There is no substitute for a great in-person conference. Alas, we have to make the most of virtual shows. With the Driving Sales Executive Summit and NADA both going 100% virtual, we’ve compiled a few helpful tips for making the most of a virtual show after attending and sponsoring a few ourselves.

Eliminate or Minimize Distractions

In-person events focus your attention. It’s a lot harder to get distracted by co-workers and your daily routine. Do your best to replicate that experience for a virtual conference. Get out of your (home) office and go to a coffee shop, or lock yourself in a closet somewhere. The point: don’t even bother attending if you’ll be so distracted by your normal work environment and routine.

Network Early & Often

Don’t wait for the show to start to meet new people and to reconnect with your colleagues. Reach out to speakers and attendees ahead of time. Prepare a list of questions or challenges you’re hoping to solve, or new things you want to learn, and ask! Everyone is eager to make a personal connection these days.

Book Time On Your Calendar

Don’t just block off the time on your calendar to prevent meeting creep, book the sessions you want to attend also. Some conferences make this simple to do with Google Calendar integration. You’ll be glad you reserved the time.

Learn Something New from the Sponsors

Review each sponsor on the list, and take a few minutes to learn or refresh on what they do. For those that catch your eye, book time to speak with them. The virtual shows haven’t yet figured out how to truly replicate the Expo Hall, which means zero booth traffic. The sponsors are struggling to generate a good return on investment from the shows, and reduced sponsor dollars means smaller and fewer shows. 

We look forward to virtually seeing everyone at the Driving Sales Executive Summit. Reach out to TradePending to chat about increasing your trade-in leads and dynamically merchandising your online inventory.