This is an OUTSTANDING book whether you are an introvert or an extrovert.  I learned so much from reading Laney’s book.  I wish it had been written years ago and that I had known about it. Her information is enlightening and her suggestions are smart and reasonable.  She knows what she is talking about and doesn’t offer ideas that an introvert would eschew.  This is an excellent follow-up book to the ‘Networking for Introverts’ workshop – which you may receive as an immediate download – learn more here:  www.meggin.com/NetworkingforIntroverts.php.

So, for an introvert to consider displaying at a vendor table at a conference is putting ourselves out there and WAY beyond our comfort zones. However, I decided that I wanted to do just that.  A little over a year ago, in addition to attending a conference, I signed up for a vendor table.

On the Friday afternoon of the conference (from 2:00 – 6:00, I had a 2′ x 8′ table (alongside 12 other vendors, including a coach for professors, a nationally-known consultant for universities, and many publishers of materials for professors).

Here’s what I displayed:

• A huge sign for a special summer workshop I was planning;
• Letter openers to give away;
• Postcards – every single one I’ve ever sent out to members of this group;
• Various items that I give out in my workshops (signs, etc.);
• Handouts about the various free resources I have available;
• Oh…and since it was close to Halloween, I brought candy in my suitcase. Who doesn’t like M&Ms, Snickers, etc? Lots of people stopped just to get some candy…and it gave me an opportunity to step out and offer it to people and make light conversation that way.

To display the various items, I had purchased these nifty little wooden stands from Wal-Mart and Bed, Bath, and Beyond so that my postcards weren’t just lying flat on the table. They were standing right up there so people could see them. That caused people to stop by just to see what I had.

To top it all off, because I was an early (maybe the first!) person to sign up for a vendor table, I had the table that could be seen the minute anyone walked through the door. So as long as I didn’t run away, I was able to see everyone who came through the door (and they could see me whether they wanted to or not!)

And it worked! For the first time, in no uncertain terms, I had sense that all my marketing over the years has been worth it! People remembered what I had sent out! They caught sight of one or more of the postcards and said, “I have that postcard on my refrigerator,” or “I have that postcard on my office door.” Some people said, “Oh, you are the person who sends us all these cool things?!” There were comments on how colorful my materials are, how well-designed they are, how much they like them….and oh, “What do I do, by the way?”

It was awesome! I got to talk to people about why I send what I send, the different workshops I have that I could do at their colleges or universities, ways that they could get in touch with me if they want to, and so on and so on….

By the end of the four hours, I was about to fall over, but when I got to my room, ordered a glass of wine and some room service, and called my husband, I was exhilarated, too. I told him, “This is exactly what I was hoping would happen.”

Lessons for introverts (and others, too):

• Marketing over time works. It especially works if whatever it is that you do somehow fits together. Mine does and people recognized it.     

• Building relationships in this 21st century world is different and interesting. People felt like they knew me because they subscribe to the Top Ten Productivity Tips or Keeping Chaos at Bay. And then when they found out others standing around also subscribed, they were a little community and they talked about which ones they like the best and what they do with them when they arrive in their in-box.     

• Getting to put a real face/person with the marketing materials was positive. Now they really can see who it is that is sending them things and realize that I am a real person and that I do want to assist them as individuals or the professors and staff at their colleges and universities.     

• Getting to actually talk to people F2F allowed me to know them better and gave them the opportunity to find out more about who I am and what I might be able to bring to them. It did it in a way that no flat piece of mail could.     

• We are marketing ourselves. Make no mistake about that. It doesn’t matter if you’re a professor, a teacher, an entrepreneur, an author, a coach…you are marketing yourself. Our materials have to match who we are and what we represent.
  

Suffice it to say, I learned a lot and will continue to sign up for a trade show booth – as long as I have plenty of time to gear up this introverted personality – and to be able to rest afterwards!