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Trade Show Presenter Guide

December 19, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Presenting at that all important trade show, conference, or expo is a great opportunity to share your expertise and promote your company. It’s the reason for many business trips. Choosing the right trade show to speak at ensures an efficient use of travel time and is crucial for winning new business, making meaningful connections, and influencing the influencers.

  • Pick wisely – When finding a trade show to present at, be sure you will be reaching the right audience. Stay away from brand new trade shows, as they are untested venues. Keep up on which shows are growing the fastest so that you can be on the cutting edge. And don't be too quick to rule out conventions in seemingly unrelated fields, they may open the door to new uses for your products or services.
  • Create buzz - Promote the fact that you're presenting at an expo just as you would your products or services. Your expert status as a speaker at an influential trade show can bring in potential clients and offer new value to your current business.
  • Train your team – Exhibiting is also extremely important at a trade show and presenting and exhibiting often go hand in hand. Running the booth and selling at a trade show goes hard and fast, with limited time to catch the attention of attendees. Make sure your staff is prepared and has goals in mind. 
  • Get in with the organizers – Again, while preparing your speech, also spend time preparing your booth. Consider partnering with the trade show`s management team to get help with developing an appealing booth, scheduling staff, and creating a marketing campaign prior to the exhibition. Trade show organizers want your business to come back next year so they should be willing to lend a hand.
  • Take a break – Finally, to make your presenting experience a seamless and virtually stress-free undertaking, consider getting a room to relax in that’s a little ways away from the hustle and bustle of the conference. You may want to stay at one of many Extended Stay Hotels conveniently located near convention centers across the country.

Convention Center Travel Tips

December 17, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

As business travelers begin planning their travel schedules in 2008, the conference schedule looms large.  Trips are planned around the convention centers that are playing host to this trade show or that one.  While you’re making that list and checking it twice, keep in mind some of these basic yet important convention attendee tips.

  • Set Goals – We’re all aware that conferences cost money.  So what are you going to do there to make the most of the experience?  Whether you want to collect a certain number of business cards or attend specific seminars, having a plan will help you maximize value.
  • Schedule Meetings – At a trade show, time can get away from the best of us.  By setting up meetings ahead of time, you can be sure to have time to talk with vendors of interest or industry press in attendance.
  • Take Notes – There’s a lot of information passed around at meetings, whether it’s in a workshop or out on the show floor. Capture as much of it as you can. Have pen and paper on-hand to jot down some take-aways at the conference or at the end of the day.

And for information about industry trade shows and hotels nearby, visit Extended Stay Hotels’ trade show information page.

Tipping Guide

December 13, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Good tipping etiquette is something we are sure all Road Warriors have already, but during holiday time it is particularly important to remember all those people who help you on your way. Frequent business travelers are no strangers to giving a tip out of gratitude to bag porters at the airport (usually $1 per bag), the maid service at the hotel (usually 15% of total stay), and their cab drivers (10% of fare). There are, however, some less obvious people to keep in mind this season, and throughout the year.

AOL posted a really good tipping guide recently.   Here are some of the highlights:

  • Babysitter - It's important to remember the people who help you out at home while you’re traveleing for business. Tip one evening's pay and, to add a personal touch, get your child to write a card.
  • Pet care taker - If you have someone who walks your dog, feeds your house pets, or kennel personnel you rely on while you're away, tip one week's pay or a gift of equal value.
  • Residential building personnel - Give your superintendent $30 to $80, the maintinance person $15 to $40, garage attendant $10 to $30, doorman: $15 to $80, and front desk $15-$80.
  • Mail carrier - Tipping the person who brings your mail and knows your neighborhood well is a good idea, to foster good feelings that might help should any mail mix-ups pop up in the future. The U.S. government regulations allow postal-service employees to accept gifts up to $20 each, but no cash.
  • Co-workers - The traditions of holiday gifting vary from office to office, some have secret santa with a dollar amount. But whatever the guidelines, stick to them and do not go over or under the spending limit.

Opinions may vary, so to get another perspective on whom to tip what, check out these guides from CNN and MSNBC.

Lexington Hotels and Travel Guide

December 10, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Lexington, Kentucky, better known as the "Horse Capital of the World," for its racing and seat in the heart of the Bluegrass region, is a great place to explore while traveling for business or pleasure. The city's historic appeal and signifcance during the Civil War has made it an exciting place to be today.

Seeing The Sights:

  • Take a Bourbon Tour in the home of United States' only native spirit to find out what makes it so special.
  • A Blue Grass bus tour can show you lots more than by foot, so that you can get the lay of the land.

Culture:

  • The Rupp Arena, home of the University of Kentucky Men's Basketball team is the perfect place to catch a concert, sporting event, or show.
  • With an expanding permanent collection of nearly 4,000 European and American works of art the UK Art Museum is not to be missed.
  • For an adventure outside of the city, visit the Shaker Village,  America’s largest restored Shaker community.

Where To Stay:

  • Extended Stay Hotels has 3 convenient locations in Lexington to make your stay a breeze. All suites have a full kitchen and Wireless Internet for the ultimate in comfort and accessibility.

Tax Deductions

December 6, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

As the end of the year fast approaches it is important for business travelers to consider what tax deductions they are eligible for. Business travel deductions can save you and your company big money once it's all added up, so keeping track of everything you spend is always a good practice.

Receipts are crucial for travel reimbursements and the unreimbursed travel expenses that qualify as tax deductions. Whether you’re a small business owner, or a frequent business traveler, keeping track of even the small expenses can count. Take the "nothing is too small" mentality, and keep track of not only the more obvious things, like parking receipts, but also what you're spending on laundry service, snacks, and tips.

And of course, keep a mindful eye on the IRS guidelines for business travel expenses.

Holiday Finances

December 5, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Holiday time is in full swing and this means more and more people's pockets will be suffering from a present buying and traveling hangover. Holiday finances can be particularly tricky, because when we are enjoying ourselves and get in the spirit of giving, it can be easy for even the most fiscally responsible Road Warrior to overspend. Thankfully, it's now free and easy, to keep track of your personal finances online.

With the help of the Internet you can save money by both better organizing your finances, which helps you budget travel better, and by not paying extra for money managing services. Try Mint.com which was given distinction by the prestigious tech blog TechCrunch for its innovative personal finance application. It is a free site that tracks bank and credit card transactions and alerts users to upcoming bills, low balances, and specific spending habits. Mint can help make sure you don’t miss paying bills, even when you're traveling and aren’t home to get them. Categorize your spending and see pie charts and breakdowns every month. It also continually searches for better deals on credit cards, bank accounts, and more to help users find ways to save money. If you like to organize your reciepts to keep track of your spending, Shoeboxed.com is a great way to tally up expenses. It is great for keeping track of the holiday spending this month and then the rest of the year it’s perfect for tallying travel reimbursement or vacation budgeting. It also marries social shopping with financial breakdowns since you can browse through items that other users wanted to share to get inspiration from other shoppers, which can be useful this time of year for present buying.

Paying close attention to your holiday finances can help you budget, save, and enjoy this time of year without all the stress.