We don’t know about you, but we’ve noticed that summer is a great time for attending conferences and expos. There’s so much on offer! We love spending the day meeting new people and getting inspired by fantastic ideas (and the evening exploring the city!).
Something we’ve been chatting about in Get Invited HQ is the best way to see everything and everyone you want to. You’ll want to strike a balance between getting in a high volume of activity, and leaving time to enjoy the day. Follow our plan to get the most of the experience.
Sign up early for the expo or conference.
Save a few pounds by registering early.
Spend some time getting to know the programme.
Note what you’d like to see in three tiers for each time slot. Tier one is the exhibitors or presentations that excite you the most; tier two is for the events that you’d like to see in case those in tier one are full up or not what you expected; tier three is contingency in case tier two doesn’t work out.
Use the Get Invited app!
If the organisers have used Get Invited, beat the queues with our scanning app.
Arrive before the crowds.
Enjoy the calm before the storm and have a quick walk round to familiarise yourself with the layout of the venue (and meet with the exhibitors you expect will be popular with the rest of the attendees).
Work together.
Go in a group and plan to attend events simultaneously, then swap notes afterwards.
Connect before the event with exhibitors and speakers.
If there’s someone you want to meet, use social media beforehand to let them know you’ll be coming. Be sure to attend their talk, and find a good spot to see them afterwards.
Skip the keynote.
Yes, you did read it right! Skipping the keynote means you’ll be able to fit in lots of meetings and spend time at the stands because the venue will be much quieter. The keynote tends to be available later on video, so you won’t miss out.
Take photos.
If there’s an interesting slide in a presentation, or a company you’d like to connect with after the expo, there’s no need to waste time writing or typing the main points. Just take a photo!
Beat the lunch queues.
From noon onwards, it’s pretty much a given that the lunch zone will be busy. Eat early and avoid the lines for food.
Use social media.
Follow the Twitter hashtag for the expo so you’re aware of what’s going on in real-time.
Have you any tips for seeing and doing everything at an expo? Let us know in comments below or on Twitter!
