It doesn't have to come that far. To recognize development of business crises early, it requires a suitable Controlling. Controlling has to make business finances, processes, costs and dependences clear and contributes thereby to a higher economic viability. A sensibly action, that smaller and medium sized businesses rarely taken. Result: They often react a lot too late to market influences and crises.

As a basis for Controlling principally serves accounting of a business. Nevertheless, this has to result that Controlling concentrates its work on data from past. That's why it is necessary to extend operational Controlling with strategic analyses.

However, also operational Controlling is able to use data from different areas of a company, which allow to recognize weak spots in business development early. It has to be paid attention to fact, that data from other company areas have their date of origin before accounting data. An example for this is Orders in Process. This is not grasped in accounting. The accounting receives information about an order only when it has been already issued an invoice. Therefore Orders in Process is suitable as an early indicator for Controlling.

Also other data can offer explanation about business development. Thus number of customer contacts, new customers or complaints (within a certain period) is an alternative to find out how products and services of business are accepted in market.

So you're going to have a booth at a trade show. How exciting - or how terrifying - depending on your state of mind!

First of all - remain calm - you're not first person to do this. There's some easy to follow tips that will ensure success at show, and give you follow up business too.

Preparation ahead of time is important. Gather all supplies you'll need. Brochures, business cards, product samples, entry forms for a draw, professional signs and any audio visual equipment you'll need. Be sure to ask for electricity from show organizers well in advance if you will need it. Also, do not let any piece of marketing literature leave your booth without contact information on it - people MUST know how to get in touch with you after show.

Make your booth look GREAT! It doesn't have to cost a lot of money - ask a friend whose got a sense of style to help you create something that is eye catching but doesn't cost too much. Don't over crowd your display area because people get overwhelmed and pass by; but on other hand, don't have so little that people think there's nothing to see. Make sure your sign is professionally printed and hung straight!

Once you’ve set up your booth, stand back about 20 feet and objectively take a look at it. Is it welcoming? Is your sign easy to read? Can people tell what you do BEFORE they get to your booth? These are critical issues that you need to answer before show.

At show be friendly - wear a name tag and smile. When people come by your booth, you’ve a VERY short period of time to catch their attention. This is time you need to have something to say. Create a 15 – 20 second “speech” you can recite. For example, if you sell children’s wall murals, why not try this, “Hi there, I’m Julie Lewis and I use paint to create a magical room for your child or an experience that will take you anywhere in world with my wall murals.” Sounds more exciting that “I paint wall murals”, doesn’t it?

Let’s try another one, “Hello, I’m Alex Brown and I create marketing programs for my clients that really make them be unforgettable!”

By having something prepared in advance, you’re always ready to gain a new client! If you’re unprepared you will look very unprofessional.

Encourage everyone who walks by to take a brochure, sample your product or enter a free draw. ALWAYS have a free draw - give away a good prize - it doesn't have to be expensive. Use draw entry forms to follow up on with a sales letter, or put on a mailing list for future business.