26 FebA Business Career Often Depends on Surviving Trade Shows—7 Tips

bussiness career 300x225 A Business Career Often Depends on Surviving Trade Shows—7 TipsIf your business is in the craft field, the home remodeling or redecorating field, the book market, the health food market, or many other markets, you will often find yourself at trade shows. These shows can be fun, but also tiring. Business owners often get so tired of doing these shows that they dread them. But with a little experience under your belt, surviving trade shows isn’t so difficult. It’s just a matter of knowing some simple trade show tips:

  1. Think of working the show as a performance
  2. Get your energy high first thing in the morning so you don’t miss those 8 am to 10 am customers
  3. Drink plenty of water throughout the day
  4. Take short breaks every few hours and get some fresh air
  5. Always work with a team—never alone
  6. Eat light, high energy meals, like an athlete
  7. Sleep at night. Save the partying until it’s all over

With these hints in mind, you an survive and thrive at trade shows. Because so many businesses depend upon them, it is essential to create a “trade show strategy” where your whole team understands what is necessary to get the most out of the experience. That means hard work, but it also means taking breaks and eating right.

29 DecLearn Dining Etiquette to Boost your Business Career

business career 300x196 Learn Dining Etiquette to Boost your Business CareerIf you are invited to a fancy soiree over the holidays, or any time, being able to handle yourself in a formal dinner party setting is going to become more than just an exercise in pleasing Aunt Myrtle. It could make or break your business career! Especially for Americans or others who travel to Europe for business, the fine points of fine dining are crucial to know in order to make a great first impression. Basically, knowing which fork to use (or not) will brand you as a sophisticate (or not) immediately. Memorize these few tips and you will get off on the right foot immediately:

  • The bread and butter plate is found to the left of the entrée plate. Don’t goof up and use your neighbor’s!
  • Never cut your bread with a knife. Tear off a small piece, then dip in olive oil or butter and eat.
  • At a cocktail party, always carry your drink in your left hand, leaving your right free for shaking hands.
  • If you need to leave the table briefly during the meal, place your napkin on the chair.
  • To indicate that you are finished with a meal, place knife and fork side by side, pointing in the same direction. This tells the wait staff to pick up your place setting.

Remember these small aspects of fine dining, and you will fit right in with any formal crowd. You may even impress your colleagues with your subtle sophistication. This is just another one of those areas in life where little things mean a lot!