Being an Expo Expert

I attended a business expo yesterday for the first time in several years. (Full disclosure: I went to a Food Expo last year with my wife who is an F&B professional but I spent more time eating than networking. As soon as I walked into the room, I felt the rush of familiar feelings: the too-loud music, the din of conversation, the occasional outburst of laughter. The smell of opportunity in the air!

Then it hit me: I should’ve brought some business cards.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m usually hyper-prepared for these things, but it was a last minute invitation and I had no idea I’d end up here. Still, I failed. No excuses.

So I walked the room I didn’t work the room, I walked, and I said “hello” to lots of people. This is not the behavior of an entrepreneur; it is the behavior of a puppy. I did get a nifty grocery bag and some goodies, most of which are now in the recycle bin. Look, I’m nothing if not honest.

I was proud of my colleague. She walked from booth to booth with purpose. She went in with a plan and made what may prove to be meaningful connections. It helps that she’s a lot more attractive than I am… just kidding. I mean, she is, but that’s not what gave her the edge. The key for her was preparation.

I want you to be like her, not me. So here is a list to help you prepare for your next Excursion into Expo territory:

• Business cards. Have them, lots of them. They’re cheap and expected in such all situations. I like to keep them in my left pocket so my right hand is free for pressing the flesh. Hand them to people. Drop them in fishbowls. Enter every drawing. Oh, and realize that they will probably not get you a whole lot of business.
• Have an elevator speech prepared. I realize you will probably not be attending an expo in an elevator but you will be competing with a million other people who will talk to everyone you meet so be concise. It shows you are prepared, it demonstrates your confidence and competence and shows you are respectful of people’s time.
• Brush your teeth. Seriously. Especially if you’re a close-talker.
• Don’t eat and greet. By all means, take advantage of the snacks, but take a brief timeout to chow down and then return to the expo.
• If you do eat, please, please, PLEASE, stop by the facilities and wash your hands, face, rinse your mouth, and chew a little gum or something. Please.
• Apply the 80/20 rule. Listen 80% of the time. You know what to do with the rest.
• Fight the urge to speak to everyone in the room. It’s always better to make one or two meaningful connections than to collect a stack of business cards and make ZERO impression on the people you meet.
• Have fun.

It really is that simple. Don’t be like me. Learn from me. See you at the next expo!

Adolfo Jimenez lives in Hollywood, Florida, and is a Certified Speaker, Trainer, and Coach with the John Maxwell Company.  He consults with entrepreneurs and businesses, primarily in the areas of customer service and sales. 

He is the Director of Someone To Laugh At, a stand up comedy workshop; HostAnOpenMic.com, and CruisingWithComedians.com; Adolfo is the co-owner of Abdaliz Custom Bakery, which you can visit at www.abdaliz.com.

He can be reached at adolfo@adolfojimenez.com

Slow Down! You’ll Get There Quicker

In this hurry-up world we’re living in, it’s easy to lose focus on the things we shouldn’t be rushing through. Too often, we make quick decisions when we should be deliberate and we spend inordinate amounts of time on the things that don’t matter. Two recent experiences inspired this observation: a pizza run and shopping for books.

Yesterday, we did a little clean-up project at home. At least twice a year, we deep clean the house and make a run to Goodwill. My daughters are tasked with going through their closets and finding things they no longer need or want that could put a smile on another kid’s face.

A few hours into the purge, I went out for lunch. I stood in line behind a young lady who was really struggling with her pizza order. As I observed the tattoos on her shoulders and arms, I wondered if she put as much thought into her ink as she did into her pizza order. I would guess the ink was a more emotional decision than the lunch was, but somehow I don’t think so.

I don’t mean to be critical, but I don’t know… something about the grammar on the tattoos struck me as, shall we say, hasty.

The second incident involved a little online book shopping. I was looking for personal development books and found where a website was offering a way to read 52 books in 52 weeks! What do you really learn at such a pace? How much are you absorbing? Granted, some of us pick up more than others. I pride myself on being a fast reader (thanks to speed-reading classes I took as a child) and I am also an avid reader. Not a day goes by without me cracking a book… even on vacation. I was at a doctor’s appointment this morning and I read until they called my name. So while I am a fairly efficient reader, I also devote time to reading. Advantage: Jimenez.

Too often, we feel like we have to do everything right now! We want the minute rice, the instant coffee, the microwave popcorn. We don’t want to wait. We complain about long lines for voting. Think of how long people in Cuba have waited for what we get to do every other year.

I am not trying to convince you that patience is a virtue. I am the least patient person I know. I am telling you that some things shouldn’t be rushed. You know… things like learning or choosing a tattoo. 

Adolfo Jimenez is a Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with The John Maxwell Company. He is also the co-owner of Abdaliz Custom Cakes. He lives in Hollywood, Florida with his wife, two of his children, and his dog Baxter.

  

Say NO to No!

There are a lot of fears people deal with. Many of them seem irrational to those of us who don't suffer from these fears. I'm afraid of heights, but I feel perfectly at ease in an airplane. Doesn't make sense, does it? I realize they are two different fears, but why does either exist? How can I have one fear and not the other when they seem so similar? (Both involve falling to my death... bummer)

There is one fear many people suffer from that we can all agree is irrational. No, not the fear of squirrels, that makes perfect sense! I mean the fear of a tiny little thing that cannot hurt you, but can ruin your life. I'm talking about the fear of No. If you're in sales, you've heard No. In fact, I'll bet you've heard NO more than you've heard YES.

But if you've heard No, and you're reading this... you survived! No did not kill you! You must have some kind of special power! Are you from another planet? Are you some kind of a freak? Of course not! You just know that No can't hurt you. Although, it is possible to take that No someone gives you and hurt yourself with it. Eleanor Roosevelt said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." When you allow a No to derail your day or to bum you out to the point where you don't want to make the next call or knock on the next door, you've taken the No someone handed to you and used it to smash your dreams.

No means No. It doesn't mean give up on everything. If a prospect says No, you say, thanks! (and try to set up a follow-up appointment or call back, of course) and move on to the next prospect. Every No gets you closer to yes - unless you let it stop you. Think of it as a trip. You don't reach your destination in one step, you take hundreds or thousands of steps. The important thing is that the steps are in the right direction. Each NO is a step. YES is your destination.





Adolfo Jimenez is a John Maxwell Certified Coach, Speaker, and Trainer based in Hollywood, FL. He can be contacted at www.adolfojimenez.com

Standing Out Can Be Easy

I recently updated my LinkedIn profile and was inundated with the “Congrats on the new role!” messages from all my contacts who were kind enough to click on my picture or whatever you have to do to send the note.

Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s like when everyone sings
“Happy Birthday.” Are they doing it because they want to wish you a happy birthday or are they just there because everyone else is there? Or is it all about the cake?

I like that LinkedIn tells me about milestones and gives me a chance to acknowledge them. I just don’t see any reason not to personalize the message. How hard is it to take a moment and write a personal note? Even if you copy and paste it and make small adjustments, it’ll stand out. Of the dozens of messages I received, one stood out. It included my name and specifically referred to the event. I was very impressed. I’ll be contacting this individual soon.

I know it didn’t take a lot for this individual to send me this personalized note. In fact, I’d bet it didn’t take more than a minute or two. He wants my business. He stood out in the crowd and now his chances of getting it have greatly increased

To paraphrase NFL coach Bill Walsh: "Nothing is more than sincere, accurate praise (or well-wishes) and nothing is more lame than a cookie-cutter compliment."

Take a moment to personalize your notes. You don't want to be lame or cookie-cutter in anything you do, especially when it comes to connecting with people.