It’s a new year, and we are introducing a brand new agenda format for SUMMIT 2018. We took the feedback from our post-SUMMIT 2017 attendee survey and used your suggestions to make this year’s event even better. We’ve moved keynote sessions to the afternoon and extended them, added even more networking opportunities, re-worked agenda content to be more searchable and focused on industry best practices and back by popular demand, you’ll be able to schedule dedicated time with our support team.

Now that we’ve set the stage for another amazing SUMMIT, here are nine ways to get the most out of your conference experience.

Pre-SUMMIT

• Review the agenda. This one is a no-brainer. With 90 percent of conference agenda already posted, take advantage of this time to do a little speaker research. Flag the classes you want to attend and start building your session schedule. With a new agenda format tailored to your specific interests, you can search by user level, job title or topic to find the classes best suited for you. The keynote sessions, lunches and evening events have no competing sessions to ensure you don’t miss out.
• Register early. Who out there loves paying full price for items that they could have gotten on sale? No one. Don’t miss the Early Bird discount for SUMMIT 2018 where you can get up to $200 off when you register with code EARLYBIRD18 before January 12, and if you book your room at the official conference hotel, you’ll get an additional $100 off.
• Find out who’s going. Get the most out of SUMMIT by pairing up with team members from your organization to tag-team overlapping sessions, and then compare notes. Use our conference app (to be released in April 2018) and make plans to connect at one of our many networking events.
• Bring the right supplies. Business cards – This is a key element to your networking success at SUMMIT. From thoughtful classroom discussions to lively evening events, you will be presented with multiple opportunities to engage with more than 700 conference attendees. Bring your cards and bring plenty of them. Chargers – While we do our best to provide multiple charging stations throughout the conference, a charger is a key component of your conference success. You’re going to spend a huge part of your day on your devices – don’t get caught with dead batteries.

During SUMMIT

• Network. Throughout the conference you’ll have an opportunity to connect with others through the conference app, evening events, lunches and networking sessions. Remember to exchange business cards, take notes of who you spoke with and what you spoke about. Large conferences can be a whirlwind and these notes can be a lifesaver once you get back home with your stack of cards.
• Stay organized. Write down at least one to two key takeaways from each session you attend (most presentations will be provided after the conference). If you find many takeaways in a session, tweet or share your findings on the conference app so your peers can learn too.

After SUMMIT

• Apply what you’ve learned. Many of the takeaways you bring back from SUMMIT can be applied almost instantly. Don’t let any learning go to waste. Implement necessary changes or meet with team members to share your ideas for improvement.
• Follow up. Connecting with people you met at a conference is most successful when done shortly after your return home. Use your notes from your discussions and connect on LinkedIn or via email. Many productive business relationships have been formed at conferences such as SUMMIT.
• Teach. Many of the lessons learned at SUMMIT will be applicable to your whole team. Compile key takeaways with those individuals who attended the conference with you and then host a quick recap session with your teams to communicate the main insights you uncovered.