Aaand curtain…

This week was the Los Angeles Auto Show.  It was quite the year for it (if you weren’t aware of the auto industry situation, pick up a major newspaper from this week, you’ll soon understand).

And this was a big week for me because of the level of involvement my team and I had in our client’s plans and on-site coordination.  Each of us took responsibility for some part of the show and all pitched in to lend a hand throughout the last two weeks.  After many 12 hour days, the week is done, the messages are out and we’ve learned a few things.

My tips for you on dealing with events:

1. Breathe – For real!  The best way to NOT let a situation overwhelm you is to take a moment, breathe and then reflect on possibilities.  Was it fun finding a program vehicle with two flat tires?  Not so much.  Did it get fixed in the timeliest possible manner and with good team effort?  Indeed it did.
2. Don’t be clique-y – Events are an especially good time to build stronger relationships with your media and your clients.  Even if you don’t have a story to tell, taking the time to share a lunch or a joke is well worth the effort.  You can talk to your friends and co-workers any other day; use this to your best advantage to connect with someone you DON’T get to see regularly.
3. Your first word is your last impression – Ever tell a client something was free and then try to ask for money anyway?  Right.  Lesson learned.  Even if someone makes a generous offer, make sure you present it with an eye toward fore-thought and set aside a slush fund for surprises or small tokens of appreciation for the gift giver.
4. Appreciate your team – Ever not gotten along with someone on your team and then they come through in the clutch?  It happens to the best of us.  Events are a great chance to become closer and gain respect for people you may have had contentious relationships with in the past.

The best part of something is the end; it’s a feeling I carry from years of amateur theatre where the curtain call was the highlight of the evening.  I think tomorrow’s Friday staff meeting will be much the same with a big bow from everyone and a few lessons learned and friends made.