It’s crazy to think that we are already less than 2 months away from User Group Summit! This is going to be a great event in Orlando. If you are not yet registered, make sure you check out the details and review the D365/CRM Sessions and get signed up!
I wanted to share a few of my tips for new attendees to get the most out of this experience.
Attire
Be comfortable! People attend in all kinds of different attire. The stated attire is “business casual” so you can see people in jeans or in suit jackets. The important piece is to make sure you are comfortable so you can focus on learning instead of being distracted by being too cold or uncomfortable. Make sure you wear flat comfortable shoes because there will be lots of walking and long days. Also remember to bring a sweater or jacket each day because the conference rooms can get chilly.
Network
This is a great opportunity to meet lots of people in the field who can be great resources for your organization or your personal career development. This means you need to make sure to have lots of business cards ready to hand out and make sure your LinkedIn profile is ready for all the new connections.
This can be intimidating if you are new or don’t know many people. A good way to get started is the New Attendee Reception. This happens on Tuesday just before the Expo reception from 4-5. More details on this will be sent out just before the conference. At this event, long-time attendees (such as myself) will share their top tips on how to get the most of the conference. This is a great place to meet new people and find a friend to take with you to the expo reception next. It’s much easier to talk once you have made a buddy.
Also remember that everyone is there to learn. You have common ground with everyone in that one thing! So no need to worry about talking to someone you don’t know.
Note Taking
Be prepared to take lots of notes! There is no way to remember everything you are learning so you need to write things down. I like to do this using OneNote. I download the presentations from the community site right before the session. Then I can just take notes on other things the speaker says instead of copying all the slide details. It’s helpful to highlight items that are particularity interesting or relevant to your organization. This will help you review later and share your takeaways with your colleagues at home. See more of my conference note taking tips here.
It’s ok if you feel overwhelmed and like your brain can’t absorb anymore. That’s normal! Just keep writing down what you can and plan to review later to digest.
What other tips would my long-time attendees share? What other questions do first-timers have?
Lovved reading this thank you