10 Tips for Making the Most of ASAE Annual Meeting

This weekend I’m heading to Atlanta to attend the ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership Annual Meeting.

If this looks familiar, it might be because I posted a few thoughts about attending ASAE Annual over on LinkedIn, and then realized these ideas might have a longer life (and reach more people) over here on the Association Chat website.

ASAE Annual is a special exposition for me because it’s like a reunion with old friends I’ve known for a long time (some for around 15+ years at this point!). It’s a chance to network and meet new people who might be future clients, friends, business partners, creative collaborators, podcast guests, and more.

But if there is one thing I’ve learned over the years about attending this conference, it’s that for all the time and money invested in being there, you do not want to walk away feeling like you didn’t make the most of your experience. With that in mind, I’ve learned a few things over the years that help me to make the most out of my experience. Maybe these tips will help you, too, if you are a newbie to the conference or even an old pro who is always looking for a way to make this year’s meeting experience even better.

10 tips I’ve developed for myself over the years when it comes to attending ASAE Annual:

1. Have fun, but pace yourself. If you try to stay up late and connect with everyone the first day, you will end up “hitting the wall” and feeling brain-dead by day 3. Try to stay on a steady pace and focus on each conversation. 
2. Know what you want to accomplish before your plane lands. You could easily get distracted from valuable connections and opportunities if you haven’t considered what you hope to achieve at the conference.
3. Don’t focus only on the role you have now. Don’t limit your learning with too myopic of a view. Think of what you might need to know for where you want to be.
4. Don’t be dismissive of people just because you don’t think they can help you. The association industry is small, and people often have many different ways they are involved in it. Volunteer opportunities, special projects, podcasts and blogs, side hustles, speaking engagements, advisory roles… so many ways! I’ve seen people miss out on talking with influential individuals who could have helped them immensely because they read a name badge and made a quick assumption based on the role and business name.
5. Check your ego.
6. Be kind. Some people at this meeting will be worried that it might be their last if they don’t meet some quota or goal or make some connection to a future job. You never know.
7. Get good sleep.
8. Try to ask at least one question in every educational session. This will keep you focused and lead to new ways to connect with others in the room.
9. Don’t avoid the tradeshow floor just because you aren’t a decision-maker or in the market for a solution. You should work on knowing the types of solutions in the association marketplace and meet the people who will often stay in the industry for a long time.
10. Be curious about everything.

What would you add to this list? Please share in the comments, and if you’re attending the conference, too, please make sure to say “hi” if you can!