stafda blog

hot takes

Have an exciting open house event? What about a milestone anniversary? Having a great time at a STAFDA hospitality party? Send us your Hot Takes!

Send Cathy at cusher@stafda.org your 10-15 second video or your high-res photos for inclusion in the revamped and revitalized Year-In-Review video presentation. Please send us your STAFDA Hot Takes by September 1.

How to register for the convention: a step-by-step guide

Looking for some assistance with registering for the San Antonio Convention? We’re here to help! We’ve included a step-by-step guide to walk you through it:

Please click here to register as an attendee and/or as an exhibitor.
Fill in your contact information.
Fill in your company information (including which trade associations you belong to).
Fill in your booth information (size) and either select your main product line from the drop down box or enter it manually in 6 words or less. Press “continue”.
The next page will ask if you’re offering any show specials or prize drawings. If yes, please describe them.
If you have a new product that you’d like to be included in the Power Aisle, check the respective box and describe the product.
If you have a new product that you would not like to be included in the Power Aisle, check that box and describe the product.
If you are a company that sells outside of the United States, check the box.
Link your product “show-mo” videos. You can include up to 3 videos. Be sure to follow the link format as prompted.
Include a company description.
Include your company logo. Press “continue”.
If you’d like to be a general sponsor or event sponsor, select an option (this is optional). Press “continue”.
If you’d like to book a private meeting room (or multiple), select an option. Press “continue”.
List the highest ranking attending company official name first, and continue listing names based on the order you want them to appear in the convention program. Make sure to check the left column for people who are attending their first Convention.
For each individual listed, exhibitors can see this contact data and can request a meeting with attendees. Attendees can search for and view registered exhibitors for STAFDA 2023, but cannot initiate a meeting. If you do not want exhibitors to be able to locate your information, please check the box to opt out. Press “continue”.
If you or someone in your party would like to sign up for one of our additional activities including: Women in Distribution Luncheon, NextGen Luncheon, or Emerging Leaders Forum, select an option for each member. Press “continue”.
If any spouses or companions are traveling with your party, you can sign them up for a super fun spouse/companion tour of Fredericksburg or the Botanical Garden. Include their contact information and select which tour they’d like to go on. Press “continue”.
If you would like to add another person, you can do so on this page. If not, press “continue”.
Enter your payment information.
If you are paying with a credit card, select “charge card”. If you are paying with a check or wire transfer, select “save payment”.

Once you’ve finished these steps, you’re all set! If you have any questions, give STAFDA HQ a call and we can help you out. 262/784-4774 or 800/352-2981.

Stafda's educational workshops: customized agendas for career growth

Hey, folks! Get ready for an amazing experience at our 2023 Convention & Trade Show. It's all about learning and growing in your career. We’ve got the best speakers lined up to share their wisdom. You can customize your agenda to suit your needs, and it's all included in the registration fee. So, make the smart choice and attend as many workshops as possible. Let's dive in!

Human Centric Leadership by Dirk Beveridge

Leadership is undergoing a transformation in today's dynamic world. Dirk Beveridge will unveil the shifting nature of leadership, driven by social, technological, and demographic forces. Explore the importance of purpose and impact over performance. Be inspired by real-life distributor case studies that set the standard for effective leadership.

Fine Art of Building Relationships: One Conversation at a Time by Debra Fine

Step away from screens and embrace the power of face-to-face interactions. Join Debra Fine for an interactive session focused on building strong rapport and mastering conversation skills. Gain visibility, improve networking abilities, and avoid common conversation blunders. Get ready to enhance your relationship-building game, one conversation at a time.

Master Your World: Today's Game Plan for Maximum Profits, Peak Productivity, & Top Communication by Mary Kelly

Leadership is the ultimate differentiator between failure and success. Join Mary Kelly in this workshop to unlock the secrets of productive and constructive teams. Discover the impact of loyalty, relationships, and dynamic communication on your bottom line. Learn how to create a culture that maximizes profits, productivity, and effective communication.

Trust, Accountability, & Business Relationships by Thom Singer

Building a strong company culture is crucial for employee retention. In today's remote and hybrid work environments, maintaining trust and accountability can be challenging. Join Thom Singer, a certified partner with the Trust Edge Leadership Institute and Accountability Institute. Explore the power of community, collaboration, and conversations in fostering a thriving work environment. Strengthen your business relationships and drive success.

If you want to learn more about these speakers, head to the members-only section of our website and click “Educational Workshops”.

STAFDA's lending library Book of the month

Stand Out! How to Position and Grow your Business with a POWERFUL Brand Identity, by Larry Mersereau, CTC

STAFDA’s Lending Library is filled with hundreds of books about management, distribution, tips for business owners, and so many other topics relevant to STAFDA members. With such an extensive collection of books, it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s where this blog comes in handy! I (Kat) will read one Lending Library book each month and summarize it here on the blog. If this book sounds interesting to you, you can head over to the Lending Library section of the website and check it out for free! Just like any other library, checking out books is on a first come, first served basis.

In July, I read Stand Out! How to Position and Grow Your Business with a POWERFUL Brand Identity by Larry Mersereau, CTC. It is a valuable resource for businesses that are aiming to establish a strong brand presence without spending a fortune. This book is especially useful for business owners and people who work in marketing. Towards the beginning of the book, the author asks the reader to consider several questions about their business positioning statement. In later chapters, the author explains how to create effective brand identification icons like logos, and how to write a tag line and an elevator speech.

The book’s guidance on crafting a compelling brand story is highly relevant to STAFDA members. Effectively communicating your product/service, targeting your audience, and differentiating your business from others are all crucial parts of showcasing the experience and reliability that your business brings to the table. The book reads like a how-to manual and is super engaging. If you’re interested in checking out this book, check out the Lending Library section of our website. While you’re there, email me at katdavies@stafda.org if you have any suggestions for what you’d like me to read next!

AI websites YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

Are you excited by the possibility of using Artificial Intelligence but not sure where to get started? We're here to help! There are many different AI generators and even more are being developed. Mike Foster, author of STAFDA's Disaster Preparedness Manual and president of The Foster Institute, created a resource that highlights the AI websites that can help you and your business.

Mike’s mission is to help members keep their networks safe. He is widely recognized for his broad range of high-level technological expertise and The Foster Institute assists clients in saving money with IT, being in alignment with best practices, and handling all IT security issues. STAFDA members receive a discount on his company’s Cybersecurity Audit and AI Consulting. Reach Mike at mike@fosterinstitute.com or call 805-637-7039 and be sure to identify yourself as a STAFDA member.