Treat Others as They Want to be Treated!

I attended a trade show recently as a visitor, not an exhibitor.  The very first booth I stopped at, I tried to engage the woman to find out more about the business she was representing.  At some point she asked me what I did.  I gave her my one sentence statement that I usually use when asked that question. 

We chatted a bit more (about her) and then I asked for and reached for one of the business cards displayed.  She said, "Those are generic cards, they don't have my name."  I asked if I could have one with her name.  Her reply was, "If all you're planning to do is to try to sell me sales training, then I don't want to give it to you."  I replied that it was not my plan; that I like to have resources that I can refer my clients to, but that it was OK, I would not bother her.  And I moved on.

I will be exhibiting this week at a trade show and as a result of my experience above, I am reminding myself to:

1.  Be kind to everyone. 

2.  Be courteous to all that are showing interest in some way. 

3.  Remember that I don't know who I'm talking to.  They may be or know the very prospect I've been trying to do business with. 

4.  Have a nice way to send people on their way...after all they have been a guest in my office (booth) away from the office!

Am I forgetting anything? 

Getting to Know You

I am back from the BNI 25th Annual National Conference. What a wonderful 4 days of information and relationship continuation.

BNI fosters relationship development at their conferences by building time for one-to-one meetings right into the schedule. Instead of the word "break" (there are just a few of those) the unstructured time line of the conference program lists blanks for writing in the appointments we have with other conference attendees. It's a reminder to fill our book! Many people start these one-to-one meetings at 6 AM in order to get to all the people they want to meet.

There is also an understanding that if you see two people sitting and chatting, that you are NOT to interrupt them. This works really well because it means that these important conversations are not interrupted and the time spent is well-spent. We also ask each other when the appointments are scheduled what the topic of conversation is going to be. This is not to say that personal information is ignored entirely, but that the meetings are focused.

I have been to other types of conferences in the past, but I have never been involved with another group that fosters the building of relationships as well as BNI does.

What is your experience at your conferences?