b'YOUR TOOLKIT FOR BUILDING EXCELLENCEcontinued from page: 8In general, goals will fall into one of three categories:Avoid getting hijacked by interesting displays that are seeing new products and services, networking withirrelevant to your work, he adds. Knowing who youre peers, and attending seminars. Perhaps you want togoing to skip is as important as who you\'re going to see.find a better source for a certain category of product.And take some time off. Sure, you are a go-getter and Or maybe assess the quality of a new equipment line byare excited about the shows possibilities. But pacing is requesting a demonstration. Is there a certain seminarimportant. You need downtime, said Powell. If you about a topic of critical importance that you mustspend four hours at seminars and four hours at the attend? Finally, you may want to set a goal of meetingexhibitor hall and then go out to dinner with people, with specific colleagues to brainstorm solutions to anyou\'re going to be so exhausted none of it is going to industry problem.take hold.Bonus tip: Not everyone can attend the show. AskBonus tip: If you miss someone you want to see at a colleaguesiftheyneedyoutotrackdownsomebooth, leave your business card with a note on when information. you will try again.Mistake #2: Undeveloped strategies Mistake #4: Ineffectual booth conversationsHaving specific goals is one thing. Pulling them off isTo avoid wasting time when you enter an exhibition another. Given the limited time available at a show, itsbooth, control the conversation. To do so you need to wise to apportion your hours with goal completion inknow what you need to discuss in advance, and then mind.steer the conversation immediately in that direction .VeryoftenreachingagoalmeanstouchingbaseAvoid open-ended questions such as what\'s new? that effectively with a key exhibitor. Its too easy to aimlesslyinvite the exhibitor to ramble on, wasting your time, walk from one vendor to another and get sucked intosaid Peter LoCascio, a Salem, Oregon,-based consultant conversations about products or services that take you(tradeshowconsultants.com). Try an opener like this: off focus about what will really help your business,My name is Jane Walter from the XYZ Company. I am said Powell. Devote your time to those vendors whomaking a business decision to buy a [product]. Why are most important to your specific goals. should I consider your model over the one from your Make appointments with people who can help you reachcompetitor?your goals. Offer to speak with them in a quiet spot awayAnother approach is to ask, Who\'s your best expert on from their booths. Maybe the show has a relaxation area[subject]? Or We\'ve had problems with your customer with chairs and water. Or you might meet an importantservice. Who here has the authority to fix that for me?"colleague at a nearby restaurant for lunch.Bonus tip: Schedule meetings with critical vendors earlyNot every booth staffer is at the same level of product in the morning before the day gets hectic, when theyexpertise. If there is no one available to answer your wont mind leaving their booths for a coffee and donut. question, obtain the name and contact information for someone who can. Sometimes that will require making Mistake #3: Undisciplined time management a phone call after the show is over. That can be a prudent You want to see the right vendors in a timely fashion, sostep in any case. Exhibitors often fail to follow up you dont run out of time before your essential work istrade show leads in a timely fashion, says LoCascio. done. And that requires careful planning. Rather thanObtaining the name and number of a person in your wandering around aimlessly, approach the show floorterritory can help you perform your own follow-up to strategically, said Orvel Ray Wilson, a speaker andlearn more about a product or service.coach on trade shows (GuerrillaGroup.com). Use aBonus tip: Ask yourself What is the biggest problem yellow highlighter or red sharpie to circle the A hit listI have in my business? Ask exhibitors for solutions. those exhibitors you really need to see. Then connectMistake # 5: Unstructured note takingthe dots to their booths and prioritize the visits. After that, mark the locations of the B Hit List, your secondTrade shows tend to create a state of information tier of vendors.overload. You are going to forget a lot of what you continued on page: 10 FRAME BUILDER - VOL61 / 9'