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Business Traveller

Business Travel Tips from Hollywood, California

Aired November 14, 2004 - 08:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR: Your looks, your actions, your appearance. It's crucial to your career. What you say, how you say it, can make or break your next deal. So on CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER, developing the right business image.
Hello and welcome to CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER. I'm Richard Quest, reporting from Hollywood. I'm here because this town is all about how you look and how you act, and our program this month is all about image.

When you're traveling abroad, are you projecting the right image? We'll show you how to develop your communication skills and actions to help you get ahead. Dressing for success; how to look polished and professional when you've been on the road for weeks. And branding your business abroad. How to ensure your company's image translates well overseas.

Footprints, handprints and signature. This is, of course, Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, where some of the greatest stars in the world have expressed themselves I cement.

How you express yourself says a lot about you and your company, so getting it right can be the difference between getting the deal and not.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST (voice-over): You get off a flight. It's straight to a meeting. The presentation is in order. You know the content. You've also got to convince the client you're 100 percent reliable. And often that type of decision is made in a very short time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first impression is made very quickly, probably quicker than we all realize, between 5 to 7 seconds. So within that time, people have judged all sorts of things, like how credible, how professional, how trustworthy, how friendly, how approachable, how creative, all these sorts of things go through people's minds very quickly.

Leslie Everett has worked with business professionals at companies like BP and Bank of America.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So what I want you to do now is just put that brand to the test very quickly.

QUEST: Over the past 8 years, she has come up with a plan to help executives develop their personal image. Experience has taught her actions speak louder than words.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nonverbal communication and the voice quality are key indicators and represent a huge percentage of that first impact. If we get that right, then people hook into our words and our content much more quickly.

QUEST: Yet a large number of business travelers are often too busy, too jetlagged and too nervous to be aware of their own behavior. If you want to make a good impression, you've got to get those body indicators right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never arrive in a meeting cluttered up. You want to appear very much in control and unflustered. Don't carry a handbag and a briefcase and coat and umbrella and things like that, because otherwise you'll look clustered, you'll look flustered, and you'll look out of control.

No over-apologizing if you're late. Fiddling when you're standing up presenting, with things in your pocket. Fiddling -- a lot of women will do this to the hair all of the time. And the thing is that these gestures, they are distracting, and they will get in the way of the words.

The worst ones are the limp handshake. People won't actually see you as a relaxed person. Unfortunately, they'll see you as weak and ineffective, so it doesn't need to be -- it shouldn't be overdone. The bone crusher is just as bad. It's arrogant. And also, there's the wet fish. You know, this one, when people do this, and we get the wet fish.

QUEST: With a few small adjustments, you could improve your image dramatically.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Leave your luggage at reception. Just carry a briefcase to the meeting, or even a simple leather folder if you don't need a heavy briefcase.

Do make sure your grooming is OK. Make sure that your clothes aren't too creased by hanging jackets up in the plane or in the taxi, before you actually go into that meeting. Just calming yourself down.

A smile is a fundamental business tool and, again, one that is forgotten about most of the time, especially when we're nervous. Making sure your eye contact varies around the room is important as well. Not just that one person who is the most influential.

QUEST: And at all costs, remember to be yourself and be consistent. Nothing would put off a client more as someone who comes across as fake, flaky and unreliable.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, listen, I've got to go. I'm working with the CNN guy and he's all alone and pulling for himself.

QUEST (on camera): I am dressed for success and ready to beat the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, you're not. Let me tell you something. You are not going out like that with my name on you. I mean, all these pieces are great but, listen, you do not have an eye for fashion. I am going to pick some stuff out for you. Let's go inside. Come inside. It's horrible.

Now you're ready for Rodeo Drive.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: Ricky De Martino (ph) has worked his stylistic magic, as he has with many other people, like Cameron Diaz and Charlie Sheen. Many thanks indeed.

Now, you and I may not be stars, but our appearance is still important. Mere business travelers, how we project ourselves and how we look when we go abroad, absolutely crucial to your companies.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you're going on a short business trip, the main thing is to look professional, it's to look safe, reliable, conservative, and like you can absolutely get the job done.

What's interesting about these outfits is that the abstract ingredients are right, but the actual specifics are completely wrong. Scruffy, unshaven face. Obvious jewelry. Scruffy shoes. Shirt too undone. A belt that flops around and is distracting. And you wouldn't wear boots, particularly not boots with very pointy toes. They need help.

The important thing when it comes to grooming is you don't want anything to distract from the strength and power of your ideas, so you don't want scraggy beards, weird hair or anything else that people would look at instead of listening.

The way you express that in your clothes is to be comfortable and to wear very simple garments that don't take attention away from what you are saying to a client or whoever you're meeting with.

Now we're going to sort you out. You've got the first step, clean face. Start the rest from scratch. Diana (ph), this suit -- we'll keep the suit, change the shirt and the shoes.

Assume you're going away for two to three days. For men, one suit will probably get you through two to even three days if you change the shirts and ties.

For a woman, it gets a little more complicated. You might bring an extra suit or a dress with a jacket so you can take the jacket off if you've got to go out to an evening event and then keep it on for the meeting.

You obviously are looking for fabrics that are fairly wrinkle resistant and that tends to be a light-weight wool or, for men, a suit with a wool/mohair blend. Obviously, you want to stay away from linen or anything too heavy because that tends to keep creases.

When you're actually on the plane, you can wear your suit, but I wouldn't wear a tie because, A, you might drip your coffee on it, and, B, it's simply more comfortable. Roll it up and put it in your briefcase instead.

Complete transformation. Comfortable an confident. White shirt, nice tie, very slick suit, down to the shiny shoes. No obvious jewelry to distract from what's going on. Clean shaven, but he's not boring. And Diana (ph) the same. Lovely black suit, conservative top, but not boring, again. Clean hair and nice shoes. They're ready. Go sell.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: Dressed and ready for battle, and when CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER in Hollywood returns, branding your business abroad in just a moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It sounds French. It's known to be British and, in as a matter of fact, it's 100 percent American owned.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: If you're going to the Oscars, you're going to want to look at your best, and that means visiting a place like this.

I'm at Frederick Vacay's (ph), one of the leading places in Hollywood to be primped and preened before the Academy Awards. In fact, it takes a lot of people like Jerome, Amir and Kelly, to help you project the right image in this town, which is so important.

People like Charles Finch, who manages the careers of Willem Dafoe and John Malkovich. We've been ON THE ROAD with him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLES FINCH, HOLLYWOOD MANAGER: I'm the chief executive and principle shareholder of Artists Independent Network, which does two things. We manage some wonderful actors worldwide, from Los Angeles to London and New York, and we also help with the image of certain great brands that are in the luxury business and the fashion business.

In the last nine days, I've been in 14 countries which is, you know, a lot. I was in Africa two days ago and before that I was in Florence, and today I'm here in New York and tomorrow I'm in Los Angeles. We have to be in Los Angeles, because that is the center, without any question, of the entertainment business.

On the other hand, you know, cities like London and Rome and Paris and Madrid and Tokyo and Sydney have extraordinary talent, both in the entertainment world, obviously, and also in the marketing world, so what we're trying to do is find a strategy for a career and a path which will give people as much opportunity as they can without really interfering in their creative process.

When John Malkovich did "Being John Malkovich," that was, I think, a very daring and quite extraordinary decision, which frankly I was against at the time. You know, I was very worried for him to take on a spoof of himself in a movie bearing his name. I thought it was a very risky thing, and he was very right about it.

In the last few months we've had Kate Blanchett campaign for DKNY. We've had Diana Kruger with LVMH. We've done work with Armani. We've done work with British Airways. It's really understanding the image of the company and the products of the company and how to help them navigate the waters, working with their advertising agency, working with their in-house press and communications departments.

I think the most rewarding part of my business life or my day life is actually making things happen, where you really see that your advice or involvement has made a positive impact on somebody's career or on a company's future. You know, it's serious but it's not -- there are worse things to be doing, let's face it. It's quite a fun thing to do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: Universal Studios Hollywood, one of the largest film studios in the world. Here they make movies that are literally sent around the globe and the challenge of course, to make sure that those films appear to a wide and diverse range of countries and languages, and that's the same challenge we all face in our international business, to make sure that our products will sell overseas, but we still preserve our image.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST (voice-over): The name, the look, the product, the field. You ignore the power of branding at your own risk.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once you've got that brand image, it's the most valuable thing you can have becaues it gives instant value and credibility. It's a promise of quality and it's the most important asset of a company these days, very, very often.

QUEST: Even if your company has made a name for itself, the key to keeping it fresh is to constantly adjust the brand to cultural sensitivities and global trends.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coca-Cola, until it launched Diet Coke in 1987 had been for 100 years a one-product corporation, a one brand corporation. Nowadays, it sells 400 brands in 200 countries, and the vast majority of them are not identified as being Coca-Cola products. The vast majority of them are very decidedly local brands with a local name, and that's how Coca-Cola now continue their international business and continue their growth.

QUEST: That's a technique McDonalds has been taking up. It's learned to change the offerings not only to local taste but where appropriate go into new markets.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, here is a brand that at first sight sounds very French, Pret A Manger. They do high quality take out food. It sounds French. It's known to be British and, in as a matter of fact, it's 100 percent American owned. In fact, it's as American as McDonalds, because that's who owns it

QUEST: The physical product is part of the brand. The workforce behind it makes up the rest. From the chief executive to the shop assistant who speaks to your customers, everyone is responsible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you have a desire to go back and visit that shop again, fly on that airline again, use that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) again, whatever it might be, it's often down to the quality of interaction you've had with a person representing that brand.

QUEST: And so the men and women chosen to sell your company overseas are key.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've really got to look for people who have attitudes, sets of values, characteristics that are in line with the brand you want to build. You have the option to train people later, but you can't retrain attitude.

QUEST: Today's brands are just as much about delivery as the product. Don't lie. Your company must be able to deliver. And adjust your offerings to what the local market wants.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: The pitfalls of preserving your image. I'd be interested to have your thoughts on that. Send me an e-mail about how you have found you've had to change and shift your strategy, yourselves, your products, when you've taken your products into new markets or gone abroad. It's the usual e-mail address: Quest@CNN.com. And visit the Web site for a whole host of interesting features about business travel. It's at CNN.COM/BusinessTraveller.

When we come back after the break you have TWO HOURS TO KILL in Hollywood. We can't promise you fame and fortune. We can promise you a good time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Now, when it comes to entertaining overseas clients and customers, where you go says a lot about the image you're trying to portray.

You could take them to a posh restaurant or you could take them to Lucky Strikes Bowling Alley here in Hollywood. Then you're trying to create an air of informality and casualness. It's a popular place if you've got TWO HOURS TO KILL.

Success is not guaranteed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here in L.A., most people have heard of the big attracts: Rodeo Drive, Venice Beach, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but if you look a little closer, you'll find some more hidden treasures.

This is Kitson on Robertson Boulevard. What you'll find here are funky tee shirts and great fashion signs. Kitson is actually known for some of their cute calligraphy tee shirts and purses. These are some great examples, the Mrs. Clooney, Mrs. Pitt ones, and you'd be surprised at the celebrities you catch carrying them.

So if you come to L.A. and you want to do something outdoorsy, this is a great option. It's Runyon Canyon in the Hollywood Hills, and the nice thing about it is it's a paved hike and it takes about 40 minutes to do, so it's very doable. Even if you have flip flops on you can manage it. And at the top there's a nice look out point. There's a bench and on clear days you ca see all the way out to the ocean.

It's been favored by big celebrities like Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston. They've all been up here doing the hike before.

If you feel like getting more creative, you can come into Hollywood and go to the Bitterroot Ceramic Studio. They're one-hour ceramic lesson will cost you 450.00. It's a really nice relaxing, fun environment. The "Blind Date" show was filmed here and they had people come here, and they do pottery together and hopefully make a connection.

If you are looking to relax, one of the best places is Faux Siam (ph) on Hollywood Boulevard. It's traditional timed massage based on principles over 1,000 years old, and it's very, very basic. I mean, you're on a mat on the floor, but the massage is some of the best around and some of the clients include people like Angela Bassett, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and some of the rumors that even Brad Pitt and Drew Barrymore can't go here.

Those are a few of our hidden secrets in L.A. if you're out and about I hope you get a chance to check them out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: And that's CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER. Got the car, got the image. Wherever your travels take you, I hope it's profitable. I'll see you next month.

END

TO ORDER VIDEOTAPES AND TRANSCRIPTS OF CNN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMING, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE THE SECURE ONLINE ORDER FROM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired November 14, 2004 - 08:30:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR: Your looks, your actions, your appearance. It's crucial to your career. What you say, how you say it, can make or break your next deal. So on CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER, developing the right business image.
Hello and welcome to CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER. I'm Richard Quest, reporting from Hollywood. I'm here because this town is all about how you look and how you act, and our program this month is all about image.

When you're traveling abroad, are you projecting the right image? We'll show you how to develop your communication skills and actions to help you get ahead. Dressing for success; how to look polished and professional when you've been on the road for weeks. And branding your business abroad. How to ensure your company's image translates well overseas.

Footprints, handprints and signature. This is, of course, Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, where some of the greatest stars in the world have expressed themselves I cement.

How you express yourself says a lot about you and your company, so getting it right can be the difference between getting the deal and not.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST (voice-over): You get off a flight. It's straight to a meeting. The presentation is in order. You know the content. You've also got to convince the client you're 100 percent reliable. And often that type of decision is made in a very short time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first impression is made very quickly, probably quicker than we all realize, between 5 to 7 seconds. So within that time, people have judged all sorts of things, like how credible, how professional, how trustworthy, how friendly, how approachable, how creative, all these sorts of things go through people's minds very quickly.

Leslie Everett has worked with business professionals at companies like BP and Bank of America.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So what I want you to do now is just put that brand to the test very quickly.

QUEST: Over the past 8 years, she has come up with a plan to help executives develop their personal image. Experience has taught her actions speak louder than words.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nonverbal communication and the voice quality are key indicators and represent a huge percentage of that first impact. If we get that right, then people hook into our words and our content much more quickly.

QUEST: Yet a large number of business travelers are often too busy, too jetlagged and too nervous to be aware of their own behavior. If you want to make a good impression, you've got to get those body indicators right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never arrive in a meeting cluttered up. You want to appear very much in control and unflustered. Don't carry a handbag and a briefcase and coat and umbrella and things like that, because otherwise you'll look clustered, you'll look flustered, and you'll look out of control.

No over-apologizing if you're late. Fiddling when you're standing up presenting, with things in your pocket. Fiddling -- a lot of women will do this to the hair all of the time. And the thing is that these gestures, they are distracting, and they will get in the way of the words.

The worst ones are the limp handshake. People won't actually see you as a relaxed person. Unfortunately, they'll see you as weak and ineffective, so it doesn't need to be -- it shouldn't be overdone. The bone crusher is just as bad. It's arrogant. And also, there's the wet fish. You know, this one, when people do this, and we get the wet fish.

QUEST: With a few small adjustments, you could improve your image dramatically.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Leave your luggage at reception. Just carry a briefcase to the meeting, or even a simple leather folder if you don't need a heavy briefcase.

Do make sure your grooming is OK. Make sure that your clothes aren't too creased by hanging jackets up in the plane or in the taxi, before you actually go into that meeting. Just calming yourself down.

A smile is a fundamental business tool and, again, one that is forgotten about most of the time, especially when we're nervous. Making sure your eye contact varies around the room is important as well. Not just that one person who is the most influential.

QUEST: And at all costs, remember to be yourself and be consistent. Nothing would put off a client more as someone who comes across as fake, flaky and unreliable.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, listen, I've got to go. I'm working with the CNN guy and he's all alone and pulling for himself.

QUEST (on camera): I am dressed for success and ready to beat the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, you're not. Let me tell you something. You are not going out like that with my name on you. I mean, all these pieces are great but, listen, you do not have an eye for fashion. I am going to pick some stuff out for you. Let's go inside. Come inside. It's horrible.

Now you're ready for Rodeo Drive.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: Ricky De Martino (ph) has worked his stylistic magic, as he has with many other people, like Cameron Diaz and Charlie Sheen. Many thanks indeed.

Now, you and I may not be stars, but our appearance is still important. Mere business travelers, how we project ourselves and how we look when we go abroad, absolutely crucial to your companies.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you're going on a short business trip, the main thing is to look professional, it's to look safe, reliable, conservative, and like you can absolutely get the job done.

What's interesting about these outfits is that the abstract ingredients are right, but the actual specifics are completely wrong. Scruffy, unshaven face. Obvious jewelry. Scruffy shoes. Shirt too undone. A belt that flops around and is distracting. And you wouldn't wear boots, particularly not boots with very pointy toes. They need help.

The important thing when it comes to grooming is you don't want anything to distract from the strength and power of your ideas, so you don't want scraggy beards, weird hair or anything else that people would look at instead of listening.

The way you express that in your clothes is to be comfortable and to wear very simple garments that don't take attention away from what you are saying to a client or whoever you're meeting with.

Now we're going to sort you out. You've got the first step, clean face. Start the rest from scratch. Diana (ph), this suit -- we'll keep the suit, change the shirt and the shoes.

Assume you're going away for two to three days. For men, one suit will probably get you through two to even three days if you change the shirts and ties.

For a woman, it gets a little more complicated. You might bring an extra suit or a dress with a jacket so you can take the jacket off if you've got to go out to an evening event and then keep it on for the meeting.

You obviously are looking for fabrics that are fairly wrinkle resistant and that tends to be a light-weight wool or, for men, a suit with a wool/mohair blend. Obviously, you want to stay away from linen or anything too heavy because that tends to keep creases.

When you're actually on the plane, you can wear your suit, but I wouldn't wear a tie because, A, you might drip your coffee on it, and, B, it's simply more comfortable. Roll it up and put it in your briefcase instead.

Complete transformation. Comfortable an confident. White shirt, nice tie, very slick suit, down to the shiny shoes. No obvious jewelry to distract from what's going on. Clean shaven, but he's not boring. And Diana (ph) the same. Lovely black suit, conservative top, but not boring, again. Clean hair and nice shoes. They're ready. Go sell.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: Dressed and ready for battle, and when CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER in Hollywood returns, branding your business abroad in just a moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It sounds French. It's known to be British and, in as a matter of fact, it's 100 percent American owned.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: If you're going to the Oscars, you're going to want to look at your best, and that means visiting a place like this.

I'm at Frederick Vacay's (ph), one of the leading places in Hollywood to be primped and preened before the Academy Awards. In fact, it takes a lot of people like Jerome, Amir and Kelly, to help you project the right image in this town, which is so important.

People like Charles Finch, who manages the careers of Willem Dafoe and John Malkovich. We've been ON THE ROAD with him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLES FINCH, HOLLYWOOD MANAGER: I'm the chief executive and principle shareholder of Artists Independent Network, which does two things. We manage some wonderful actors worldwide, from Los Angeles to London and New York, and we also help with the image of certain great brands that are in the luxury business and the fashion business.

In the last nine days, I've been in 14 countries which is, you know, a lot. I was in Africa two days ago and before that I was in Florence, and today I'm here in New York and tomorrow I'm in Los Angeles. We have to be in Los Angeles, because that is the center, without any question, of the entertainment business.

On the other hand, you know, cities like London and Rome and Paris and Madrid and Tokyo and Sydney have extraordinary talent, both in the entertainment world, obviously, and also in the marketing world, so what we're trying to do is find a strategy for a career and a path which will give people as much opportunity as they can without really interfering in their creative process.

When John Malkovich did "Being John Malkovich," that was, I think, a very daring and quite extraordinary decision, which frankly I was against at the time. You know, I was very worried for him to take on a spoof of himself in a movie bearing his name. I thought it was a very risky thing, and he was very right about it.

In the last few months we've had Kate Blanchett campaign for DKNY. We've had Diana Kruger with LVMH. We've done work with Armani. We've done work with British Airways. It's really understanding the image of the company and the products of the company and how to help them navigate the waters, working with their advertising agency, working with their in-house press and communications departments.

I think the most rewarding part of my business life or my day life is actually making things happen, where you really see that your advice or involvement has made a positive impact on somebody's career or on a company's future. You know, it's serious but it's not -- there are worse things to be doing, let's face it. It's quite a fun thing to do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: Universal Studios Hollywood, one of the largest film studios in the world. Here they make movies that are literally sent around the globe and the challenge of course, to make sure that those films appear to a wide and diverse range of countries and languages, and that's the same challenge we all face in our international business, to make sure that our products will sell overseas, but we still preserve our image.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST (voice-over): The name, the look, the product, the field. You ignore the power of branding at your own risk.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once you've got that brand image, it's the most valuable thing you can have becaues it gives instant value and credibility. It's a promise of quality and it's the most important asset of a company these days, very, very often.

QUEST: Even if your company has made a name for itself, the key to keeping it fresh is to constantly adjust the brand to cultural sensitivities and global trends.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coca-Cola, until it launched Diet Coke in 1987 had been for 100 years a one-product corporation, a one brand corporation. Nowadays, it sells 400 brands in 200 countries, and the vast majority of them are not identified as being Coca-Cola products. The vast majority of them are very decidedly local brands with a local name, and that's how Coca-Cola now continue their international business and continue their growth.

QUEST: That's a technique McDonalds has been taking up. It's learned to change the offerings not only to local taste but where appropriate go into new markets.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, here is a brand that at first sight sounds very French, Pret A Manger. They do high quality take out food. It sounds French. It's known to be British and, in as a matter of fact, it's 100 percent American owned. In fact, it's as American as McDonalds, because that's who owns it

QUEST: The physical product is part of the brand. The workforce behind it makes up the rest. From the chief executive to the shop assistant who speaks to your customers, everyone is responsible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you have a desire to go back and visit that shop again, fly on that airline again, use that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) again, whatever it might be, it's often down to the quality of interaction you've had with a person representing that brand.

QUEST: And so the men and women chosen to sell your company overseas are key.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've really got to look for people who have attitudes, sets of values, characteristics that are in line with the brand you want to build. You have the option to train people later, but you can't retrain attitude.

QUEST: Today's brands are just as much about delivery as the product. Don't lie. Your company must be able to deliver. And adjust your offerings to what the local market wants.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: The pitfalls of preserving your image. I'd be interested to have your thoughts on that. Send me an e-mail about how you have found you've had to change and shift your strategy, yourselves, your products, when you've taken your products into new markets or gone abroad. It's the usual e-mail address: Quest@CNN.com. And visit the Web site for a whole host of interesting features about business travel. It's at CNN.COM/BusinessTraveller.

When we come back after the break you have TWO HOURS TO KILL in Hollywood. We can't promise you fame and fortune. We can promise you a good time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Now, when it comes to entertaining overseas clients and customers, where you go says a lot about the image you're trying to portray.

You could take them to a posh restaurant or you could take them to Lucky Strikes Bowling Alley here in Hollywood. Then you're trying to create an air of informality and casualness. It's a popular place if you've got TWO HOURS TO KILL.

Success is not guaranteed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here in L.A., most people have heard of the big attracts: Rodeo Drive, Venice Beach, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but if you look a little closer, you'll find some more hidden treasures.

This is Kitson on Robertson Boulevard. What you'll find here are funky tee shirts and great fashion signs. Kitson is actually known for some of their cute calligraphy tee shirts and purses. These are some great examples, the Mrs. Clooney, Mrs. Pitt ones, and you'd be surprised at the celebrities you catch carrying them.

So if you come to L.A. and you want to do something outdoorsy, this is a great option. It's Runyon Canyon in the Hollywood Hills, and the nice thing about it is it's a paved hike and it takes about 40 minutes to do, so it's very doable. Even if you have flip flops on you can manage it. And at the top there's a nice look out point. There's a bench and on clear days you ca see all the way out to the ocean.

It's been favored by big celebrities like Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston. They've all been up here doing the hike before.

If you feel like getting more creative, you can come into Hollywood and go to the Bitterroot Ceramic Studio. They're one-hour ceramic lesson will cost you 450.00. It's a really nice relaxing, fun environment. The "Blind Date" show was filmed here and they had people come here, and they do pottery together and hopefully make a connection.

If you are looking to relax, one of the best places is Faux Siam (ph) on Hollywood Boulevard. It's traditional timed massage based on principles over 1,000 years old, and it's very, very basic. I mean, you're on a mat on the floor, but the massage is some of the best around and some of the clients include people like Angela Bassett, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and some of the rumors that even Brad Pitt and Drew Barrymore can't go here.

Those are a few of our hidden secrets in L.A. if you're out and about I hope you get a chance to check them out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: And that's CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER. Got the car, got the image. Wherever your travels take you, I hope it's profitable. I'll see you next month.

END

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