I just could not wait any longer. Ignore the stitches in my nose. (you can hardly see them)
I have been coaching clients who seem desperate and want to go back to chasing every lead that comes in. It is obvious that this is a huge mistake for most of you. So in conjunction with our recent Time Management Blog we strongly encourage you to listen to our latest video blog Stop Chasing Your Tail.
Over the last few years trade show attendance has dropped off in some industries. This is no surprise since companies look to “cut budgets†and this is an easy area to justify trimming.
Hold on! Just wait a minute. I have a different viewpoint on trade shows, especially those that have industry educational content included. I speak across the country and I can tell you that in the majority of my classes the level of attention and interest in the materials has increased tremendously.
The attendees are serious about learning the latest techniques, skills and regulations in their industry. Additionally they have a heightened sense of acquiring knowledge to help their businesses remain profitable and grow as some of the competition has gone away.
A huge benefit is the “hall way talk†where contractors from different areas interact and share what is working and what is not for their market. The ideas that are shared are often priceless.
Some of the destinations the shows are located in are considered vacation spots and have been used for fun trips and tax write-off in the past. Don’t let the destination be the determination. If the event has content that includes essential regulatory updates for your industry, excellent business curriculum and networking possibilities you should highly consider attending or sending serious team members who are looking to continually improve. Remember one good idea can pay for the entire trip.
I thought about posting this blog before the election took place but I just was unable to find the time to accomplish it. Let me reiterate that we do not promote or discuss any political viewpoints on our website. The purpose of this post is very direct. Don’t allow national or state election results or the state of the economy to provide an excuse as to why you or your company is not doing as well as it should.
Unless you are part of a global or national company which probably excludes most of our readers you can develop a strategic plan that will minimize the impact of what the economy and government have on your business. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean that you necessarily can continue doing things the same way you always have. Change has been and will continue to be in the making for most facets of the construction industry. The reality is you have control on what changes your company will make. We also have a choice on how we react to market conditions.
Now is the time to analyze your business according to our six critical success factors which you can navigate to by clicking on this topic from our home page. One of the points I would like to make is for you to spend less time worrying and allocate more time to planning your future successes.
Blog posts are published by Guy Gruenberg and Ron Roberts, co-founders of the Contractor's Business Coach coaching service and the United States Commercial Trade Contractors Association.