Admit it … how many times have you attended conference sessions or webinars excited about all the great ideas, but yet you haven’t implemented any of the things you learned?
I get it! I’ve got notebooks full of notes – many of which I’ve never looked at since the workshop.
And tools? I’ve got software sitting on my hard drive that I may have never even opened since it was purchased! (I bet you might have some of that too.)
Some people call this “shelf-help syndrome” – you know, all those great resources with so much potential, just sitting on a shelf (either physically or virtually), collecting dust.
Let’s face it – results don’t magically occur without action. For example, simply wanting to lose weight won’t happen if all you do is read or study how to do it. You have to actually take action, whether that’s eating better or going to the gym on a regular basis.
The same is true in the business world. Too often we gather information like some kind of security, saving it up for a rainy day.
But the key is that strategic action and implementation of the things we’ve learned is what produces results. You’ve got to work smarter instead of harder, focusing on what works or what you do best. Don’t waste time on the things that don’t.
But how do you know what works or what to avoid? Sometimes it’s a bit of trial and error, but often you need someone to help you sort it all out and stay accountable for your progress. (For more on this, see last month’s post, “Reframing for 2018.”)
I must confess, I was guilty of contributing to that sense of overwhelm when I created the original Exhibit Marketers Café. I was too focused on giving you lots of information. But we all have way too much information coming at us on a daily basis. What you (and I) really need is a better way to implement to get results. So I’m in the process of completely redesigning an all-new EMC in early 2018 with the focus on helping you take action and get things done to accelerate your exhibit marketing results.
Each year, I take several days during the final week as my Strategic Retreat. I reflect back on what worked and what didn’t over the past year, then plan a strategy for the upcoming one. (For more details on this process, see “Getting Strategic in 2016.”) I also come up with an overall theme for the coming year that will guide what I choose to focus on and what I need to avoid.
This year I’ve chosen the theme of Action for 2018. It’s time to jump in with both feet and implement using the tools and resources already at my disposal. And I want to help you do the same.
Whether or not you choose to join us in the Exhibit Marketers Café (and there will be a free level, so budget is no excuse), I want to challenge you to take action in 2018. It’s time to cross some of those long-overdue to-do’s off your list, whether that’s by completing them, delegating them, or dumping them.
Let’s do this together!
© 2017 Marlys K. Arnold (from the December 2017 TradeShowTips Online. To receive tips like this in your inbox every month, please take a moment to fill out this request.)
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