The Chamber held our first outdoor Business Expo a couple weeks ago. Unlike our Expo in 2004, where a straight business-to-business model with a networking business after hours was used, scheduling did not allow for that this year. However, we learned that we want to return to our original premise of why we offer an Expo: This event is about building relationships, taking opportunities for networking, and having a chance to make new connections or to renew old business acquaintances. Expo provides a setting for developing new prospects and gives an opportunity to inform.  
 
One question when looking toward programming for the next Expo: What should attendees hope to get from this networking opportunity. Another consideration is how success should be measured. Should attendees measure success on how many referrals they gave and received, sales, providing information about the business, publicity received, the development of prospects for future business, or whether it provided an opportunity to network with others?
 
The Chamber measured success by the participants' feedback, and what they had to say. About half felt it was a good networking experience. Our goal is 100%. The take away after this year is that we will return to a “business-to-business” Expo event and develop a format that encourages the BEST opportunities for our businesses to make contacts with each other so they can develop those important relationships that spell SUCCESS. 
 
We have already started making plans for next year, so if you have ideas or suggestions of what you would like to see at the next Expo, please share. Our goal is to make an incredible networking event for our businesses. With this and with all business practices, when we don't fully meet our intended goal, it is helpful to keep this Denis Waitley quote in mind: “Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.”
 
Work hard, be productive, and, above all else, stay positive.
 
Peggy White
Executive Director
Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce
peggywhite@pulaskichamber.info