"},{"startTime":1363.65,"endTime":1367.135,"body":"afterwards going, oh, I had a fantastic time and talk up the conference. Not"},{"startTime":1367.135,"endTime":1370.975,"body":"just talk up yourself, talk up the conference title and the people that are"},{"startTime":1370.975,"endTime":1374.6299999999999,"body":"running it. K? Doesn't hurt to tag people and They may be trying to"},{"startTime":1374.6299999999999,"endTime":1377.99,"body":"grow the conference, so any publicity you can put through for them is a good"},{"startTime":1377.99,"endTime":1381.615,"body":"thing. And then finally, of course, is reflect on what you've learned. Think about"},{"startTime":1381.615,"endTime":1385.235,"body":"your travel. Think about what you discovered, what went well, what went"},{"startTime":1385.375,"endTime":1389.135,"body":"not so well, what could you do better next time. K? Debrief after you've"},{"startTime":1389.135,"endTime":1392.8799999999999,"body":"been away. And you'll only get better at doing it the more you do it,"},{"startTime":1392.8799999999999,"endTime":1396.6399999999999,"body":"so you wanna streamline it as much as possible so you get maximum effect when"},{"startTime":1396.6399999999999,"endTime":1400.245,"body":"you're speaking, whether that be traveling locally, nationally, or"},{"startTime":1400.245,"endTime":1404.085,"body":"internationally. In the end, this is all about getting your message out, growing your"},{"startTime":1404.085,"endTime":1407.75,"body":"business, making an income, making a lifestyle for yourself. So make sure you"},{"startTime":1407.75,"endTime":1411.35,"body":"debrief what you've done. That about wraps up today's episode. Thank you"},{"startTime":1411.35,"endTime":1414.33,"body":"for tuning in to my little exploration of conference"},{"startTime":1415.0149999999999,"endTime":1418.455,"body":"speaking and the travel involved in that. I hope that you're walking away with some"},{"startTime":1418.455,"endTime":1422.055,"body":"actionable insights that maybe make your next trip smoother, more"},{"startTime":1422.055,"endTime":1425.75,"body":"enjoyable, and hopefully incredibly Profitable. If this"},{"startTime":1425.75,"endTime":1429.51,"body":"episode sparked new ideas or helped clarify his travel strategies, please"},{"startTime":1429.51,"endTime":1433.27,"body":"like, share, and subscribe. And remember, you can also catch this on video on"},{"startTime":1433.27,"endTime":1436.795,"body":"YouTube for more engaging, viewing, if you wanna watch"},{"startTime":1436.795,"endTime":1440.635,"body":"me. Your support means the world to me, and it's what keeps these conversations going."},{"startTime":1440.635,"endTime":1444.25,"body":"So hit that subscribe button, Share your support and your"},{"startTime":1444.25,"endTime":1447.93,"body":"thoughts in the comments, and let's continue to navigate the exciting world of"},{"startTime":1447.93,"endTime":1451.624,"body":"professionals speaking together. Safe travels, and I look forward to joining you"},{"startTime":1451.624,"endTime":1452.684,"body":"in the next episode."}]}