School’s out, families take vacations and summer tends to be a slower season for all industries. In honor of the official first day of summer (June 21, 2011), we thought it would be nice to share a few tips on staying productive during this time. If your “to-do” list is shorter than usual, there are several things you can fit into your day to stay productive during these quieter times.
From contacting prospects, to furthering your knowledge base and getting your business organized, the following tips are all key investments in your business and future:
Call your best customers
When was the last time you talked to them? They are your best business asset, so invest time into them. A simple phone call is always appreciated. See how they are doing, what’s new and if there is anything you can do for them. Don’t forget to update their customer profile with any new information.
Go to industry or association events
Usually networking activities are the first thing to go when we get busy. Now that you have some space, get up and get out. Talking to people, whether colleagues or potential clients, is not only good business relationship management, but a welcomed social outlet. The event industry has several organizations to help facilitate these gatherings, check out SITE, MPI, ISES and others in your area.
Learn a new program
There are numerous programs that are key to the event business. The basics you should already know, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. It’s those more involved programs that we tend to pay other people to do for us. We can learn those programs during our down time (ie. a floorplan program, Keynote, Photoshop, etc.). Not only will you make yourself more of an asset to the company, but you’ll also make the company more of an asset to your clients.
Practice writing
I don’t know about your office, but here we are constantly generating proposals for prospective clients. This may seem like a no-brainer, but the better you are able to communicate your value, the more business you’re likely to secure. Find a company that you’d like to do business with and write up a mock proposal of why you’d be a good fit for them when it comes to execution of events. The saying is true…practice makes perfect (or at least better).
Work on your customer database
Now is the time to start organizing all of the interactions, phone calls and lists that have been either stored in your mind or on disparate pieces of paper. Taking the time to organize in a database (Microsoft Excel or Access are completely sufficient) will pay off in the long run. You can also put all of your new contacts and updated information of old contacts into your office database. All of those business cards you’ve been throwing in your drawer can finally be input so everyone in the office has access, not just you.
Clean house, so to speak
For months you’ve been placing things in piles, waiting until “later” to go through them and figure out what needs to be filed and what can be throw away. Well… later has arrived! Take some time to go through all of your paperwork and really only keep what you need. Organization is a big key to success, especially in the event industry, so take this opportunity to get cleaned up and reap the benefits.
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