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4: AFTO--Ask For the Order.
When you meet people, they will often say what kind of business they are in, but for some reason, they are reluctant to ask for the business. Don't be shy, you have nothing to lose.

For instance, if you ever take a course or attend a seminar, make sure you introduce both yourself and your business. Then give a brief commercial plug and say something like this if you are in the desktop publishing business: "In addition, we make up great menus for restaurants. If anybody is looking for somebody to do this, see me at break, and I'll tell you about a special offer we are making this week."

Or how about this situation: Have you ever made a proposal or given a price quote, only to never hear again from the person? If that has happened to you, then I contend you are at fault. If you want the business, it is your job to call back the person. Then keep calling until you have an answer.
(Once, I called back seven separate times for a job that I really wanted. I got the job. Other people might think that pushy, yet I felt that I had nothing to lose. Even if you don't get the job, the process can be worthwhile, as you then should ask: What can I do to improve my chances in the future?)

Let's see. We've talked about four contacts a day. Multiply that times 250 days (giving you some time off for vacations) and that comes out to 1,000 contacts that you are most probably not make now.

This "Four-mula for Success" works. All you have to do is begin using it--like now. Isn't there somebody you could call or write before you do anything else?

You've heard the expression, staycation. It is a term born out of these shaky economic times. As is self evident within the word itself, it simply means that instead of traveling somewhere else during time off from work, the person(s) involved will simply stay home. With more people having to tighten their financial belts, staycations are becoming more popular amongst those who are used to one or two vacations a year. Long before someone coined the phrase, "staycation", I had always recommended that people stay home and enjoy their vacations right where they are. True, a staycation could be quite boring in most places of the country, but Long Island has many attributes that make it ideal for vacationers to come here, and for local residents to stay here for their vacations. Lets put aside these ideal attributes for a moment (we'll get back to them), and lets look at what a vacation is in general. First off, everyone needs a block of time off from work, if for no other reason but for mental health. Physical rest is also important. The question becomes: Why travel to far flung destinations? Is the dirt, sand, grass and concrete they stand on over there so much better than the dirt, sand, grass and concrete we stand on over here? No. Are the stars, sun and moon over their heads any different than the stars, sun and moon over ours? No. Are there any kinds of weather around the world not available on Long Island with the four seasons we have here that most of us take for granted? No.

Getting away is an illusion. Did you know that at no time in our lives are we ever in the same place twice? Thats right, not even for an instant are we ever in the same place twice. Aside from the fact that this planet we live on rotates every twenty-four hours and circles the sun every twelve months, the solar system itself is revolving around the galaxy. Not only that, but all galaxies are drifting out into the depths of the universe at a phenomenal clip that can't even be measured! There is no patch of space that our individual bodies have ever occupied that has ever been the same. The space we inhabit is always changing forever whirling, twirling and zooming through infinite space. Just because our annoying neighbors who let their dogs poop on our lawns travel with us in space, it doesn't make it any less true. Still, people are only too happy to throw thousands of dollars down the toilet just so they can live on another part of this rock for a week or two, only to come back to live right next to those same annoying neighbors for the remaining fifty weeks of the year. Why, so they can say they saw the pyramids, the aurora borealis or a palm tree? I saw them all on HD television. Is it to rub everyones face in it when they return? Is that why people go to tanning salons or use that orange tan stuff from a bottle all the time, to make people think they've been away when they haven't? Then there are those who want go camping, to rough it they say. What? Migrating to work, fighting traffic both ways, dealing with supervisors and bosses who have nothing better to do all day than to lord it over you, and the cut-throats who talk

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As I wallked the floor of the Hauppauge Industrial Trade Show, I couldn't help but wonder what my friend and Trade Show mentor John Hill would say. Funny after listening to John speak, on many occasions, how I noticed the flaws in proper Trade Show presentation. Funny as it was I couldn't help but feel sorry for the person that was footing the bill for some of these booths.

Show people sitting down, having conversations with each other, as potential customers walked right by. No name tags, tables blocking the way, booths not even manned, booths with not enough help....truly amazing.

The sad thing is that with a little coaching and some common sense it didn't have to be that way. Not to mention .....not one follow up call or email, from all of the business cards I dropped.

The bottom line is that if you're a presenter at a Trade Show you need to get it together before, during and after the event. Not sure. Got questions? Want some professional assistance...Call John A. Hill and Associates at 631-473-7302 or on-line at www.johnahillandassociates.com