Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/15024
• Don’t cram that suitcase, suggests financial executive Adam Miller of Montrose, Colorado. “If you are seriously interested in a product, let the exhibitor know and ask them to send a sample to you,” he advises. “They are there to bend over backwards to get your business. Let them bring their product to you.” • Take different business cards. “Everyone wants to get your card and then spam you to death,” Miller says. “I only give my full contact info to the folks I want to hear from, I give the cards without emails to everyone else and save my inbox.” • “Ship home the literature and samples,” says Betsy Riley, a Germantown, Maryland, program manager for the U.S. Department of Energy. “There’s not time to go through it at the show and it will never fit in your suitcase.” • Pick your parties—you can’t go to them all. For those where you must be seen, “go early, greet the hosts and move on—you don’t have to stay till the bitter end,” Riley says. Planning is critical at a trade show, most respondents said, but there’s a flip side to even the most careful preparation. “Leave room for serendipity,” Horowitz says. “Don’t schedule every minute.” He relates the story of how he got a book contract because of trade show serendipity. “I was wearing a T-shirt with the cover of my then-most-current book, The Penny-Pinching Hedonist on it,” he says. “Walking the show floor at a book expo, I came across a booth featuring a foam-board poster about sustainable hedonism. I found the publisher near the back of the booth, pointed to my shirt, pointed to his foam board, and said, “We have to talk.” Six months later, they had a book deal. Keep Learning to Keep Up Lifelong learning is something held up to us as a desirable thing, but what does that actually mean? In the skin care profession, it’s critically important to stay on top of trends and new technology since innovations are a constant in the profession. Knowing the latest can make all the difference in a customers’ decision to buy your services. It also means attending trade shows, reading, and, in general, having your antennae up for opportunities, ideas, and new information. Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP) helps you stay current in your field in a number of ways, including ASCP Skin Deep magazine, this handbook, and free online educational webinars. ASCP also offers a free online continuing education calendar for one-stop-shopping convenience to find courses offered across the United States. The calendar is the first of its kind in the profession and is a resource for members who are just getting started in the field or want to brush up their skills after years of practice. The site is fully searchable by date, geography, and specialty. Some providers offer discounts to ASCP members. If you are also a massage therapist, you can take advantage of the continuing education offered online by Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP), our sister organization. This training is offered for the convenience of massage therapists and bodyworkers seeking personal growth and advanced education for professional requirements. Located at www.abmp.com, the ABMP Online Education Center houses online educational courses that feature audio, video, and activities. Massage therapy professionals will be able to learn and earn CE hours when it’s convenient for them. Therapists need not interrupt their client time or income flow to stay current with their educational goals and the profession. www.ascpskincare.com successful business handbook 145