Small Business Today Magazine JUN 2014 MASTERWORD SERVICES INC | Page 33

EDITORIALFEATURE

Travel More Safely

All Year Long                    
By Dawn Haynes

E

ven if regular business travel is the nature of
the beast for you, travel during the summer
months seems to kick into high gear as a
whole as many of us set aside special time
during this season to vacation, attend conferences, or engage in other activities that we might
not otherwise be able to enjoy any other time of
year.  The following are a few tips to help ensure a
safer travel experience for you:

4. While you’re at the front desk, ask what
phone number you should dial in case of
emergency.  Is there a direct line to the hotel
security?

If You Are Traveling Abroad, Don’t Be
Branded a Tourist

1. Do an image search on the Internet to see
how people who live in your destination
dress and follow suit.  Avoid relying on the
images found in tourist brochures of guideBefore You Leave
books.
1. Make sure you have someone collect your
2.
When in doubt, conmail and newspapers
sider buying clothes at your
for you while you are
Make sure you
destination (at a local store,
gone or temporarily
have someone collect not a gift or souvenir shop).
suspend these services.
2. Inform at least one famyour mail and
ily member or friend
Protect Your Location on Social
newspapers for you
of your travel itinerary
Media Sites
while you are gone
that includes hotel infor1.
Sharing too much inmation, transportation or temporarily suspend formation about your location
these services.
on your social media accounts
information, and phone
may endanger your safety and
numbers.  Establish a
invite a potential burglary in your absence. 
plan to check in regularly and follow through.
3. Make sure that they also have copies of all 2. Adjust your privacy settings and use discretion when checking in on social media sites. 
of your important documents (passport, visa,
driver’s license, plane tickets, rental car license 3. Consider delaying posting all the photos and
videos of your trip until you return.
plate, etc.)
4. Also, forgo using mobile apps to check in at
4. Consider purchasing traveler’s insurance.
various locations.

Hotel Safety
Using these simple strategies will not only en1. Reserve a room that’s above the 1st floor
but below the 6th floor. First floor rooms are sure a safer travel experience but will also help
easier to break into and rooms above the you avoid any unpleasant surprises upon your
sixth floor are sometimes too high for fire return.  Wishing you continued small business
success—safely!
ladders to reach.
2. If you’re staying in a motel where doors open
directly to the outside (rather than a hallway),
see if you can get a room overlooking an interior courtyard instead of a parking lot.
3. Don’t let the front desk attendant publicize Dawn Haynes, the Toolbox Diva ™, is the CEO (Chief EmpowOfficer) of 2EmpowerU, (formerly Fight or Flight Self
your room number. If they announce it aloud erment
Defense).  You can contact Dawn by email at dawn@2emwhen giving you your key, ask for a different powerU.net, by phone at 713-298-6301, or visit her website at
room.
www.2empowerU.net
[ JUNE 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 31