4 Tips for Getting the Most Out of a Client Seminar
A client seminar is a great opportunity to learn from industry experts. Attendees have the chance to participate in sessions that focus on specific educational topics, ask questions and share ideas with other attendees. Most client seminars act as an intensive training camp that usually take place over the course of several days, giving attendees the tools to take their knowledge to the next level. Attending a client seminar provides many benefits, including improving communication skills, gaining expert knowledge, and renewing motivation and confidence. Let’s jump right into four of our top tips for getting the most out of a client seminar, and why attending is so important to your business:
1. Prep for your sessions in advance.
Preparing for sessions goes beyond simply reading class descriptions. Taking the time to research and schedule what sessions you want to attend is essential in getting the most out of your time at a client seminar. It is also important to write down any questions you might have about the session topic after you sign up. Asking questions and reading the class descriptions will help you to decide if the session is at an appropriate difficulty level for your abilities and will also help you to determine whether or not the session will cover topics that apply to your business. For example, a seasoned user should invest their time in advanced courses or exploring complementary topics, rather than revisiting a beginner track. Yes, a refresher on some of those beginner topics can be beneficial, but more than likely there is a more appropriate advanced class available. Some client seminars even allow attendees to take part in online forums before the actual Seminar begins. This way, participants can see what questions others have or see what information teachers post in advance of educational sessions.
At our accesso Client Seminar, we encourage attendees to take full advantage of our online community powered by Pathable. This digital community is available to help clients schedule which sessions they'd like to attend each day, learn a bit about their instructors and other supporting staff, and also to communicate with one another in advance of the seminar. Pathable allows participants to post questions ahead of time within a class if they feel they might need more information about which topics will be covered, but participants can also respond to questions posted by the instructor! Pathable is also an excellent way to connect with other attendees during the week through messaging and scheduling. You can easily set up time with another attendee if you have something you’d like to discuss outside of your session. Whether it is Pathable, a group forum, or just an event page, make sure to take advantage of any tools provided by your event organizers to help you make the most of your time at the seminar.
2. Learn even more through networking.
Along with providing access to expert teachers, client seminars also give clients the opportunity to meet peers who share similar business challenges. Client seminar discussions offer chances to debate issues related to the field, share experiences and exchange perspectives. Meeting new people can offer a source of encouragement, provide solutions to common problems and advice for how to handle certain challenges. When nurtured, these relationships can continue into professional connections well after the client seminar has ended.
Even if networking isn't normally your strongest skill, client seminars can be a comfortable, open environment for practicing professional communication techniques. Participation in client seminars can help you become a better listener, develop skills to present your thoughts and ideas clearly and help you to develop a more holistic perspective of your industry. Group discussions and activities can also let you practice interpersonal skills, such as dealing with conflicting opinions among group members and working together to accomplish assignments or tasks. Roundtable sessions are also an excellent way to connect with others in your industry.
Learning doesn’t stop when you exit the classroom doors! Client seminars provide attendees with endless networking opportunities. Don't limit yourself to only speaking up during educational sessions. We know it’s tough to disconnect completely, but putting your phone away while waiting for your session to start gives you a much better chance to have a conversation with the person next to you. Sit with someone you don’t know at lunch and you could potentially connect with an industry peer who may be a valuable resource in the future.
Make the most of any social events that are planned throughout the week as well. Social events provide a far more relaxed environment to connect with those who are attending the client seminar with you! After all, what better way to break the ice is there than meeting someone over freshly toasted smores at the Wednesday night Ballroom Bonfire? Dive right into networking at the welcome reception or event, and don't be afraid to play around with any theme that has been laid out for the events. This year's accesso Client Seminar will kick off with a Mile-High Cocktail Hour on Monday night, so come prepared with a great story to tell about your favorite city to visit or the best dessert you've had on vacation. The connections you make throughout the week are not limited to the four walls of the seminar, but could be the beginning of a career-long professional resource and who knows, maybe even a friend.
3. Make time for fun!
Each city offers its own adventures for visitors. No matter if it is a new city or a city you travel to frequently, don't miss the chance to explore and immerse yourself in the local culture. Scope out what your host city has to offer ahead of time, like independent coffee shops or museums that highlight the local history. Depending on the time of year, you might even be able to catch an NFL or MLB game, or even a theatre performance. Since most big cities have public transportation, and most of us have smartphones with ridesharing apps in our pockets, getting around should be a breeze.
If you didn't have time to research the location beforehand, take advantage of the opportunity to ask people onsite for their recommendations, whether it’s hotel staff, fellow attendees, or even your friendly Lyft driver who picked you up from the airport. Our accesso Client Seminar staff is very excited to travel beautiful Denver for this year’s event, and we’ve already started scoping out ideas for how we’ll spend our down time. Our location is convenient to local craft breweries, shopping, theatres, stadiums and so much more. We encourage our attendees to carve out some time to explore and see the city when they’re not exploring our latest software innovations or participating in our planned social events.
4. Recap while traveling home.
There is a lot of information being thrown at you throughout the week, and by Friday, you’re probably just ready to enjoy the weekend. But if you have some travel time that doesn’t require your hands to be on the wheel, take a few minutes to organize your notes and jot down your biggest takeaways. If you wait until Monday, there’s a good chance a lot of your notes won’t make sense and you’ll be left wondering why you even wrote what you wrote in the first place. Just taking the time to read through your notes will help solidify what you’ve learned, so you can more easily reference it in the coming weeks and months. Sometimes it is even nice to put together a list or a presentation of conference highlights to go over with individuals who weren't able to attend the client seminar. Reviewing the highlights with your manager can show how sending you was well worth the investment!
Client seminars are an amazing opportunity to expand your knowledge and your network. Approached with the right mindset, they can also be inspiring and energizing. A goal to have for the week may be to return from the client seminar with renewed motivation and rekindled enthusiasm. This can lead to higher productivity and fulfillment of professional goals.
Our accesso Client Seminar provides you and your team the opportunity to receive hands-on software training and enjoy a multitude of networking events while surrounded by breathtaking mountain views in the Mile High City . It’s a week that you don’t want to miss, so register today!
If you have questions about our accesso Client Seminar, email [email protected]. We hope to see you in Denver this September.
Lyndsay Jones – Sales Engineer
Lyndsay started with the Client Services team at accesso in 2014 and shortly after transitioned into the Sales department. In her role as Sales Engineer, she fulfills her passion of helping others by presenting innovative solutions for our clients and training our Sales team on accesso software. Outside of work, Lyndsay remains dedicated to helping others through her non-profit work, and she also likes to dabble in the art of event planning. She and her husband reside in central Washington state along with their two sons and golden retriever, Olive.