By Denise Hoover
Chief Product Owner
The countdown has started for the 2021 I.C.E. Exchange on Nov. 15-18. Are you ready?
Like you, I’ve been to several industry conferences during my association and certification career. I began my career in marketing and have since become a techie focusing on user experience. But unlike many in our industry, I’ve never been to an I.C.E. Exchange. This conference is huge!
So I thought I’d get some help to navigate it successfully. I researched tips to get the most out of attending any conference, and I thought I’d share some of what I learned.
Start Connecting with Colleagues Now
Conferences are a great way to get to know your industry peers, and they provide great social events. If you’d like to get to know someone better, invite that person to one of the receptions or to meet you for coffee or a cocktail. Knowing you have a plan to connect with a colleague makes walking into a large reception easier and jump starts your networking efforts. If you’ve never been to the I.C.E. Exchange, consider attending the First Time Attendee Reception.
Bring Plenty of Business Cards
Check your supply of business cards now and order more if you’re running low. Business cards help people remember you and help you remember them. When you pick up someone else’s business card, write a quick note on the back so you’ll remember where and when you met.
Choose Your Sessions Carefully
I am really looking forward to learning more about the issues surrounding certification and credentialing. To balance attendance in sessions with my responsibilities at the CredHQ booth and making sure I have time to absorb what I learn, I have decided how many sessions I can comfortably attend. and am selecting the topics where I believe I can apply what I learn to CredHQ. A great tip I found is to write three take-aways for each session. Focus on actionable items or ideas that can help guide your work for the next three to six months.
I highly recommend the session that Carlos Restrepo is presenting with Michael Tatonetti and Terri Hinkley about growing your certification board’s revenue streams. If you’re worried about meeting your next revenue challenge, spend some time with these three experts to explore how to evaluate existing revenue streams and create new sources of income. They promise to spark new ideas!
Connect with Speakers
Speakers at a conference, like I.C.E., are experts in their fields, so you’ll want to ask questions, say hello, and grab their business cards. After the conference, connect on LinkedIn or consider signing up for their newsletters or updates.
Be Present
That means putting away your smartphone and connecting with others in person. You don’t have to disconnect completely, but when you’re waiting for a session to begin or grabbing a quick coffee, use the time to start conversations with other attendees.
Come Visit the CredHQ Booth
Our team will be available in the CredHQ booth (#415). As the Chief Product Owner, I am charged with making CredHQ the best product it can be. I’m looking forward to improving the user experience and enhancing the features and functionality to best meet your needs. I’d love to meet you and discover how CredHQ can make your job easier!
Plus, we’re giving away a great set of headphones to make your virtual meetings better, so you’ll want to register for that. We’ll also have lots of information about our software and other giveaways. We love to talk certification, so come on by and say hello.
How Can Agilutions Help?
Our company name, Agilutions, was developed to express our commitment to Agile Solutions. We have over 15years of expertise and solutions that can help you meet the coming challenges.
We’d love to meet you at I.C.E., but if you would like to start a conversation now or if you aren’t planning to attend, visit our website or send me an email. I’d love to hear from you.