AtlantaEvent.com NewsFlash - Procrastination - I'll get around to it!

 Editors Notes:

1. Greetings to all. Are you ready for the Holidays yet? We are just days away and yet once again we are scrambling to prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Over the next several weeks we get to experience all of the stress that comes from procrastination and family gatherings. Not saying that we all procrastinate, but I would be willing to bet that at least half of us do.

I remember thinking back in September that I should start my gift buying so I would be ready, but alas, week two of November and no shopping completed yet. The good news it is not too late. The bad news is that this pattern can become a part of every area of our lives. Not only do we put off shopping, we often put off productive tasks that can lead to our success.

These tasks are often the unpleasant ones and when we put off all of the unpleasant tasks, sooner or later we are faced with completing a whole string of unpleasant tasks all at once. I guess the simple answer to this is to keep things mixed up using daily planning skills. Be sure to do one dreaded task every day. If you mix up the day with the things you love to do with the things you hate to do, can the future be less stressful?

2. As I said last newsletter, I am out in the field, selling marketing, design and web services after partnering with Innov. It is rather refreshing to be working more outside of my office, but I have to tell you I sure did not miss the traffic! Just in case you are able to send me some referrals, Innov is a full service design and marketing firm that specializes in web site design and re-design for those who already have a web site and are ready for an upgrade.

You can contact me at 678-508-5975. Possible leads are OK as well!

3.Advertising is available on AtlantaEvent.com and in this newsletter. We accept cash, check, credit cards and barter dollars from two of the local barter companies. You can advertise on AtlantaEvent.com for a year for less than would pay for a quarter page ad in a major newspaper for two days! Even then more people would see your ad on our site than they would in the newspaper!

4. I need your opinions on trade shows. Please email me and tell me what kind of a trade show you would consider displaying your products and services at. What kind of trade show would you attend personally? Lastly, would you be more likely to attend a trade show with breakout sessions and seminars or does that matter to you?

Email me with your answers Click Here or email info@atlantaevent.com

Now, let me suggest you check out all of the articles this issue. You may not need the first one, but the last one might be exactly what you needed. Be sure to visit AtlantaEvent.com often and tell everyone about it.

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Thank you for subscribing - Jeff Glaze - Editor

Routine is comfortable. We like knowing what we’re going to do, when we’re going to do it, and what we'll be wearing while we do it. It’s nice, safe and predictable. There are no surprises, no unforeseen contingencies, no upsets.

There is also no growth, no excitement, and no spontaneity. Routines can easily become ruts, especially at a trade show. It’s very easy to do, especially if you always go to the same shows, display in the same location, use the same graphics and literature, and go through the same sales spiel. It might seem effective. It will definitely be comfortable.

It’s also one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Exhibiting is, by its very nature, is a constantly evolving art. To be successful, you need to embrace what is new and exciting. It requires pushing boundaries.

If you're comfortable, you're not trying hard enough. Worse, you're running a very real risk: The risk of boring trade show attendees with your booth.

People have a split second attention span. If you're not presenting something new, exciting, and engaging, to draw them in, most attendees are going to assume they already know what you have to offer and pass you by. When attendees walk right by your booth without giving it a second look, that's the same as having sales dollars flying right out the window.

There are five easy steps to break out of a rut.

1) Realize the difference between branding and routine.

Doing the same exact thing the same exact way time after time after time is NOT branding. Careful and intelligent placement of logos, consistent use of color, and overall design are all elements of branding. Look at McDonalds – they have one of the strongest brands on the planet, yet have changed looks, catch phrases, uniforms and menus over the years.

Take a close look at your branding efforts. Are they serving your marketing message, or are you simply repeating yourself?

2) Step outside your industry

Great ideas come from unexpected sources. I have gotten some of my best exhibit ideas from the retail world, where they carefully study the impact of color, music, and even temperature upon shoppers. Examine what motivates people to buy products that are very different from your own. What makes someone buy a motorcycle? Yogurt? Sleeping bags? Each of these items requires a different strategy, with many complex elements. Perhaps some of these elements would work well in your exhibit.

Remember, it's never a good idea to simply ‘cut and paste’ elements from one advertising campaign onto your own. Catchphrases, graphics, and imagery may be copyrighted or proprietary. You want to expand your business, not enter litigation! Instead, analyze what makes a particular element work for you, and see how you can adapt it to meet your own business needs.

3) Get a fresh set of eyes

Have someone who is in no way related to the trade show industry or your company look at your exhibit. What do they notice first? What impression do they get of your company? What emotions do your graphics evoke? Record their impressions and compare how they measure up to your marketing objectives.

Many times we have looked at our own exhibits so many times that we don't 'see' them anymore. This fresh set of eyes will be viewing your booth the same way the attendees do – with no foreknowledge or preconceived notions of how the exhibit is ‘supposed’ to look.

4) Change up your teams

Just because Fred, Ethel, Murray and Zane have ALWAYS been your trade show team does not mean they always have to be. Take a careful look at your staff. Who is personable and professional, with excellent product knowledge, strong sales skills, and enthusiasm? Send that person to the trade show. Sending one new person to a show can create a new dynamic, sending a whole new team guarantees you’will get anything but a routine performance.

No matter who you send, make sure that all staff members are trained. Old-hands need to refresh their skills and rookies need to acquire them!

5) Call in wardrobe

Something as simple as changing clothes can totally alter a booth staff's performance. If they've been wearing business attire, consider switching to a more casual yet coordinated look. Have the booth staff break out the suits and ties. You'll be amazed how differently they carry themselves and interact with attendees.

Uniforms and logo clothing are particularly appropriate for some industries. For example, shippers world wide know UPS by their distinctive brown attire. If this is the case with your company, make sure that the uniform shows up at the trade show. In addition to your booth staff, make sure the uniform makes an appearance in graphics and literature to reinforce the image association in attendee’s minds.

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: “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; website: thetradeshowcoach.com

If you're an employer or a manager then work place absence is costing you money, inconvenience, and upsetting your customers. And as we all know, not all days taken off work are due to genuine sickness. Many employees "take a sickie" because their morale is low and they just don't like or can't do their work.The challenge for employers and managers is to make people happier at work. And if people are happy at work then they are less likely to take a day off every time they wake up with a stuffy nose.

Some bosses think that paying more money, improving job security or working conditions is the answer. It isn't and it's also something that can be very hard to achieve. People who employ or supervise other people need to become more tuned to their employees' emotional needs and find out what really motivates them. This is also much easier to achieve than paying more money or improving job security, however there is no quick fix.

To reduce the amount of absence there are three steps you need to consider.

First, pick the right person for the job. You need to get better at interviewing and selecting people. Take more time over it; pay more attention to the applicant's human side rather than their qualifications or experience. Get to know them better. Find out what makes them happy, how well they get on with other people and how much energy and enthusiasm they have. Make sure they know what they're getting into and be sure the job suits them.

Second, you need to believe in your people. If you've interviewed well and picked the right person for the job then you need to trust them to do that job. You need to constantly demonstrate to your people that you trust and believe in them by what you say, your tone of voice and your body language.

If you believe that your people are not to be trusted, that they're unable to make a decision without checking with you. That they'll turn up late and go home early, then that's exactly what they'll do. If on the other hand you believe that they'll do their job well, that they can be trusted to make decisions and they'll give you a fair day's work, then it is more likely this is what you'll get. As with all theories there is no guarantee that it will work every time, however the majority of employees are reasonable people and if you treat them as such then they are more likely to behave in a positive manner.

The third and probably the most important thing you can do to reduce absence and motivate your people is to give them feedback and coach them. This is where so many employers and managers fall down in dealing with their people; they're hopeless at giving feedback. Many managers are uncomfortable telling staff how they feel about their work performance. Most employees want to know how they are performing in their job; they want to know if they are doing it right or how they could do it better.

If you really want to motivate your people then you need to give them feedback on what they're doing well and what needs improvement. When you notice an employee doing something you do like, tell them about it. When you notice something you don't like, tell them about it.

Do it as soon as possible. Acknowledging a job well done is not much good six months later. Also, if you don't immediately call someone's attention to something you're not happy about, then they'll assume its okay. Either that or they'll think you didn't notice or you don't care.

Do it in private. Why is it some managers still feel its okay to reprimand someone in front of their colleagues?
Even the mildest rebuke can have a negative effect on morale. When you do speak to the person use "I" messages. Say things like "I liked the way you did that" or "I'm unhappy with the way your reports are always late and I'd like your views on why this is."

Avoid "You" messages such as "You're doing great." That can come across as patronizing or insincere.
"You're doing that all wrong" may cause conflict, lower morale and may not sort the problem. Focus on one or two things. Don't run off a whole list of attributes or misdemeanors. Also be specific about job behavior, focus on what the person did or didn't do, don't make a personal attack. Employees will feel happier if they perceive their employer or manager as a reasonable and fair individual - someone who is quick to praise but also says when they're not happy about something.

The message is - if you want motivated staff then make their work interesting, give them feedback and give them the feeling that they're involved in the business.

We can make the job more interesting by giving people more responsibility, assigning projects and by training and developing them. We need to regularly give people feedback on how they're doing; focusing on what they're doing well rather than on what is not so good. To meet their need to feel involved we should regularly communicate both formally and informally. We could also involve staff in meetings they might not normally attend.

These steps will take time and thought however they'll make a huge difference as to how employees feel about their work. If they feel good and gain satisfaction from their work then they're less likely to find a reason to "take a sickie".

Copyright ©Alan Fairweather - All Rights reserved

Discover the "3" Secrets of team motivation. Alan Fairweather - "The Motivation Doctor" -is the author of "How to get More Sales by Motivating Your Team" To receive your free newsletter and free ebooks, visit: howtogetmoresales.com

Wie viele Leute sprechen gern Deutsch??

Well, I am sure the majority of you have no idea what the title of this article says. That's perfectly understandable since it is written in German. In fact, the question posed in the title is 'how many people like to speak German?'

In our daily lives the people we interact with are speaking their own language. That includes our spouses, children, friends and business colleagues. In order for us to have better relationships and get better results, understanding the language each person speaks is a major factor. The language they speak is a function of their behavioral style.

The study of Behavioral Styles is nothing new and has been around since at least the 1920's. There are several organizations that offer style assessments including Myers';Briggs, MMPI and the ever-popular DISC profile. Different professions will use different style assessments to meet their needs, but the most popular seems to be DISC. The DISC behavioral model focuses on the blend of four distinct behavioral styles; Dominant, Influencing, Supportive and Compliant.

Each of us has a unique blend of these behavioral characteristics that makes us who we are. While we are a blend of the characteristics, certain ones will tend to be more apparent than others. For example, some of us will be outgoing while some of us will be reserved. Some will be task oriented while some are involved in people oriented projects. Each group speaks and understands a different language.

For example, one of my very best friends is of the Dominant or D style. He is a well-planned, fast-paced, results-driven person. He doesn't like to waste time and in fact will plan when he is going to have fun. I am a very Influencing person, or high I. I tend to spend time talking and working with people. I like results but I'll use fun to get them and I most likely won't get results working alone. I like to think people like me.

Let's say I was trying to sell something to my high D friend. How should I present it to him? Should I give him a lot of information? Who should be in control? Should he be wined and dined? How do I manage his style to get the best results? What really motivates him? How do I even know what style he is?

On a personal level, how do I communicate with my wife or my children? After I became aware of the different styles and went on to complete further study in the subject, I realized I was communicating with my six-year old child in exactly the wrong manner. The result was conflict and confusion on his part because I was using my method of communication and not his. Once I started speaking his language the results were amazing; less conflict and confusion, and above all he is much more relaxed and confident.

While it may seem this would take a lot of study to master, you don't have to be a master to effectively use this model. With a little study, you can gain enough knowledge to change the way you do some things. You can learn how to recognize exactly who you are dealing with and how to communicate with them. The outcome will be better results, more fun ways to accomplish your goals, stronger relationships and systems that actually support you in making that happen.

Eddie Esposito is a Master Trainer and franchise owner with the Referral Institute. He serves as the Director of Operations for The Referral Company in Marietta, GA. The Referral Company provides training and coaching for business owners and sales professionals in the area of word-of-mouth marketing. The Referral Institute teaches business professionals throughout the world how to harness the power of word-of-mouth marketing to drive sales for fast, sustainable business growth. For more information on other Referral Institute programs and offerings, please visit referralinstitute.com

Why is it some people are incredibly successful at utilizing the power of the Internet in their marketing while others can't seem to figure out the winning formula?

How often do entrepreneurs and salespeople look for that next magic formula to build their business and increasing revenues, never quite making any of it work? Many people make it much more difficult to succeed than it need be while others know exactly what to do, and they do it.

Ask anyone who has effectively integrated the use of the Internet into their overall marketing strategy and they will tell you success in building your business, both online and off, is about systems. Simple as that.

Developing and utilizing systems is nothing new. Yet, the great search for the pot-of-gold at the end of the rainbow and getting-rich-quick continues.

The place you'll find more gold than virtually anywhere else is in doing something many people just don't find appealing. It is in developing and maintaining a solid database. Unfortunately, many people don't find database management 'sexy' enough. So they continually buy into that next 'secret formula.'

Fact is, with a well-groomed database you can increase your revenues and decrease your marketing costs. You can build customer relations and keep your name fresh in the minds of your market by keeping in touch. This establishes excellent position within your market.

Most people would be amazed at how simple it is to build an incredibly profitable database by applying a few simple strategies. Remember, simple is not always easy. It will take time, commitment and focus.

Bigger is not necessarily better when it comes to your database. Depending on your industry and what you sell you may be well served to focus on the few dozen or few hundred who want to buy from you rather than thousands who couldn't care less about what you offer.

On the other hand, there will be situations where building a massive list is exactly what you need to do. Especially if you have mass quantity products you are selling at a very low price. Then you may want to go for the numbers.

Driving traffic to your site is an ongoing process as is building and maintaining your database. If you are serious about using the Internet in your marketing you need to lay the groundwork to optimize your opportunities.

-Develop a fully operational web site

-Have a way to capture contact information such as a sign up form

-Give people a reason for leaving their contact information such as an E-zine, free report or ebook, an article of interest to your target market or anything that is of benefit to the reader

-Develop a series of content driven messages that address your customers' needs

-Keep your name in front of your market consistently without being annoying

-Write and distribute articles to various online resources pertinent to your market -Create a resource box containing your web address

-Do not make the articles a hard sell. Rather, provide information that positions you as a resource before you are a vendor

-Develop a list of forums and discussion groups you can participate in

-Commit to the long-term.

By focusing on developing a solid database and providing incredible value to your market you can and will achieve success in your business. Guaranteed!

About the Author
Kathleen Gage is one of the top rated business owners for 2004 in Utah. Gage is an award winning keynote speaker and author. Access her FREE eBook Street Smarts eMarketing Tips Guaranteed to Jump Start Your Internet Presence to Put You Miles Ahead of the Competition at streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm