Speaker Partnership Offers Trade Show ValueWritten by Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE
Want to gain added exposure at a trade show? Consider sponsoring a professional speaker at attendees meeting. But don't just settle for a banner on stage with your company name. There's much more leverage you can get from a top flight professional speaker. Having been sponsored keynoter at major conferences, I am amazed how many sponsors respond with astonishment when I suggest ways they can use me. Consider these additions: (1) Make sure speaker is versed in your product or service. If possible and appropriate, speaker might be able to use your company as an example during presentation. For example, in addressing administrators of law firms, I spoke about importance of strategic alliances so right work is done by right people. The sponsor, Pitney Bowes, handled printing, mail room services, etc. in a manner that was be both efficient and cost-effective for firm. Pitney Bowes served as a great example of a strategic alliance! (2) Use speaker for both a keynote and a break-out. Many speakers offer a daily fee which means you can use them for more then one session in a day. This strategy ensures that every attendee, no matter what their schedule, will have opportunity to see speaker in action. (3) Ask speaker to write an article that can be reprinted with your company logo and given away free at booth. The speaker can be in booth, autographing article. Print article in your company newsletter or magazine for those who could not attend. (4) Ask speaker to sign books in your booth and greet people. Give away speaker's book at your booth for first 100 people. You'll be amazed at how much traffic will instantly show up. A variation on this theme is to split give-away into morning and afternoon, thus generating traffic at different times of day
| | Focus on your strengthsWritten by Brenda Koritko
Taking time to discover or confirm your key strengths and skills will empower you to make important decisions about your career. If you continue to produce letters and resumes that highlight skills you have developed in your present position, you will continue to sell yourself to same market. When you know your key strengths and skills you increase number of opportunities that are available for you in a variety of sectors. Whether you are changing careers, re-entering workforce, or looking for your first job, highlighting relevant transferable skills in you resume helps employers determine at a glance that you have qualifications for position or positions they have available. Your unique transferable skills are key selling points that you should market to employers. Skills are things you are good at such as organizing people or events, computer skills, ability to sell ideas and public speaking. Accomplishments are your successes such as winning an award, completing a course or certification, or achieving top sales results. Most interests and activities involve developing key transferable skills. For example, team sports or group activities often provide an opportunity to develop career related strengths, including scheduling, group leadership, management, and event planning. You can find lists of transferable skills that highlight people skills, communication skills, analytical skills and a few other categories. The problem with highlighting a group of general statements such as "Reliable. Willing and able to show up on time." is that they do not answer key question every employer will ask: What does this mean to me? It is important that you always select transferable skills that bring you closest to a company's requirements. For example, if your present position only includes limited computer responsibilities and you are interested in a position that requires extensive computer skills, highlight skills that you have developed during leisure activities, including html even if all you have ever produced was a personal web page.
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