Get the most out of your annual meeting

Tips to get the most out of your annual meeting.

Preview the schedule.  Are there speakers you might want to hire for your own meetings?  Is there a topic/presentation that might give you leads on how to solve a problem? If there is more than one person from your organization – split up and go to different sessions. Compare notes.

Set goals. How many booths do you want to visit.  How many new contacts do you want to make?  This will help make your time away from the office more productive.

Volunteer. Be a speaker. Introduce a speaker. Help at registration. Serve on the committee. Welcome attendees.  Lend a helping hand.

Make a plan for which exhibitors you MUST see. Or make a plan to visit each and every booth.

Download the handouts either before or after the session.

Talk to as many people as possible. Just because you don’t need a particular product or service right now – it doesn’t mean you might not in the future.

Bring business cards. Or use your smartphone to collect data from people that you want to reconnect with.

Take notes on paper or on your favorite electronic device to capture new ideas .

Maintain contacts. Once you leave the meeting. 

Share what you learned with your colleagues or your staff or your coworkers.