October is here and CEDIA EXPO has come and gone. It was thrilling to see so many attendees at the Business Survivability Panel. I hope that you were able to attend and that you have received your postcard. Have you acted on it?
For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, CEDIA had a great idea this year—each participant filled out a postcard with three takeaways from CEDIA EXPO. As the room attendants gathered up the postcards, I heard one attendee say "maybe this time, I'll actually implement some of the stuff I learned." Then, a few weeks after EXPO, CEDIA mailed the postcards to the attendees. What a great reminder to help keep up the momentum gained at EXPO.
It was a simple idea, but for me, it was profound. Whether we read articles, attend seminars or just network with our peers, we are constantly bombarded with great ideas. I know I am. I have great hopes that I can implement the ideas seamlessly and effortlessly. Then I get back to my office and the daily grind drags me back to reality, putting out fires, meeting deadlines, and just getting back to the same old patterns.
That's where the postcard comes into play. A few weeks ago, my postcard arrived. I had almost forgotten about it. It reminded me of the promises I made to myself. It wasn't an e-mail that just got lost in my inbox. It wasn't an Outlook Reminder that popped up, only to be so annoying that I finally dismissed it. It was just a little postcard, and it's sitting right underneath my monitor, acting as my call to action.
Our 2009 Survival of the Fittest Webinar series has had lots of calls to action. I'm looking forward to November's Webinar, where we will hear from Ray Lepper, past CEDIA president and owner of Home Media. He was recently inducted into CEDIA's Fellow program, which honors longtime CEDIA volunteers. However, it's not his history of long-term success that we will discuss; it's his ability to create the process for long-term survivability. Join me on Tuesday, November 3, at 12 p.m. (EST) for "Rethinking Your Business—Realigning Your Company for Success."
I challenge you to bring the postcard idea into your own business. Spend a few minutes to think about something you want to do, not right now, but in a few weeks. Brainstorm ideas for increasing sales. Think about ways you might increase your efficiency. Consider someone you met and what inspired you about their business. Cut out an article from a magazine that motivates you. Re-evaluate what your marketing material says about you. Write down your mission statement. Review a course you took at CEDIA EXPO or online. View some or all of the archived Webinars at www.cedia.org/survival. Jot down your ideas on a piece of paper, then put it in an envelope and mail it to yourself. This is a great opportunity to keep up the momentum and remind yourself of the goals that will help you achieve the success you desire! CR
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