5 Tips for EU Folks attending the PHX Forum for the First Time
 

In anticipation for a Phoenix Forum chock full of new business, new attendees, and new technology, I've put together a few pointers for Europeans and other non US visitors coming to the show for the first time:

1) Sunscreen and chapstick/lip balm with SPF - AZ is in the desert, so it's a "dry" heat, meaning you won't feel the burn while you're outside, and can even get exposure in the shade since light reflects.

2) Casual in the day, dressier at night - The show takes place primarily outdoors, with the exception of seminars and eating areas, so bring your summer clothes (shorts, sandals, short sleeves, etc) but it can cool down a lot at night so sport jackets, long sleeves, etc are good for the evenings.

3) Get a "disposable" (prepaid) phone with a US number. You can pick them up pretty much anywhere for around $30-$50 USD. It will be cheaper for you to coordinate with folks at the show, and honestly, most Americans are retarded when dialing outside the US unless they have traveled overseas. Your US contacts will also appreciate not having to call overseas to tell you to meet them at the elevators for dinner. Just ask the person for their number and then call it and they'll have yours (that way you don't have to memorize your new US number).

5) Drink A LOT of water. Thankfully bottles of water will be freely available courtesy of the awesome snack huts in the courtyard of the hotel, but be sure to drink extra water than normal, especially if you are drinking alcohol. A lot of folks get dehydration headaches, so stay ahead of the game by drinking water before you get thirsty. By the time you feel thirsty, your body is already in dehydration mode.

Hope these tips help and I look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday!!! Seasoned TPF veterans, feel free to add to the list!:thumbsup

LOL. Funny :)

good advice! too bad i won't be there :-/

Love #3 :-)
but where is #4?

In your pants!:winkwink: JK! I think I had 4 accidentally erased. So here it is:

4) Maximize your networking efforts by talking to folks you don't know. If you are coming as a group, don't hang out with just your company. Often times, you may meet someone who you might not be able to do direct business with, but they'll know someone else there that you SHOULD meet. Attend the seminars and talk to the panelists, usually they are owners or decision makers, and it's always better to start at the top, if they have someone else within their company that is better suited to speak with you, they will usually facilitate the meeting.

We are providing SPF 15 lip balm to everyone. Got that covered.


http://www.gotbaddog.com/wp-content/.../03/Day-75.jpg

Great post, Jenni!

Can we make some dancing? I am best salsa dancer in the USA.

Nice! Are they different flavors?

6# Don't wait till last minute booking for this show. It is selling out fast. In fact if you are reading this and do not have a room, it is now sold out!

Yes, and it is eco friendly.

I support your eco sense by going green:winkwink:

So I can wear my French short shorts?

See you all there. :thumbsup

Sometimes I forget how "hard" it is to live in the Phoenix area. Things like drinking water and using chapstick just comes naturally to us now ... but the water one is a GREAT idea for people that aren't used to the area.

I will definitely +1 the drinking water part.

And don't lick your lips as it will dry them out faster, but keeping water in you will help with that too.

Congratz to the Winner!!!

You rock: ) See you there!


Mr. Romance

I'm thinking the speedo/black socks with sandals and a beret will be a good look for you:thumbsup

you need a static page plugin for your wp dog.
and those yellow nails. wtf? are you selling those to barefootsies?

I can vouch for this one. Just go into the first Walmart, Target or Kmart you see (you won't have to travel far to find one) and buy a Tracfone and credit. I have one that I keep with me over here and then take back to the States every time I go home. You can reactivate it if it expires between this trip and your next one to the States. It is SO much easier than getting people to understand your overseas number.

What makes it so difficult to understand??? Do Americans have more numbers than Europeans or something?

Country codes confuse people on either side of the Atlantic. Plus, in the long run it probably costs less.

I'd like to think not everyone struggles with this concept of copying numbers into a phone or writing them down to dial later :)

If I am exchanging numbers with someone that is confused by this, I don't think I need them to contact me anyway :)

6.) Drink lots of premium beer. Beer , is made from grains, water and yeast. Grains commonly used are barley and wheat (with cheaper, mass-produced beers relying on corn and rice), both of which are loaded with a variety of vitamins that survive the fermentation and filtering process.

:thumbsup ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ :thumbsup

hows it going fatfoo?

Somehow I remember Phoenix as chilly.....
hmmmm

NEVER underestimate dehydration ... seriously ...

Actually we have 10 digits (area code) plus a 7 digit phone number, unless you are calling from a foreign number then its +1 then the area code and number. Calling overseas numbers from the US need to be dialed with a + or a 011 then country code and 6 digit number.

Believe me, its confusing to Americans who haven't traveled abroad, either because they can't figure out how to do the + sign on their phone (hold down 0 til it changes) unless you have a smart phone where you have the option of the + sign.

Way better to keep it simple and get a US number that folks at the show can reach you at. If they are from US/Can its way cheaper and easier to communicate at the show. Like Sarah said, you can keep the phone until the next show then load up some credits when you need it next.

6)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

I actually meant more numbers out of the 0-9 range :)

When you lay it out like that we actually have 11 digit numbers excluding any area code or country code so I can see how all these extra numbers must be 'confusing' for Americans :)

????????

7) Get a "disposable" (prepaid) diaper

fuck i only brought flip flops and shorts :)

The number of times I have had to help people over here understand how to call the United States suggest it isn't just an American confusion.

There are different rules in different countries about which numbers in the 'normal' number you have to drop or add when you are making it an international number. For example, in the States long distance numbers start with 1. In the UK, all our numbers now start with 0 so in my part of London you start all numbers 0208. Yet, when you are calling from the States you have to know to drop off that 0 in addition to adding the calling code. Then, there is the fact that they change those rules in the UK every few years. In the time I have lived here the first few numbers of my personal phone number has been 181, 208 and now 0208. It is hard enough for us to keep track let alone somebody having to know how to call from abroad.

Plus, it is just cheaper for all involved to pick up a cheap disposable phone and call a local number.

Yes I don't doubt there are clueless idiots everywhere.

Personally, I've never felt the need for an additional phone. When I travel I tend to know what the correct codes are if I need to phone home for whatever reason.

I'd prefer to give them the number I use all the time rather than the number of something I'm going to throw in the bin at the airport.

sun screan and water the most important elements ever!

If you do manage to get sunburnt, and i mean really bad, put natural yoghurt on it, it will burn and sizzle but it takes the heat from it, lots of aftersoon with aloe vera and vitamin e!

Good tip on the yoghurt, I think they even have some free ones in the snack shacks. Also don't forget to reapply sunscreen after you perspire or swim!