Sex, drugs, & rock-n-roll at trade shows - sales-management

Here's the Scenario. . .

You're at a trade show. Out of town. It's maybe an unfamiliar city. Maybe an exotic locale. Lots of strangers. There's a client or two. A duo of buddies. Lots of opportunities to do business. Lots of opportunities to get yourself in a bind.

Here's how to stay out of trouble, save your dignity and keep your job.

Trade shows are hard work - both physically and emotionally. It's laborious to travel. Hard to be away from home. Boring to be amusing and smile for hours. And, a blow to the ego when colonize discount you, don't counter to your comments, look the other way when casual your booth, or just say "no" to your offer.

There's anxiety to produce. Talk with prospects. Entertain clients. Look for partners. Scout out the competition. Get the business. And, increasingly for the reason that of expertise you're never out of call but have to keep up with your "real" job at the same time. So, it's easy to fall into the traps of your normal stress reducers - the inter-relationships of sex, drugs & rock-n-roll.

The Lectures and the Tips. . .

I call these behaviors - Belongings your look after skilled you not to do, but since you're away and you think no one knows you, you can get away with them. Sorry, a celebrity does know. And that's you.

Sex - Ah, how nice it is to be loved. Or at least enjoyed for a short period. The temptations and availability of mysterious sex are high when you're away plus there's the accidental to have a assignation with a co-worker, client or other business acquaintance. Magic moments crackle fast when the sun comes up. Remember, your life is longer than the trade show.

Drugs - Does your ballet company have a course of action that allows you to buy, sell, and use banned drugs? Doubt it. You are on company time from the jiffy you leave your home until you return. Not only do you imperil your career and industry reputation, you run the risk of breach US and foreign laws. Jail? Not a nice experience. Note that the U. S. Embassy cannot bail you out if you break external laws.

Are you roaming with legitimate prescription drugs? Keep them with you in the first bottles with the pharmacist's labels, keep a in black and white copy of the prescription information in another scene (in case you lose the vials and need refills). And most importantly, don't alter ego up doses as you feel ill or uncomfortable. Check with your doctor of medicine ahead of you leave in case you have a minor emergency. This is especially true if you have allergies, a heart form or use mood levelers. For exemplar doubling tranquilizers may calm you to the point of stupor.

Rock-n-Roll - Hey, it's Party Time. Free beer. Free booze. Lots of great food. Music to rock by. Big business is on a roll. You're king of the hill and queen for a day, you're entertaining and being entertained. What a life!

With some clients and in some cultures, you're anticipated to indulge in Party Time behavior. Drink a lot. It's OK to get drunk. Cozy up to the hostesses. Let your hair down and have a good time. Party hardy. Here's a classified - You can still be pleasant, have a good time, and stay sober.

Why be a prude when party opportunities abound? For the reason that you're smart. You know alcohol loosens lips. Your hosts are now agreeable to brag about their affair - fine points on the newest product, personnel shifts, corporate goals, and insider gossip. If you're sloshed, you won't remember. If you're drinking club soda with lime, you will.

Conversely, when you're drinking, you may trash your boss, reveal circle secrets, ask the wrong being for a favor and be by and large bragging and obnoxious. You'll be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

When sober, you're smarter for the reason that you're gathering critical promote acumen - in order to get you ahead of your battle and be a guide in business trends. Remember, at a trade show and all surrounding events, you are what associates perceive as Your Company. How you act is how associates view your firm.

The Solutions. . .

There are ways to avoid these traps. Here are completely legitimate excuses for not indulging in defiant behavior, but you have to make the rational assessment to use them.

Think first of your health. Whatever thing you deliberately do that endangers the healthiness of you and your category is stupid, and hard to explain. Keep the wedding band on. Be polite and say no. The major VD's are still around, all the same treatable. But as large-scale journey expands, new viruses and diseases are popping up and transmuting. Above and beyond the emotional damage associated with sexual escapades, the physical condition risks are just not worth it.

Understand your corporate policies from using drugs to paying bribes to long-suffering gifts. What's accepted at the office, applies away from the office. If you don't know your policies, ask ahead of you go. Advance be safe than sorry.

Examine your pious beliefs and laws. Betrayal is a big sin in most religions. So are lying, cheating and stealing. We all want to do affair with colonize who are trustworthy. It's your dependability to display that.

Trust your gut. If you're uncomfortable in a situation, get out. Whether it's brute jeopardy or an emotional jolt, your intuition is your best guide.

You can say "No, thanks. " As of health, corporate policy, beliefs and intuition. But the main aim is since you're a faithful person.

Julia O'Connor - Speaker, Author, Consultant - writes about concrete aspects of trade shows. As head of Trade Show Training, inc,, now celebrating its 10th year, she works with companies in a category of industries to convalesce their foot line and marketing opportunities at trade shows.

Julia is an authority in the psychology of the trade show environment and uses this expertise in sales education and management seminars.