I’m always so excited to leave town and so glad to come home.
There was a time we successfully advertised in the Yellow Pages, made cold calls to businesses and exhibited at trade shows. Of those prospecting methods, the only one we still do are trade shows…and the jury is out on whether trade show’s still work for FlagandBanner.com.
This past week was the Water Park Show in Las Vegas. My co-worker and I like this convention because it’s held in October (which is an easy time to be away from the office) and they’re always in a sunny, warm climate.
Since this year the trade show was in Vegas, a visit to the Craps table was a must. Games are my jam. Gambling is not my motivation. I am a business woman and I know bad odds when I see them. Still, it’s fun to play and when in Rome……
Figuring out the odds of the attending trade show is not so clear. The costs associated with the convention are easy to calculate, but the benefits are hard to measure. What we know is: we meet a lot of people, hand out a lot of specialty items with our name on them and learn all kinds of stuff both personal and business. But does that convert into future sales?
Once back home, I was having a nice, long visit with my oldest son. He has recently returned to Little Rock and begun a new job. We talk and he recounted his previous work week and his exasperation at the disorganization of his new position. He said in the few days that I had been out of town, he had become so frustrated at his work that he considered quitting, which is not like him.
He continued, on the evening of this frustrating day, he went out alone for Chinese food, to think. Once seated, he watched an immigrant couple, skillfully and with pride, prepare his meal. Contemplating their spirit of excellence, his mood began to lift. These people took risks and worked hard for the privileges that he received just by being born an American. Perspective and gratitude came into focus.
After his dinner, he called his partner for their daily share. His partner listened and gave advice that spoke not only to my son, but to me too! I’ve never heard it put so simply. He said, “Take all opportunities and win at them.” BOOM!
You may not be able to win in Vegas or calculate, with accuracy, the winnings of your trade show. But we can ALL win at life. Look at each challenge as an opportunity to win. And to feel like a winner, take note from our immigrant Americans: do all good works, big and small, with a spirit of excellence.
