Page 124 - BCM June 2024

THE REST OF THE STORIES

EXPO EXTRA: NETWORKING

(continued from page 48) and concentrate on the lessons that can your cards yet, don’t be caught short
be found in peer-to-peer conversations. with your traditional cards. It could cost
7. Help yourself by helping others. 9. Pay it forward. While soaking you a valuable contact.
Prove your worth by offering proven in as much information as possible After Bowl Expo, be organized,
solutions from the operation of your should be your goal at Expo, success- disciplined and proactive when reach-
center. Focus on giving before getting. ful networking requires that it be a ing out to your new contacts because
8. Focus on learning rather than two-way street. So be prepared to share becoming a champion networker can
telling. Anyone who has been in the information about your best programs pay big dividends in your business
business for any length of time has “war and your best operational ideas in case and personal life. Even if you end up
stories” to tell. While such stories can be anyone asks. making just a few new contacts at Bowl
entertaining, they rarely offer any useful 10. Bring plenty of business cards. Expo, this is one activity in which a
information. So, save them for parties In case you haven’t gone digital with “participation award” is perfectly okay.

BOWL EXPO PREVIEW: AI

(continued from page 50) social-media posts; edit letters for gram- were changed.
mar, clarity and length; develop an on- “AI is not just a one-way conversa-
n Post 2: Back-to-School Specials. boarding process for new employees; tion,” he says. “It’s a technology that
School’s back in session, but the fun help develop marketing campaigns; can learn about you and your business.
doesn’t have to end! Join us for our summarize and simplify data; analyze The more information you feed into it,
back-to-school specials and enjoy your website and more. the better it understands your brand,
discounted bowling, arcade games and Although ChatGPT has many ben- what you want and the style you prefer.
more. It’s the perfect way to unwind efits, it also has some limitations. It may It’s your thought partner. It provides a
after a long day of classes. See you on occasionally generate incorrect infor- starting point and will revise as per your
the lanes! mation, produce biased content, and it suggestions.”
#BackToSchool has limited knowledge of the world and Industry experts agree that if you
#BowlingSpecials events after 2021. aren’t using AI in your business, now is
#FamilyFun “AI is not replacing people,” stresses an excellent time to start.
[Image: A colorful image featuring Lakefish. “It’s freeing up staff members “Don’t be intimidated,” encourages
back-to-school themed bowling pins.] to focus their efforts on other tasks.” Lerch. “AI isn’t complicated, hard or
n Post 3: Glow Bowling. Get ready Harvard Business School professor technical. Jump in and commit one
to light up the night with Glow Bowling! Karim Lakhani says, “Machines won’t hour a week in your schedule to learn-
Join us every Friday and Saturday for an replace humans, but humans with ing how to use it. You can very quickly
electrifying experience you won’t forget. machines will replace humans without have better social-media posts, events
With neon lights, upbeat music, and machines.” and promotions.”
glow-in-the-dark bowling balls, it’s fun Points out Ramsey: “Many of the Ramsey says, “The more you practice
for the whole family. Don’t miss out on tasks AI does are those proprietors or using AI, the more you will want to use
the glow! staff members don’t like to do or are too it.”
#GlowBowling mundane and, consequently, they are Lerch believes everyone eventually
#NeonNight often put off.” will use some form of AI.
#FamilyFun Lakefish used AI to create all the “AI is still in its infancy, and it has
[Image: A vibrant image of glow content for a company website, typi- unbelievable potential for growth,” he
bowling with neon lights and glowing cally a difficult and time-consuming says. “This is both an exciting and scary
bowling balls.] task. AI delivered the content within time, but one proprietors and operators
These are just a few examples of what several hours, completing a task that should be a part of.”
AI can do. It also can craft responses otherwise would have taken two to Lakhani compares ChatGPT to Iron-
to negative Google or Yelp reviews; six weeks, according to Lakefish. After man’s suit. Tony Stark isn’t a superhero,
compose an appreciation letter to an the content was reviewed by multiple but the Ironman suit makes him one. AI
employee for 10 years of service; create people in the company, only four words can be your power suit.

122 • BCM • JUNE 2024 www.bcmmag.com

5/16/24 12:09 PM
122_JumpPage_0624.indd 122 5/16/24 12:09 PM
122_JumpPage_0624.indd 122