ETERNAL CREATIVITY

“Eternity is in love with the productions of time.”
William Blake

What if life was more than a temporal event? What if you knew that you were an eternal being? Would this change the way you experienced life? Would this change the way you reacted to the people and situations around you?

In his book Finite and Infinite Games, James Carse remarks, “A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, an infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play.” Is life a finite or infinite game? If life is finite then you only have one shot and everything you do is gauged in the light of success or failure. You must squeeze in all the experience you can before life ends in death.

On the other hand, if life is infinite, and we who experience life are eternal, then success and failure are relative to the moment. In eternity we are free to forever change and improve on our failures, therefore, there really would be no failures or permanent successes, just expanding wisdom.

By its very nature a finite view of life is bounded. It’s bounded by time and space and the restrictions they impose. Time has a beginning and an end. Space has a top, a bottom and peripheral boundaries. If we see life as finite, limits are set upon everything we attempt to do and upon every idea we conceive.

Before you totally throw out the idea of infinite life, or rather that you are an eternal being, realize that three quarters of the world’s population believes in reincarnation. Now eternal life implies reincarnation or the concept that we are eternal souls re inhabiting different bodies. If you were raised with a religious ethic that didn’t include reincarnation, this is a foreign, perhaps uncomfortable, even inconceivable idea. If this upsets your beliefs about life and death then don’t read any further, because you’re free to experience reality in any way you chose.

But, what if we could each take one solid hour and imagine how we would live our life if it was seen and understood as only an interlude in an eternal, never ending dance of consciousness. What if we were really a spirit, clothed in a garment, having an adventure in this time flow and this region of space? We would feel ourselves to be mind entertaining itself, reforming itself, improving on it’s former garments and creations. We would be forever warping and weaving new and better dreams of potential realities. In this light each act we perform would not be an end in itself, that was either right or wrong, but an experiment in progressive living.

What if we were to extend our vision of life as an exercise in creativity and joyful participation in the unending waltz of conscious creation? What if surprises, which would end or interrupt a finite game of life, were the reason for the infinite play of life to continue? We would see and feel ourselves as perpetually evolving beings.

In the final analysis, if we could hold this eternal approach we would realize that a finite view of life is limited by serious, treacherous and fearful events. An eternal experience of life would take on the character of an enchanting encounter, ever fraught with new adventure and excitement. Life would be a never ending story, with an unlimited experience of perpetual creativity. What kind of new dimensions would unfold in your life if you could hold this attitude?

Play with the concept and see what kind of changes take place in your life as a result. If you could view all your actions as though seen “in the light of all eternity” you might find a refreshing and new perspective enveloping your mind.

Ponder this and pretend, perhaps for one day, that all that you do is really the creative play of an eternal being. If you find this point of view uplifting and enriching, you might adopt it permanently. I can attest from personal experience that this simple shift of perspective will radically alter your life in a delightful way. You will truly feel what it means to have an ‘enchanted mind’.

© J.L. Read, 1997. All Rights Reserved.

CREATIVE MOMENTS

"Character is not made in a crisis it is only exhibited."
Robert Freeman

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.

Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE." When the houselights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.

Suddenly, the curtain parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle little Star."

CREATIVE WILL

"He who is firm in will molds the world to himself."
Goethe

Creativity utilizes the will as well as the mind. In fact, when creating something of large proportion, the will provides the power to persevere and see a project through. A mind fueled by a powerful will is an unlimited force, capable of creating anything it desires.

The following is a story by Burt Dubin. This story is excerpted from Chicken Soup For The Soul, a book written by Mark Hansen and Jack Canfield. This book is full of wonderful anecdotes and short stories of courage and inspiration. Everyone should have a copy of this book and read it when there is a need to be uplifted.

This particular story moved me to tears. When I absorbed the level of determination and courage it took to persevere against overwhelming odds, something in my chest stirred, swelled and overflowed. I was profoundly moved. I present this here because we all have the capacity to do what was accomplished by this one human being. No one was born with a crippled will. And, will is the very aspect of each of us that allows us to rise above whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. This true story is a testament to the creative will.

The little country schoolhouse was heated by an old-fashioned, pot-bellied coal stove. A little boy had the job of coming to school early each day to start the fire and warm the room before his teacher and his classmates arrived.

One morning they arrived to find the school house engulfed in flames. They dragged the unconscious little boy out of the flaming building more dead than alive. He had major burns over the lower half of his body and was taken to the nearby county hospital.

From his bed the dreadfully burned, semi-conscious little boy faintly heard the doctor talking to his mother. The doctor told his mother that her son would surely die - which was for the best, really - for the terrible fire had devastated the lower half of his body.

But the brave boy didn’t want to die. He made up his mind that he would survive. Somehow, to the amazement of the physician, he did survive. When the mortal danger was past, he again heard the doctor and his mother speaking quietly. The mother was told that since the fire had destroyed so much flesh in the lower part of his body, it would almost be better if he had died, since he was doomed to be a lifetime cripple with no use at all of his lower limbs.

Once more the brave boy made up his mind. He would not be a cripple. He would walk. But unfortunately from the waist down, he had no motor ability. His thin legs just dangled there, all but lifeless.

Ultimately he was released from the hospital. Every day his mother would massage his little legs, but there was no feeling, no control, nothing. Yet his determination that he would walk was as strong as ever.

When he wasn’t in bed, he was confined to a wheelchair. One sunny day his mother wheeled him out into the yard to get some fresh air. This day, instead of sitting there, he threw himself from the chair. He pulled himself across the grass, dragging his legs behind him.

He worked his way to the white picket fence bordering their lot. With great effort, he raised himself up on the fence. Then, stake by stake, he began dragging himself along the fence, resolved that he would walk. He started to do this every day until he wore a smooth path all around the yard beside the fence. There was nothing he wanted more than to develop life in those legs.

Ultimately through his daily massages, his iron persistence and his resolute determination, he did develop the ability to stand up, then to walk haltingly, then to walk by himself - and then - to run.

He began to walk to school, then to run to school, to run for the sheer joy of running. Later in college he made the track team.

Still later in Madison Square Garden this young man who was not expected to survive, who would surely never walk, who could never hope to run - this determined young man, Dr. Glenn Cunningham, ran the world’s fastest mile!

Burt Dubin is the developer of Speaking Success System. His skillful telling of this tale made it even more powerful as a message of encouragement. He can be reached at the Personal Achievement Institute, Kingman, Arizona. 1-800-321-1225.

On June 16, 1934, Glenn Cunningham ran the mile in 4:06.8 minutes, breaking the world’s record. His effort portrays that whatever you want to create in your life is yours for the making. As long as you desire it enough and allow your will to guide you, you can have and be whatever your heart desires. The only one that can put limits on our personal will is ourselves. Develop and encourage your will to create and all the forces of nature within and without will help you bring your desire to pass.

© J.L. Read, 1997. All Rights Reserved.

Creative Thinking

From Jacci Howard Bear (originally published in The INK Spot 1995)

Put Yourself in a Creative State of Mind

We all have some level of creativity within us. As with other activities, you can teach yourself to be more creative. Sometimes creative thinking requires us to look at things from new perspectives. Learn to unleash your inventive genius by thinking backwards. Here is an appropriate acronym containing five steps to creative thinking -- S A E D I -- that's IDEAS backwards!

S - State of Mind.Creativity is a state of mind. Telling yourself or others "I'm not very creative," or "I can never come up with new or clever ideas," destroys that state of mind. Creative thinking requires positive thinking.

Read Positive Messages. For long-term creative thinking, read and study books on positive thinking. Some classic titles include Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking and Robert H.

Schuller's Tough Times Never Last, Tough People Do.
Get a Quick Fix. If you have to come up with a clever new ad slogan or a new product name by next week, use some "quick fix" state-of-mind techniques to make yourself ready for creative thinking.

Get plenty of sleep.

Relax your body and mind with deep breathing.

Let your mind wander freely.

Don't dwell on deadlines or other negative thoughts.

Finally, don't forget to daydream; it can be a very effective tool for creative thinking.
In addition to a clear head, it helps to have a physical space conducive to creative thinking. Think about your atmosphere.

S A E D I Think Backwards to Think Creatively and Generate IDEAS

Surround Yourself With an Atmosphere of Creativity

A - Atmosphere.All of our senses -- what we see, hear, feel, taste, and touch -- influence our state of mind. A positive atmosphere contributes to a positive and creative state of mind. Some people thrive in loud, people-filled areas with much activity. Others need quiet and calm to think clearly and creatively. Find that place, noisy or quiet, that makes you feel comfortable.

Find a Place to Walk. If you think best "on your feet," find a hallway, sidewalk, or park where you can walk. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing.

Find a Place to Relax. Set up your office or other room with a good chair, paintings, lighting, music, fresh flowers, and anything else that will help you relax.

Use Pictures, Words, Sounds, Software for Inspiration.

Surround yourself with inspirational props. In coming up with a business name or an illustration idea or a hook for your next press release, you might use magazines, phone books, junk mail, cereal boxes, poetry, or crossword puzzles to generate ideas. Collect whatever materials inspire you -- that give you ideas. Even computer programs such as IdeaFisher can help you develop your natural creativity and foster creative thinking.

Besides what we see or hear, the scents, textures, and tastes experienced during our creative thinking time contribute to our creativity. Both good and bad smells can trigger the ideas we need. Trying to come up with a name for a new food product? Smell it, taste it, hold it in your hands. Get all your senses involved in the process.

With a clear head and a clear space you can let your mind wander -- but not too much. To solve a problem you also need to direct creative thinking with some effective thinking.
S A E D I Think Backwards to Think Creatively and Generate IDEAS

Direct Your Thoughts for More Creative Thinking

E - Effective Thinking.While positive thinking allows your mind to accept new ideas and creative thoughts, effective thinking involves directing your thoughts toward specific goals. Daydreaming, relaxation, and free association allow the mind to come up with new or unusual ideas or idea fragments.

Have a Goal for Your Creative Thinking. Without a specific goal in mind, random thoughts and ideas may not be particularly useful. Gerald Kushel, Ed.D., is the author of several books, including Effective Thinking for Uncommon Success. In a 1991 interview for Bottom Line Personal newsletter, Dr. Kushel says that to be an effective thinker, you need to have goals and a commitment to those goals. He outlines four steps toward effective thinking:
Take Notice.

Take stock of where you are or what you are doing. Is it moving you toward your goal?
Pause. Take a break when you get off-track.

Identify Effective Thoughts. When a thought enters your head, identify it as effective or defective, positive or negative.

Choose. We can choose our thoughts. It's the underlying premise of positive thinking. It's true of effective thinking and creative thinking, as well. Choose to focus on those thoughts that bring you closer to your goals.

Identify Your Creative Challenge. Applied to creative thinking, effective thinking means clearly defining what creative challenge you need to meet. Do you want a new business name? Are you looking for an unmet need to turn into a business? Are you trying to come up with an exciting or unusual direct mail piece within a limited budget? Whatever the challenge, direct your thoughts and activities toward that goal. Gather materials that will help you accomplish your goal.

The right time and place and effective thinking only work if given an opportunity to do so. Creative thinking takes determinition, perservence.
S A E D I Think Backwards to Think Creatively and Generate IDEAS

Make a Habit of Creative Thinking
D - Determination.Creativity takes practice. Your creativity is there within you, but you must make a habit of using your imagination. Although many of your best ideas will come when you "aren't really concentrating," you can make them happen more often by regularly practicing effective thinking techniques.

Schedule Creative ThinkingEven when not pondering a specific creative challenge, set aside a certain amount of time each day, week, or month to relax, brainstorm, and daydream. Make creative thinking a habit. By getting in the habit of scheduling regularly creativity thinking time and creativity exercises you'll be better able to meet future challenges as they arise.

Ponder On Problems That Don't Exist. This isn't the same as worrying about things you can't change or trying to fix what isn't broken.

It means that even when you've come up with the perfect path to acheive your goals, think about alternatives. Keep a file of ideas that were discarded as not feasible this time around. You may find inspiration for solving future problems and creative challenges. Keep the sketches that the client rejected or that you never even showed to them. Sometimes pulling out these old ideas will generate new ones when needed.

And keeping a file of ideas that were rejected doesn't mean just holding them in your head. Write it down.
S A E D I Think Backwards to Think Creatively and Generate IDEAS

Put Your Brainstorming in Writing
I - Ink.Whether you use ink, pencil lead, crayon, or a computer, write down your ideas. We retain more of what we hear or see if we write it down. That applies equally to college lectures and our own brainstorming sessions.

Make Notes Any Time, Any Place. Get in the habit of making notes, outlines, sketches, or doodles. If you are actively pursuing a specific idea or problem, always have paper and pencil or recorder at the ready. Jot down or record all your thoughts, no matter how "off-the-wall."
Keep a Notebook By Your Bed. Some of your best thoughts come just before falling asleep and just after waking. Keep a notebook at your bedside so you will always be ready to write down ideas whenever they come.

Create an Inspiration File. Whether it's a file folder, a notebook, or an entire file cabinet, keep clippings, thumbnail sketches, junk mail, photos, and anything else that inspires you or gives you ideas.

Add the notes you regularly take. Don't just file it and forget it - go through the file curing your scheduled creative thinking times and when actively pursing ideas for a project.

You Are A Creative PersonThe next time you start to think "I can never come up with good ideas," think backwards. There are a countless number of useful ideas and innovative thoughts in all of us -- if we take the time to learn to think and act creatively.
S A E D I Think Backwards to Think Creatively and Generate IDEAS

Business Cards

extra tips & links from past issues of our weekly email newsletter

Design and Use Tips gleaned from numerous sources over the years for designing and/or using your (or a client's) business card:

Put as much information on your card as possible but always leave room for the recipient to make notes on the card. Encourage note-taking by including a place on the card marked "notes."

If all your needed information won't fit comfortably (and legibly) on the front, use the back of the card. Also consider a bi-fold or tri-fold brochure card.

Have more than one style of card. Someone whose card indicates they 'do it all' might be perceived as the infamous "Jack-of-all- Trades, Master of None." If you are trying to break into a specific specialty (such as newsletter design or Web design), design a separate business card to give to your target market. Depending on your business, you might want to have a 'fun' card and a 'serious' card.

Make your business card do double duty. Print a coupon or special offer on the backs of your cards. Include them with invoices to current customers. If you offer a referral incentive, print it on the card.

Don't miss an opportunity to ask someone for a business card. Chances are, they'll ask for yours in return.

Get The Best Business Cards

From Susan Ward,

Your Guide to Small Business: Canada.

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Professional Printing Is Best For Business Cards

Every business person needs to have business cards. They're a fast and convenient way to give a prospective client or customer your contact information and basic marketing message.

It's important to get the best quality business card that you can afford. Pay attention to the quality of the paper and the printing as well as the design. People are impressed by these things, and will judge you and how well or poorly you might treat them by the quality of the business card you hand out.

Your business card represents you. Don't spoil the good impression you've made in person by handing someone a home-made card printed on your home printer (unless you have the kind of expensive printer that can produce the same quality business cards as the local print shop).

Otherwise, you should always have your business cards professionally printed.

You don't want to give prospective clients or customers the idea that your products and/or services are second rate.

Carry Other People's Business Cards

From Susan Ward,

Your Guide to Small Business: Canada.

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Business Cards Can Help You Make Contacts

You always take a goodly supply of your own business cards with you wherever you go. Who doesn't? After all, you never know when you're going to get the opportunity to make a contact.

But you should also carry a supply of other people's business cards with you as well. Why? Because other people's business cards can serve as the entree to making that contact and letting people know you.

For instance, the last time I was at my hairdresser's, two women were talking about the problems one of them was having with her house. There was no ceiling light fixture in her living room, and she wanted one. But her friend wasn't able to give her the name of a good electrician.

Voila! My opportunity. I introduced myself, told them how pleased I was with the work of the electrician who had worked on my house, and gave the woman with the problem his business card.

As I expected, this led to a more involved conversation, in the course of which I was able to tell both women what I did, and give them my business card as well.

I haven't seen any business from either of them yet, but I might. And even if I don't, they know about the helpful-woman-at-the-hairdressers-who-knows-a-great-electrician and may pass on the word to their friends.

In a past makerting tip, I talked about the importance of conversing with people, and how if you listen to them, they'll be interested in you. But if you just go around asking everyone about the weather or what they thought about the latest sporting event, you'll quickly be viewed as either boring or eccentric.

Carrying a selection of other people's business cards gives you a much higher chance of being able to converse about something that's important to your potential contact. People are much more likely to be interested in talking to someone they perceive as meeting one of their needs, and much more likely to think well of someone who gives them truly useful information.

So ask the business people you patronize for a handful of their business cards and carry them around with you. By directing business their way when you get the opportunity, you can also increase your own clientele.

Make Your Business Card a Marketing Vehicle

Make Your Business Card Visible and Useful

Business cards are a valuable promotion tool. No business person could live without the convenience of having a business card to hand to prospective clients or customers. Handing out a business card is so much easier than writing out all your contact information for a person you've just met.

But most business cards only do half the marketing job. Think about what you do with the business cards people give you. If you're like me, they go into a pile in a drawer. If you're more organized, maybe they go into a card file. In either case, the business cards just sit there, out of view, and probably out of mind. What a waste!

Why not turn your business card into a marketing vehicle by making your business card visible? Instead of the traditional business card, get your contact information printed on something that people might leave in plain sight; something that will remind them of you and your services or products whenever they look at it.

You can get information printed on just about anything now.

What about using something like fridge magnets instead of the standard business card? What do people do with fridge magnets? Put them on their refrigerator in their kitchen - a place the family frequents, where they'll see your contact information (and marketing message) countless times a day!

Message pads, coasters, mouse pads - your choice of business card marketing vehicle is limited only by your imagination. My cat's veterinarian hands out palm-sized calendars with magnetic backing as business cards, something that most people are guaranteed to hang up in plain view.

Remember, most business cards just sit in a drawer, doing nothing until or unless someone bothers to dig them out. And if there's nothing to remind them of you, why would they bother to dig out your business card? Making it easy for people to remember (and call) you by using a more unique 'handout' item as a business card is a smart investment.

Tips For A Successful Trade Show

From © Janice Byer

Part 1: Making Your Trade Show Display Stand Out

As small business owners, especially those in the start up phase, preparing for a trade show can be a very scary and frustrating time. What do we take for our trade show display and how do we present it?

You first need to find out the specifics of the trade show you are registered for or considering exhibiting in. If necessary, contact the organizers of the event and get details on the type of visitors that the show attracts and the layout of the area you will have to display your business.

Be sure to find out the size of the trade show display table you will have, whether there is wall space for your company sign, if there are electrical outlets available, and anything else that may or may not be included (i.e. a table cloth, etc.).

Once the show space specifics have been established, then you can move on to deciding what to take and how you can ‘show your stuff’.

The following are just a few ideas to help you get ready for that all important trade show. (Note: most of these trade show display ideas are based on being in the service industry but will work for products industry companies as well.)

1) If the trade show display table you have does not include a tablecloth, be sure to get one that complements your display and represents your company’s image and colour scheme (without being overpowering). Even if a tablecloth is supplied, bring your own or something to add some depth to your table (i.e. a table runner). Your table will definitely stand out in a crowd.

2) If your trade show display space will allow, erect a stand-alone presentation board. On the board, you can show how clients can benefit by using your services. Be creative and make it stand out. Include pictures, if possible, and be sure your company name and logo are more than obvious.

3) If there is wall space, but your budget is minimal, use your trusty desktop publishing software to create a template of your company name. Use the template, along with bristle board, cardboard, or foam core to make a sign that you can put up on the wall behind your trade show display.

4) Arrange your trade show display table in levels. Put the larger items at the rear, shorter items in front of those, and even shorter items in front of those.

5) Develop a PowerPoint presentation to display on your table (if an electrical outlet is within reach of your booth). You can make it on your desktop computer and transfer it to a laptop, which you can rent or borrow if you don’t already have one. Your visitors will find this visually appealing and it will draw in their attention.

Continue on to the next page to read more trade show tips, including ideas for trade show giveaways that are sure to make yours one of the most popular trade show booths at the show.

Part 2: Using Trade Show Giveaways

Here are more trade show tips to help your trade show booth draw attention at the show and help people remember you afterwards.

Have plenty of trade show giveaways, such as business cards, brochures, pens, magnets, and anything else that has your company name and/or logo on it. Most people who attend trade shows are expecting to take home some goodies. And be sure to use display racks for showing your flyers, specials, brochures, and such.

Offer something a little different as a trade show giveaway… FOOD. I displayed at the "Bridges to Better Business" trade show in Brampton and included a basket of Girl Guide cookies on my table. They were a big hit; I wish I had brought more. If you can, package your food in a way that will allow you to have your company contact information on it.

Offer Gift Certificates for some of your services as a trade show giveaway.

There’s nothing better than getting a deal and when they ‘cash in’ their certificate, they will see how valuable your services are and will come back for more.

Have a draw for a prize. Offer a prize that in some way complements your business if possible, and appeals to anyone. Have visitors and entrants sign a guestbook, fill in a ticket, or drop their business cards into a fish bowl or gift bag. The great thing about this trade show giveaway is that you can then use this information at a later date to make a follow up contact.
Have a portfolio of your work available as part of your trade show display. Print off some of your best projects, put them into plastic sheet protectors, and arrange them in a binder. Then lay out the binder where visitors can flip through the pages.

If the trade show will be on for an extended length of time, be sure to have assistance in manning your trade show booth so you can take a break. If you don’t have the option of having someone take over for a bit, be sure to put up a note that tells people how long you will be gone or when you will be back.

Most importantly, be friendly and inviting. Say "Hi" to those that turn and look toward you or your trade show booth. Strike up a conversation and be sure to have a short introductory speech ready. And… have fun!

Janice Byer is a certified Master Virtual Assistant and owner of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services.

3 Secrets of Trade Show Success

From Susan A. Friedmann

A Good-Looking Trade Show Exhibit Isn’t Enough

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. It's a saying so true that it has become cliché - a phrase used by suit salesmen and purveyors of shampoo - but it's a saying that should serve as a motto for your trade show booth staff.

A trade show is a non-stop series of beginnings. Every moment - from the second the doors open until they blink the lights signalling the end of the day - is a moment where you could be meeting customers for the very first time.

If all goes well, these crucial first moments will launch a mutually profitable relationship that will last for years. On the other hand, if the impression you create is not so positive, you've kissed a lifetime's worth of business goodbye.

Beginning well means you're half done. Once you've established a rapport with the client, once that positive foundation has been laid, the hard work of negotiating a deal and closing a sale becomes so much easier.

Here's what you need to know to create a favorable first impression time and time again, over the long hours and days that you'll be at the trade show.

What's for sale here?

Your company might make computers or luxury automobiles. You might sell scrub brushes. You could retail the finest gems found on the Indian sub-continent. It doesn't really matter. When you're at a trade show, what you're selling is you.

Today's buyers are nervous. They've been through the dot-com bubble. They've seen Enron blow up and corporate scandal follow corporate scandal. Yet they still have to do business. How do they know who they can trust?

There will always be a due-diligence component to business, but a surprising amount of decisions are made by people "trusting their guts". During those crucial first minutes where you're checking out the attendee, they're checking you out. They are, perhaps unconciously, assessing what they perceive as your intentions and motivations. Few people believe that they can get a good deal from someone they do not believe to be a good person.

Trade Show Secret: People have to 'buy' you before they can buy your products.

Can you hear what I'm saying?

Non-verbal communication plays a huge role in creating first impressions. Attendees are constantly watching. If your body language conveys the fact that you don't want to be at the show, would prefer not to engage with attendees, or are just going through the motions, they'll pick up on that and go elsewhere.

Standing at the corner of your trade show exhibit with your arms folded tells attendees "Stay away! I'm on guard." Sitting down, flipping through a magazine, or chatting with colleagues says "I've got better things to do." All togther, it means "You're not important to me," even if you ask the attendees what you can do for them today.

Trade Show Secret: People won't come in if your body language says "Go away!"

The Wall of Noise

You have to approach attendees, engage them, welcome them into your booths. Unfortunately, many staffers take this to mean that they must offer up a constant stream of conversation, from the welcoming hello to the assurances that "We'll be in touch!" as the attendee hurries to a calmer, quieter trade show exhibit.

Talking is important, but listening is more so. Shift the focus from your own sales spiel to actually listening to the customer and you'll find your results immediately improve. Ask attendees questions, and listen to their answers. Give them your full attention. Hear what they're saying and offer appropriate responses.

The fact that you're focused on the attendee, wholly engaged with them, and committed, however briefly, to solving their problems, is one of the easiest, most effective ways to create a positive first impression. It sets a good precedent, establishing how you will do business with this client further down the road. You're laying the foundation for that positive, profitable relationship.

Trade Show Secret: Focus on the attendee for maximum results.

These three secrets will stand you well in the trade show environment. Remember that to begin new relationships, you must first create a positive impression. Being mindful of the fact that people need to trust you before they do business with you, avoiding off-putting body language, and listening more than you talk will help you do exactly that. And then you'll be well begun - more than half done, well on the road to starting a new profitable relationship.

Written by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author of “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies", working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. For a free copy of “10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make”, e-mail: article4@thetradeshowcoach.com.

Trade Show Booth Etiquette Can Attract or Repel Attendees

Provide a Checklist of What Staff Should Do in the Exhibit Booth

Whether you are planning for a 10 foot or 40 foot exhibit space, event marketers attend trade shows for lead generation and brand management purposes.

And while some people who staff booths pride themselves on their ability to spot a live prospect and avoid everyone else, staying focused only on revenue often damages their brand.
Event planners are sometimes asked to manage a trade show booth, and they can help enhance the investment by sharing some trade show etiquette rules:

1. Greetings and Body Language
(c) 2007 Rob Hard, RH Communications, Inc.Attendees are looking to the exhibit staff for a reason to spend time at that booth. The following body language will help convey a professional and approachable demeanor:

Stand up and greet attendees – in front of the booth.
If seats are needed, use tall stools that create contact at standing eye level.
Smile and make eye contact with attendees from all directions.
Speak with trade show attendees, not colleagues.
Sit down only if you are with a client who also wants to sit.
Do not cross arms or legs.
Be mindful of other people in the booth and near your space.
Do not enter the space of another exhibitor.
Thank attendees for spending time at your booth when they arrive and leave.

2. No Food or Beverages for Staff in the Booth
(c) 2007 Rob Hard, RH Communications, Inc.This is part of greetings and body language, but unfortunately deserves its own category. One of the most common trade show booth etiquette violations occurs when food and drink is kept within the booth for personal consumption.

It is easy to spot napkins, wrappers, plastic bottles and other items that are not part of the booth. It may sound elementary, but do remind booth staff to avoid eating, drinking and chewing gum within the booth.

3. Staff Hours
Trade show staff is usually responsible for booth setup, and they should arrive early enough to make sure that all materials are properly displayed and ready for show attendees. Staff adequately to allow attendees easy access to staff, and to consider needs for lunch and/or other breaks.

It is important to highlight the show hours, and make sure that representation remains in the booth through the completion of the scheduled hours. It is amazing the number of booths where staff will disappear 15, 30, even 45 minutes before the end of a show.

4. Engage Attendees
People attend trade shows for a reason, so it is important for booth staff to quickly introduce themselves and ask attendees questions quickly to find out if they can help them in any way.

Most of the people attending a trade show have some relevant reason to learn more about your products and services, so offer them a brief overview from the script and continue the conversation from there.

5. Script
Trade show booth staff should be assigned a specific area of the exhibit to cover, and should have the expertise to convey important company information to attendees.
Representatives in a trade show booth should be prepared to answer questions or understand where to obtain more information. The booth should be managed by one person who has that expertise and/or authority, and that person should be accessible at all times.

6. Dress Code
Attire is something that differs from organization to organization. Some companies have corporate apparel (e.g., polo shirts, sport coats, dress shirts, etc.) while others give employees some direction on personal attire with colors and clothing style.
Attire helps to reinforce trade show booth themes, and should also be perceived as respectful of the organizers and attendees of the show itself.

7. Booth Setup and Maintenance
Event managers typically direct trade show booth staff to store the unattractive boxes and supplies in such spots as behind a trade show wall, under a fully skirted table, or in a location outside the exhibit area where additional supplies are stored.

It is important that the space appear well maintained at all times (including the floor), and trash should not be anywhere within view. Trade show etiquette requests that workers be mindful of this rule throughout the entire day.

Business Etiquette for Corporate Events

Useful Rules for Good Manners at Meetings and Social Events

Appropriate business etiquette is expected of everyone, especially in corporate events. However, few people are formally trained in good manners. That means most people learn how to conduct themselves at seminars, conferences, business meals, receptions, etc., “on the job.”

Of course, not everyone is completely at ease with knowing whether they are conveying proper business etiquette to corporate hosts, colleagues and other guests.

Keep in mind, the purpose of etiquette is to create an environment that allows everyone to feel comfortable. The following common questions and answers should help.

1. When should you respond to an RSVP?
Event invitations will provide most of the important information of an event, including details about the host, type of event, purpose (even as much as a brief agenda), location, time, specific instructions, and – of course – the RSVP.

Events today rely on a variety of RSVP options, including email, phone, mail in cards, and more. It is important for guests to respond quickly when they receive an invitation, and it’s best to respond within a week. If you must decline at the last minute, please notify the host prior to the event or first thing the next day with sincere regrets.

2. What should you wear to an event?
Hosts and guests err on the side of conservative sensibility: dress well and in good taste (everything should always be pressed). That said, most event invitations will provide direction:
Business attire (suits and dresses)

Black tie/black tie optional (more formal evening wear)
Business casual (trousers/khakis with long sleeve shirts)
Jackets and ties required (as instructed)

Some events and venues may advise other casual wear, such as golf, tennis, horse racing, resorts, etc. Organizers will be specific about attire requirements.

3. When should you arrive for an event?
The event host spends significant time and resources to plan and execute an event, so most people know the answer to this question: be on time! If you are a representative of the host, the answer is that you should arrive up to 30 minutes early (you will be given a time, show up when requested).

If you are a guest, understand that the organizer has been selective with the invitation list. Many invitations will include a brief agenda that highlights when guests may arrive for the event, typically providing a window of 15 to 30 minutes for registration and welcome reception times.
Also, it’s important to stay as long as possible or to the conclusion of an event.

4. When should you extend a handshake at an event?
Always upon arrival and departure. This is an easy rule that few people violate. Greet everyone with a firm, sincere handshake, a friendly smile and direct eye contact. However, when approaching a group of individuals, it’s important to note that guests should always shake the hand of the host first.

Of course, there are scenarios when handshake greetings aren’t possible, such as when both hands are full. In those situations, either party may nod and use some sort of other body gesture to convey the greeting.

5. How should you introduce people in a group at an event?
Most people will find themselves at some point introducing various individuals at an event, especially when they are the ones who will be expected to know all parties. But what’s the order of introductions? Simply remember to rules:

Introduce lower ranking individuals to higher ranking individuals.
Remember to include titles (e.g., Dr., Judge, etc.) and name prefix (e.g., Mr., Mrs. Ms.).

6. What should you talk about at the event?
It’s important to have strong listening (don’t interrupt) and conversation skills in group situations. This means maintaining open body language (stand up or sit up straight, don’t cross arms, and maintain good eye contact) and showing interest in what others have to say.

Contribute to conversations by being able to speak to a variety of subjects, find topics of mutual interest and avoid correcting what others have to say. Make sure to involve everyone in the group in the discussion (and not just one or two). Encourage people to talk about themselves, and be graceful when providing and/or accepting compliments.
It’s unfortunate to add the following, but necessary for some: avoid the use of foul language and slang in conversations.

7. What shouldn't you talk about at the event?
Just as it’s important to understand what to talk about, there are several topics that should generally be avoided:

Personal finance topics
Personal health topics (yours and others)
Divisive topics
Gossip

8. When should you defer extra courties (deference) to others at an event?
It may sound old fashioned, but it’s very important to let people know that you hold them in high esteem. And the act will usually not go unnoticed by the recipient. Several examples (but certainly not an all inclusive list) of when deference is important at an event:

Follow the lead of others (e.g., host) to know when/where to sit.
Hold doors for others.
Don’t assume empty seats are available.
Allow others to take the better seat.
Wait to speak until others acknowledge you.
Wait for the host before taking a first drink.
Wait to eat until after everyone is served and the host has begun.
9. What other business etiquette rules should be kept in mind?
Never drink more than two alcoholic drinks.
Allow the event host to make the first toast.
Notify hosts of any dietary restrictions prior to an event.
Understand how to use flatware (eat outside in).
Glassware is placed to the right.
Bread plates will be placed to the left.
Place the fork and knife in the 4:00 position when finished.
Place napkins on the chair seat or arm when briefly stepping away.
Research the event topic and venue before arriving.
Thank the host in person prior to leaving.
Send a “thank you” note to the host within a week.

10. What should you wear to an event?
Hosts and guests err on the side of conservative sensibility: dress well and in good taste (everything should always be pressed). That said, most event invitations will provide direction:
Business attire (suits and dresses)
Black tie/black tie optional (more formal evening wear)
Business casual (trousers/khakis with long sleeve shirts)
Jackets and ties required (as instructed)
Some events and venues may advise other casual wear, such as golf, tennis, horse racing, resorts, etc. Organizers will be specific about attire requirements.

11. What should you wear to an event?
Hosts and guests err on the side of conservative sensibility: dress well and in good taste (everything should always be pressed). That said, most event invitations will provide direction:
Business attire (suits and dresses)
Black tie/black tie optional (more formal evening wear)
Business casual (trousers/khakis with long sleeve shirts)
Jackets and ties required (as instructed)
Some events and venues may advise other casual wear, such as golf, tennis, horse racing, resorts, etc. Organizers will be specific about attire requirements.