When I returned from my first NAR Convention in 1984, my broker asked two of us at the sales meeting to tell the others what they missed. After my enthusiastic, glowing report of the new marketing tools at the exhibits, the unbelievable ideas from the sessions, and the promises of new business from referral contacts. . . my co-worker said, "Wow, I think she went to a different convention than I did"! It's all in your attitude. Here are 10 tips to ensure that the convention YOU attend, will be as rewarding as possible. Prepare in advance. Look at the list of attendees as reported in the Realtor-only section of One Realtor Place and see if you have a connection with anyone. Is there someone you know? If not, make a list of agents holding the same designations you have, or agents in your national franchise. Send an email saying that you are also going to the convention and hope to meet, to share ideas and referrals. Bring the right supplies. After an interesting conversation on a shuttle bus at a Honolulu convention, I asked the fellow for a business card. Can you believe that he didn't bring any! Bring a whole box of business cards - and if your email address is not printed on your card, be prepared to spend a lot of time writing your address on your card. Remember, most that you meet, are NOT LOCAL! They won't spend long distance just to "stay in touch" and many are no longer spending fortunes on expensive postcard campaigns. It takes several contacts before someone really remembers you. Every business card should contain your email address as an easy, inexpensive way to maintain contact. Brochures and computer floppy disks with info about your services and your market area are impressive ways to showcase your talents, and can help agents remember you when they return home. Writing tablets - you never have enough room for notes on the handouts. Then again, if you are bringing your tech tools. . . a notebook computer or a Palm Pilot are great ways to take notes. Comfortable shoes are a must. And the right clothes. Have you checked the weather report? Make your advance plan. Return to One Realtor Place to map out what you want from each day's agenda, make advance plans for your lunch & dinner partners, and the evening fun to renew old friendships , meet new people, and enjoy yourself. When you pick up your convention package upon registration, double-check to make sure that the agenda hasn't changed. Take advantage of all the social events including hospitality suites and cocktail parties, etc. These are usually advertised in the exhibition hall near the sponsor's booth. Also, your state association may be hosting an event. Take care of yourself. Eat healthy meals. Avoid over-eating or over-drinking or over-partying, or you will sleep your way through the next day. Carry a micro-cassette recorder with you. Yes, talk to yourself as you walk to the next session! At home, I record great ideas while I'm driving. This saves me from fumbling to write notes on little pieces of paper. In fact, I use a digital recorder from Dragon Naturally Speaking which, when connected to my IBM notebook, will transcribe my speech into text. Then, I can sort my new digital info in many ways with the click of a mouse. Make the most of the seminars. These are some of the best minds in the industry coming together. Take advantage. Steal one idea, you're a thief. Steal lots of ideas, you're doing research. If a speaker asks for comments from the audience, think of productive ideas to contribute. Stand up, clearly & loudly speak your name, company, and city, then state your comment. Finish by asking others to remember you with referrals. Remember these sessions are taped and the message might reach more than just those people in the room. Visit the trade show. Look at the map to find vendors that interest you. Carry two separate bags for handouts. One bag will hold brochures from vendors that offer complete information on their literature, and you will review the material back home. The other bag is for stuff that has to be decided before you leave. When you arrive early at a seminar, go through that bag while waiting for the speaker to start. Go back to the booths at a slower time, when you are not fighting for the attention of the rep. If a vendor is offering a convention discount, ask if you can extend it until 1 or 2 days after you arrive home. Get their name. Take your picture. How about in front of the new e-PRO certification booth? Submit a press release to your local newspaper that Annie Agent just attended the National Association of Realtors Convention and learned cutting edge techniques to serve buyers & sellers, including information about the new e-PRO certification, etc. If you can't get free space in the paper, run the photo in your newsletter, or send postcards to your list. Follow up, follow up. Put your new contacts into a database - email, if possible. PREP 4.0 (an excellent contact manager) has automatic email action plans.  And it is still the leader for action plans using printed postcards, notecards, etc. I also recommend Worldmerge software as an inexpensive program to mail merge in an email application. What to send to these contacts? How about a brief note that says you enjoyed meeting them, did they catch this great tip you learned at the such & such seminar, and please remember you for referrals? Will you Do it? You now have enough information and new contacts to fill an excellent business plan for the new year. How about it? You came, you saw, are you gonna DO IT? Do you have any suggestions for how to work the convention? If so, click on Respond to this article below and post your thoughts.

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