So I am only a few short days away from my big trip to Virginia/Washington DC. It’s sorta crazy that I have made it all these years without ever being to our nation’s capital.
One of my favorite parts about this crazy, semi-charmed sorta life that I get to lead is that I can parlay the average business trip into whatever I want it to be. Example: a heating and air conditioning company in Arlington, VA hired me to handle their marketing and advertising. Any new client gets what we call an uncovery visit, where we learn about what makes them tick. This is where the formulation of the strategy begins.
So depending on where the client is, I will always try to extend the trip by a day or two and do something interesting in their area. For JoToGo Coffee, for example, it was easy: if I am going to Wisconsin in the dead of winter, there needs to be a pilgrimage to Gridiron Mecca (Lambeau Field). A trip to Moncton and Fredericton, New Brunwick this summer coincides with the last date on U2’s world tour, and the lone date on the tour with Arcade Fire as openers (!).
Given the proximity of Northern Virginia to DC, this was a no-brainer. I am flying into Richmond a day early to see my high school buddy Todd Morgan, who I have knows since our days knocking around as best buds at Georgetown High School. I’ll get up early and drive up to DC early Sunday and spend the day mostly at the Smithsonian (I’m guessing).
The travel gods are shining on me today because I found out that I can get a free night at the Willard Hotel with me free nights I have on Priority Club. Suh-weet!