Vendor emails after conferences

I think everyone that has gone to a business conference has received emails from vendors after the conference.

What is very interesting are the various types of emails you will get. Here are a couple of examples that I have received:

1. Thank you for dropping by our booth and it was great talking to you.
2. Sorry we didn't have the opportunity to talk at the conference.

As you can see both of these emails start out so differently and now to explain both of these emails. The first one is thanking me for dropping by a booth that I actually didn't even stop at. The second email is a lot better because they are identifying that I probably didn't stop by the booth at the conference. Like the first one I didn't stop by the second booth either.

What is nice about the second email was it went on and explained a bit about the service that they provide and attached a brochure that if I was interested I could look at. The other thing about the second email was it was short and to the point and gave me a bit of information. In this case I didn't stop at the booth as it wasn't of interest to our business but if I had of just missed it I would have got some information and could follow up with the company.

The first email thanked me for dropping by and immediately requested a time within the next week when I would be available to discuss things with them. Well, this isn't a good way to handle things because I didn't drop by the booth for a reason and when I see a request of my time that email quickly gets deleted.

The reason both of these vendors were able to email me was that as a vendor they can receive the email addresses of all attendees either they dropped by the booth or not. This is happening at more and more conferences and it isn't something that I really appreciate. I go to the conference and go to the booths that I want to gather information from. Normally as an attendee you also get a list of all the vendors that are going to there so you can always investigate vendors that you didn't stop at.

A lot of conferences are also giving vendors scanners so that they can scan your id badge to follow up if you want that. I don't mind someone scanning my id badge if I have said they could but I do mind the vendors that immediately scan everyone that is even walking by the booth. I have learned that I will turn my id badge over so that they cannot scan the bar code that gives them the information they need.

Now what I have found is a lot of these vendors continually email you about things so we now have email addresses that are used when signing up for conferences and such. These email accounts do not notify us when we get an email but we can still check them when we have the opportunity to do so. It is amazing how many emails you get after attending any conference and you then have to go and unsubscribe from their mailing lists.

The good vendors realize that everyone is getting tons and tons of emails now and if they want to really get your attention they need to respect your time. We did go to a conference not long ago and talked with a couple of vendors about things we were interested in. Both of these vendors did follow up but more just to check in with us and see if we had any additional questions. Both of these vendors will be getting our business because of how they handled themselves.

Remember your email is getting more and more messages now and a lot of them are due to attending various conferences. Understand you are the one in charge of how things continue with any vendors and the unsubscribe button is your friend.

2015 in review and 2016 goals

It is always interesting to sit back and look at what I was able to accomplish in 2015 and start thinking about what I would like to accomplish in 2016.

2015 goals
1.  Blog four time each month – accomplished, posted 91 times in 2015
2.  Get home office area organized – this is an ongoing project as it is organized and then it isn't
3.  Get material up on the DLK Life website – both designs and writing – website work is ongoing but did get things up.
4.  Release one cross-stitch pattern under the DLK Life label – released Butterfly under DLK Life
5.  Get more writing up on either Konecny Consulting and/or DLK Life to show my writing skills – got writing up on both of the sites with more being worked on.

This past year I was able to get quite a bit of work done for DLK Life and Konecny Consulting and that makes me very happy.  My writing has improved a great deal over the last couple of years and I am seeing a big difference in it. Writing is no longer a challenge for me and that has helped in a number of ways.  

At the end of 2015 I was able to say that I have been able to write for just over 2 years without missing a day which is a major accomplishment.  Not everything is posted but a least there have been words written every day.

2016 goals

1. Blog a minimum of four times each month.

2. Get home office area organized.

3. Continue to get material up on the DLK Life website.

4. Release two cross-stitch patterns under DLK Life label

5. Write more for Konecny Consulting and/or DLK Life

6. Continue to write every day 

I look forward to 2016 and to see what goals are accomplished and what other goals will be added along the way.  I also have some personal goals that I want to accomplish but they are personal so I will not be posting them on my blog.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST IN 2016

Child

Sit and watch children and see how simple things can be.

Sit and watch a child see birds eating near them. A child can be so happy seeing birds eating bread close to where they are standing. Watching the face of that child is always so much fun when they see the birds approaching and grabbing the food.

A child can make eating a meal a different experience. A child can make simple noodles seem so interesting. The challenge of picking up the slippery noodle can be fun to watch.

Rain. Look at the face of children when it rains. Rain can be so much fun for children, be it splashing in the puddles or catching rain drops on their tongues. It is fun to just watch.

Laughter. Listen to a child laugh and so often it will make you smile or laugh as well. A child can see something simple which makes them laugh. Take a minute to see something through their eyes and you will see things so differently.

Spend a bit of time looking at the world from a child's view. You may be so surprised at how simple things can be so much fun. A child sees things without a bias and sometimes that is what we adults need to do.

A child helps us see things differently. It doesn't matter our age, we all need that time to stop and be a child for even a few minutes. Take the time to be a child for a few minutes, you may be surprised how good you feel.

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas. 

May all your wishes come true and you get everything you want.

Simple Gestures

How often can someone doing something small make such a big difference?

When you are out and about spend a bit of time watching for the simple gestures people do. A simple gesture can be a nod or smile as you pass someone on the street. You don't have to know the person but an acknowledgment can make a difference. The person may feel better just by you doing that.

Saying to someone “have a good day” can make them smile. It might even help you feel better as well. There is no cost involved in these simple jesters. By doing something like this can make people around you feel better.

Sit and watch other people and see what they do. Knowing that the simple gestures can make such a difference is nice. When you are walking around, see how others acknowledge you. A smile or a nod can make you feel better as well. Evening hearing the word “thanks” when you hold open a door can make a difference to your mood. Doing the simple guestures can really make a difference on how people feel and interact with others.

Being able to do the simple guestures can really make you feel better. People around you will be happy with the impact that these simple jesters have made. Remember simple gestures are what make people happy and they will do the same to others therefore making things better for everyone.

Now, before the end of today remember to do at least one simple gestures and see how you feel and see if you have made someone smile as well.

Wheelchair accessible

How wheelchair accessible is the location really?

This is something that so many people don't seem to understand. Being accessible means that someone in a wheelchair can actually get around themselves without issues. Now, here are some issues that I have seen and people with walkers or in wheelchairs would have issues.

1. Washroom doors without the auto assist button. How does someone pull open a door when they can't get up beside the door. The other issue is how can they pull the door open and deal with their walker or chair themselves
2. Cubicles not large enough. Some washrooms are not accessible due to the size of their cubicles. Someone with a walker or in a wheelchair cannot fit into the cubicle which is not fair.
3. Hand-dryers. Some of the new hand dryers in public washrooms are made where you put your hands down into them to activate the dryer. How does a wheelchair get close enough to use these. These dryers are quite often the only dryers available.
4. Apartment building parking garages. Some garages have no means of someone with a disability to open doors to get either into or out of the parking garage. This is an issue even for existing tenants as they may require some sort of physical aid and have a challenge getting to or from their own vehicle alone.
5. Unclear entrances. There are situations where entrances with the ramp or the auto assist button are not easy to locate.

For locations to be accessible they need to be welcoming to individuals. Some physical challenges can be temporary while others are permanent. If a location is accessible think of how it may help the able bodied individuals as well.

• Auto assist button – helps open doors when you are holding something (like a child).
• Large cubicles – parents with strollers are able to use these and have the stroller in with them.
• Parking garages – makes the opening of doors easier when you are moving things between your car and apartment again using the auto assist button to open doors after using your access fob.

Of course making some wheelchair accessible areas also makes it easier for able bodied individual to use at well. The locations I am really looking at are the ones that say they are accessible but really aren't. The requirements always seem to be changing with regards to being accessible.

If you are somewhere and see someone that might need some assist, see how you can help. One day you may be in the position of needing some help due to a physical challenge.