Showing posts with label suggestions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label suggestions. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Collection of Tips, Guides, How-To's & Other Information for HIMSS Attendees



If you’re headed to the 2017 HIMSS Conference &Exhibition in Orlando, FL next month, there are some things you can do now, during the conference and immediately thereafter that will maximize the value of your investment.

This post summarizes all of the posts written about previous HIMSS conferences. If you spend a little time going through these posts I’m certain you’ll have a more valuable and productive conference.













To continue learning more about health information technology conferences and other healthcare-related events, consider following @HITConfGuy on Twitter. And for information on Healthcare Data, Technology & Services, check out www.shimcode.com and @ShimCode on Twitter.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

How to Promote Your Technology Conference Event Using Social Media

One of the guys I work with is involved with the Pacific Northwest Software Quality Conference. He had asked me about some ideas for promoting their 33rd Annual Software Quality Conference held October 12 through the 14th in Portland. Well I’m not an expert in conference event marketing by any stretch of the imagination but I do know how to do research, what appeals to me as an IT professional and how to present information. I found a lot of good information about how to market your conference event using social media so I’m sharing it in a two-part post. Here’s part one.

Note: The information presented here is a combination of others work and my own ideas. I’ve noted the sources where I directly copied information.

Lay the Ground Work

1. Create a hashtag for your event. Make it short and easy to remember. Balance the uniqueness of using a “year” designation in the tag vs. the ability to use the tag for events held in future years. Include the hashtag on all tweets. For instance, do you want to use #EventName15 to identify this year’s event? Or #EventName to be more generic and allow for future use? I’m not sure which is best.

2. Create a template with branded images and consistent color palette to make it easy to share quotes, comments and other information about the event in a consistent, branded manner. Include these images with each tweet in a manner in which the image is displayed in its entirety and doesn't require the user to click on a link

3. Try to include an image in each tweet. Besides the events logo or graphic, you might include a vista of the city in which the event is taking place or the venue in which it is held.

4. About 3-4 weeks before the event, add information about the event to the email signatures of all those people who are organizing the event or otherwise involved.

Share Information about the Event

5. Call out agenda items in a tweet and include a link to conference tracks.

6. Share news and other content related to the topic of the event

7. Share photos of the event’s venue and the setup of the event

8. If it’s a multi-day event, include tweets about any events held in the evening. Or Local Things to Do in the evening if no event-sponsored activities are planned.

9. Respond to any inquiries about the event and consider re-tweeting and favoriting tweets made by others.

10. If financially feasible, hold a contest for everyone who tweets about the event and give away a ticket or two

Use What You Already Have

11. Either link to existing pages or consider creating a page on your web site with information about last year’s event. Then tweet information about this year’s event and the link to that page

12. Create a page on your web site with information about last year’s event and tweet information about this year’s event and the link to that page.

Share Content from Previous Year’s Events.

13. Tweet info about the conference/event on a daily basis; better yet several times a day: morning, noon and night. You have a better chance at reaching people who operate on different time cycles. Just mix up the tweets as suggested later in this post.

14. Do you have any good comments from previous events? Maybe you’ve interviewed attendees or speakers and captured statements of excitement about specific sessions, speakers or your event in general.

Hashtag It Danno!

15. Include a hashtag pertaining to the general content of the event on EVERY tweet. There are several good tools out there to help you ascertain the good tags. Here are some good sites:


https://ritetag.com
http://topsy.com
http://hashtagify.me/
https://www.hashtags.org/

It’s Halftime

So there’s the first half of what I came up with on How to Promote Your Technology Conference Event Using Social Media. I’ll post the second half tomorrow. If you’re interested in conferences and events related to healthcare information technology, consider following @HITConfGuy on Twitter.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

An Agile Retrospective on Last Week’s #HIMSS15 Conference

Those who work in an “Agile Environment” know that a Retrospective review is often held after each sprint. The purpose of an Agile Retrospective is for team member’s to share three categories of information:

1. What worked well?
2. What did not work well?
3. What actions can we take to improve things going forward?

Click here to submit your thoughts on the above three questions.

Alternatively, some people like to use the Mad, Sad, Glad format where participants share what made them Mad, Sad or Glad about the sprint – in this case – the HIMSS Conference.

In this case, I’m thinking that “team member” means “HIMSS Conference Attendee.” One of the key benefits of a retrospective is that the recent events should be fresh in everyones mind and easier to recall and share.

If you’re willing to participate in a retrospective on last week's HIMSS Conference in Chicago, I’ve set up a Survey here. You do not have to enter any personal information unless you want to receive the survey results. And the survey is not unique to anyone so please feel free to share this survey.  I’ll publish the results next week and provide the entire detailed results to anyone who participates and gives me their email address.

If you have any questions on this survey, please contact me at HITConfGuy@gmail.com.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

23 Listicles Shared During the #HIMSS15 Conference in Chicago

In case you missed them, here are some "listicles" I shared during the 2015 HIMSS Conference in Chicago.

Conference Tips





Functional





Miscellaneous


If you're interested in getting more information about Health Information Technology Conferences in North America, consider following @HITConfGuy on Twitter. For general information on Health Information  Technology, consider following @ShimCode on Twitter.


Friday, April 3, 2015

Questions to Ask Software Product Vendors at the HIMSS Conference



Visiting a vendors exhibit at the HIMSS Conference can be a good opportunity to learn specifics about a particular vendor's software product. Here are some questions to consider asking the vendor of any product you are considering implementing at your firm. I suggest tracking the vendor's response and comparing it to their response later on if you intend to move forward.

The Demonstration
1. Is this demo I’m watching the actual software or a special/scaled-down demo version?

Features & Functionality
2. What areas of the product are configurable? And who typically performs configuration changes after the product is implemented?

3. Is there a pending feature/functionality backlog? Can you share what major enhancements are planned for future versions of your product? Timeline?

4. Please tell me about the scalability of your software product and the key variables which impact performance?

Implementing the Product
5. How long is a typical implementation for your product?

6. What are the typical issues your customers can expect when implementing your product?

7. Would I be able to see a sample deployment project plan before making a decision?

8. What product modules, features and/or services are typically paid for a la carte vs. included in the purchase price?

9. What types of on-site services are included in the purchase?

10. What type of participation do you need from my staff when implementing your product?

11. Are there any 3rd party firms that specialize in the implementation and/or customization of your product? What is your company’s relationship with these firms?

Project Knowledge
12. What is the average length of experience for the people who will be working on my project? 


13. Would I be able to see the resumes of the staff who will be working on my implementation project before they start on the project?

14. What methodology, tools and approach does your staff use to manage and transfer product implementation and configuration settings and knowledge once the project is over?

Support
15. How many major releases are planned for the next 2-3 years?

16. Tell me about your service level agreement for getting bugs fixed

17. Tell me about your support plan

18. Can you provide at least three references from companies similar to mine?

What Else?

Consider following me on Twitter for more information on the 2015 HIMSS Conference in Chicago.

How to Gracefully Exit a Conversation That’s Going Nowhere at #HIMSS Conference

There will probably come a time during the 2015 HIMSS Conference in Chicago where you’ll find yourself trapped talking with a vendor, another attendee or a group of attendees in a conversation that’s going nowhere. You’re chatting with someone who won’t let you get a word in edgewise or someone is wasting time whining about their boss. What do you do? Do you grin and bear it? Or make up some excuse for why you have to leave on the double, jump ship, or head for the exits?

The Professional Approach

The “How to Network at a Conference” post on WikiHow provides a great approach as to “How to Excuse Yourself Gracefully. http://www.wikihow.com/Network-at-a-Conference


“There will be times when someone you're networking with doesn't turn out to be someone you want to connect with. Alternatively, you might start to realize that the other person does not appear that interested in talking with you. In either case, excuse yourself politely, thank the person for his or her time, and continue your networking with other members of the conference.”

That’s the easy and probably the proper way to handle the situation. Here are some other tried and true exit strategies beyond the very direct “Excuse me, but I don’t want to talk to you anymore”:

The Positive Comment
“Steve, it was really a pleasure speaking with you about [Topic]. I’m going to take a look at some of the other exhibits here, but if I don’t run into you later, I hope to see you at another event soon.”


The Plan
“Please let me know how that project goes, I’d love to see it and hear how it turns out.” 


“Have you seen anyone from [company name] tonight? I’ve been meaning to chat with them.” 


The Excuse
“I need to use the bathroom, but I'm sure I'll see you around.” 


(Just don’t walk ten feet away and start talking to someone else, your former conversation partner is going to know you lied and dumped them)


“I don't want to take up all your time; it was great meeting you!”


Bow out when others join the conversation.
This is a standard, tried and true method. Once other people join the circle of conversation and things get going between your old partner(s), you slip away.

What Else?

Consider following me on Twitter for more information about the 2015 HIMSS Conference and other Health Information Technology Conferences in North America.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

The Complete Guide to HIMSS15-Related Conference Guides


Here’s all the HIMSS Conference-related guides I can find all in one place for your ease of reference:

Updated: Sunday, April 12, 2015 @ 10:18 PST

General Conference Information – Potpourri of Tips

Tips for First Time HIMSS Annual Conference Attendees

HIMSS15 Survival Guide


A guide to news and analysis from HIMSS 2015


HIMSS15 Preview: Your Go-To-Guide to the Annual Conference


The complete guide to getting your money’s worth out of conferences


Pocket Guide to HIMSS Conference

HIStalk’s Guide to HIMSS15 

The Official Unofficial Guide to HIMSS15

The Oneview Guide to Getting The Most Out Of HIMSS15

Social Media & Marketing

The Official #HIMSS15 Hashtag Guide

The Totally Unofficial Guide to #HIMSS15 Hashtags

Some Tips for Making Your #HIMSS15 Tweets Memorable & Retweetable

Vendors & Exhibitors

DataFox Conference Navigator

HIMSS Exhibitor Search & Floor Map

Sessions

The CIO’s HIMSS15 Session Survival Guide


Provider-Payer Community Suggested Activities

Networking & Social Events

Meetups at HIMSS Spot

Unofficial #HIMSS15 Meetups & Tweetups

Preparing Your Elevator Pitch & Networking Questions for #HIMSS15

Suggestions and Ideas for Meeting and Socializing at the HIMSS Conference

Functional & Technology

What to look for in population health at HIMSS15

A Field Guide to Interoperability at HIMSS

Conference Exhibitor Guide

HIMSS15 Buyers Guide

Healthcare Scene #HIMSS15 Guide

How to Spot a Great Product "#HIMSS15: A Clinician's Guide"

Shahid’s No BS guide to patient engagement at #HIMSS15

Dining & Entertainment

Guide to Dining and Entertainment at HIMSS15 Chicago

15 fun things to do in Chicago at HIMSS

The Road to HIMSS15: Chicago in a nutsh—er, hot dog bun

HIMSS15 Visitor's Guide

What to See in Chicago: Tips From Locals

What to Expect at HIMSS15 in Chicago, for First Time Attendees

What else?

Consider following me on Twitter for more information on the 2015 HIMSS Conference in Chicago and other Healthcare IT Conferences in North America.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Unofficial #HIMSS15 Meetups & Tweetups


HIMSS has published an official list of meetups held at the HIMSS Spot Coffee Bar. And I'm maintaining a list of Unofficial Meetups and Tweetups being held before, during and after the 2015 HIMSS Conference in Chicago. 


Note: Some of the items on my list look like they should be on the Official HIMSS list but I checked and they are not listed so I am listing them here. Also, a couple of these - like the Personalized Medicine and Predictive Analytics items - may not be meetups in the traditional sense but I'm including them here with the understanding that they will be an interactive, informal meeting.



Name
Date
Location & More Info
4/13/15 - 3:30 - 4:30p
HIMSS Spot Coffee Bar - North Hall - B Lobby - RSVP Requested
4/13/15 - 1:30p
Booth 955 -   Requires Registration
4/14/15 - 10:00-11:00p
HIMSS Spot Coffee Bar - North Hall - B Lobby 
4/14/15 - 6:00-8:00p
Gino's East - 162 E Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60611-  Requires Registration 
4/15/15 - 11:00am
Booth 955 - Requires Registration   
4/14/15 – 11:30 – 12:15
HIMSS Room S403A
4/12/15 – 4/15/15 
Various Times & Locations


If you know of any items that should be added to this list please forward them to me using the Submit an Idea, Tip or Pitch link on the top right of this page.

Also, be sure to follow me on Twitter for all the latest on the 2015 HIMSS Conference in Chicago.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Some Tips for Making Your #HIMSS15 Tweets Memorable & Retweetable


Here are some ideas and tips about making the information you share on Twitter more easily identified, consumed and shared with others.


Share Well – It’s Going to Be Around Forever


1. Twitter is Forever

It’s ok to call out the value of what you share, add an opinion and/or point out possible contradictions – don’t be shy! Just remember that what you post on Twitter does not go away - even if you delete it.

Tag 'Em Danno!


2. Integrate hash tags into your tweet – if it makes sense

By integrating hash tag(s) into your tweet sentence on a contextualized basis, it may read better and you will also save space; therefore you can include more info.

Ex. “Vendor ABC is offering free ICD-10 upgrades to current EHR licensees” #EHR #ICD10

Could be...

     “Vendor ABC is offering free #ICD10 upgrades to current #EHR licensees”

3. Use hash tag(s) to help categorize your tweet and make it easy to find

Hash tags are also used by certain web services to summarize and index tweets – making your content more likely to be read. But don’t use too many hash tags!

Example: "#Top10 #Digitalhealth #Apps for #healthcare #providers at #HIMSS15”



4. Don’t use punctuation or a special characters in a hash tag

Unless it’s at the end where it’ll be ignored. Using “#ICD-10” results in a hash tag of “#ICD”

And the following are all equivalent to #EHR: #EHR’s #EHR? #EHR!

5. Use Official and/or Unofficial Hashtags

The HIMSS organization has published an Official Hash Tag Guide for the 2015 HIMSS Conference in Chicago. And I have also published an albeit Totally Unofficial List of HIMSS Hashtags. Consider using some of the tags in these guides.

Tidy Up Your Tweet Before You Share It

6. Cover your tracks!

You may want to remove tracking tags and keys from the URL’s you share – especially if any personal information like your email address is embedded in the URL.

7. Leave room for others to RT and share your information

Keep your tweets to about 115-120 characters so it can be RT’d by others without their having to edit your tweet. Be concise. Remove unnecessary words like “the” “a” “is” “are” – and use a “link shortener” if the tool you are using doesn’t automatically dos this for you.

8. Validate links before posting them

At a bare minimum, click on links you intend to share and make sure they lead to something – even if it’s not the content you think it is! There’s nothing worse than a “404 – Page Not Found” error! :)

Point People in the Right Direction

9.  Inform others of the need to login to access content you are sharing

If a link leads to a site that controls access to the content, add “[Login Reqd]” to the Tweet.

10. Identify special digital media formats at the end of the tweet

– Is it video? A huge document? A Podcast?

11.  Point out a specific locations in a large media you are sharing

When sharing a large document, video, or podcast containing a specific piece that you want to call out, add a pointer like (See pg 18-22) or (Starts at 1:35)

Happy Tweeting!

By incorporating some or all of the above tips and approaches into your Twitter shares, you’ll make it easy on your readers and improve the value of the information shared. And make my life curating your tweet much easier! :)

For more info, Follow me on Twitter.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Preparing Your Elevator Pitch & Networking Questions for the HIMSS Conference

Credit: Mark Anderson - www.andertoons.com

So you’re going to the 2015 HIMSS Conference in Chicago! What are your goals for networking at the conference? What do you want to learn from other people? What do you want to be able to get from or give to other attendees? There must be something. Why else would you be going?


Theoretically you could meet somewhere around 40,000 people interested in healthcare information technology. Realistically you’ll probably be quite successful if you have 300-400 relatively brief conversations. You should also use the little time left before the event figuring out what you want to say to people. Here are some suggestions and tips:

Have your Personal Elevator Pitch Ready

Come up with a sentence or two that quickly and accurately explains what you do. It should include what the primary benefit is that you provide and your role at your company. Avoid unnecessary jargon so those new to the industry or not is your particular area of expertise are not confused.

Struggling to come up with your Personal Elevator Pitch? Check out “The "High 5" Elevator Pitch Worksheet.” 

Note: Even if you're not going to the HIMSS Conference this year, having a Personal Elevator Pitch and having some questions ready to improve  your networking skills can help you both professionally and personally.

A Good Listener is a Great Networker

After the introduction, a most uneasy moment can be not knowing what to say next while you and the person you just met stare at each other or the coffee cup in your hand. To avoid this scenario, consider having a list of general questions to use with people you meet. Having this list also helps others interacting with you to better understand how you might be able to help them. It can also make you look less silly, which is a nice bonus.

You should ask meaningful questions and list to understand what the other person is saying. A good listener is a good networker. Focus on that person's answers to your questions and not on how you intend to respond. Don't try to fill in what the other person is saying. Let the person do the talking because by limiting your own talking and encouraging the other person to talk, you’ll make yourself more memorable to the other person. Seems counter-intuitive but it’s true.

Sample Post Introduction Questions

1. Where are you from?
2. How long have you worked at ABC company?
3. Where did you work before joining ABC company?
4. How did you become interested in your area of expertise?
5. What are you hoping to get out of the conference?
6. What sessions are you most looking forward to?
7. What do you think the best sessions have been so far?
8. Are you going to any other conferences this year?
9. I’m trying to improve at XYZ - what did you read to do so?

Make Your Own Luck

Luck is where preparation meets opportunity. The HIMSS Conference will provide all the networking opportunity than you'll ever have in one place in a short period of time. Remember that networking is a wonderful opportunity to get to know people, so make the most of it by coming prepared.

For more information on the 2015 HIMSS Conference, consider following @HITConfGuy on Twitter. 

Friday, March 27, 2015

Suggestions and Ideas for Meeting and Socializing at the HIMSS Conference


Attending the 2015 HIMSS Conference in Chicago is like being a visitor in a tightly-packed city of about 40,000 inhabitants. And whether you’re first timer at the conference or a battle-scarred veteran conference-goer, you may feel awkward and uncomfortable at times. Add in the fact that there’s a lot of truth to the stereotypical introvert IT person and it’s almost a given that you can benefit from some suggestions and tips on how to socialize in such and environment and get the most enjoyment out of the conference.


It’s quite common for first time conference attendees to feel left out because they may not know too many people. The only reason you may feel that way is because you may not know too many people; yet. Give yourself some time. Remember that everyone else is probably feeling like they don't know anyone too.


Here are Some of Suggestions and Tips


1.  Keep in mind that schmoozing is important and okay. Check out other people's nametags so you know who they're. Be sure to wear your nametag in a prominent spot so others can identify you.


Don't get too turned off by nametag gazing. It is what people do at conferences. Sure, people will check yours out, discover that you’re a nobody and then move on. Some of the folks doing this are real ass-kissing idiots who are just looking for famous people to kiss up to. Don't sweat it. Don't let the posers get you down.


2.  Always remember the first law of socializing: act like a host. This means taking the initiative and introducing yourself to others. Be sure to remember the people you do know and that you’ve met before – including those in your online social circles.

3.  Consider making a list of all those you want to keep an eye out for. It’s easy to forget while being overwhelmed with all that’s going on.


Tips for Introducing Yourself and Others


4.  When you meet someone new, even if your interests are a far apart, you can always say "Have you met so and so? You should. I'll introduce you when I see you together." And then, when you do, they'll possibly be grateful for the intro, and they’ll definitely remember your service.


5.  Be as “socially generous” as possible. It almost never "costs" anything to invite someone along, bring them into a conversation, introduce them to a colleague, connect them to someone of common interests, etc.. People always remember these kinds of things and what goes around comes around.


Presentations, Gatherings and Meetups, Oh No!


6.  Make a point of asking everyone (in elevators, crossing the street between hotels, waiting in lobbies, airport shuttles, etc.), “Are you here for the HIMSS conference?"


Most likely they will be and it's fascinating to learn why they're attending. Perhaps you have something in common and it'll be a face to smile at if you meet later on in the conference. Even if they're not affiliated with the conference, you'll probably have a chance to explain why you're in town and it will make it that much easier when you do talk to someone at the conference.


7.  Prepare a question ahead for someone important that you know will be at the conference. Most people encourage questions related to their presentations--even a couple of days later in the hall.


8.  Remember that it's OK to engage people in serious conversations about what they do, what they think about, etc.


9.  While listening to presenters, try to look wise--frown, nod, take notes. :)


10. Consider reaching out to those you know you want to meet in advance. Ask them about a recent publication or their interest in your area of expertise. Sometimes they'll ask to meet you at the conference.


Serendipity Reigns


11. Never pass up an opportunity to go out with a group to eat or have a drink.


12. Recognize and celebrate the fact that the most important and enjoyable part of the annual meeting is the stuff that occurs OUTSIDE of the sessions.


What Else?


What other ideas do you have for Meeting Others and Socializing at conferences? Consider following the @HITConfGuy on Twitter for more tips, ideas, and information on this years HIMSS Conference in Chicago.



Saturday, March 21, 2015

The @HITConfGuy Conference Monitoring Service


As promised, I'm offering the first 100 people who followed the @HITConfGuy account a set of information monitoring services for the 2015 HIMSS Conference in Chicago. These services are free with no obligation* and are described below. As a member of the First 100 Followers, you can choose to receive all services or a subset of these services.

What @HITConfGuy Will Do for His 1st 100 Followers


1. Media Monitoring Services

    a. Monitor up to 4 specific topics of your choice
    b. Monitor up to 4 specific vendors
    c. Monitor up to 2 specific products or services

Twitter, blogs, newsfeeds, and other electronic media sources will be monitored using words, phrases and hashtags describing the topics, vendors and products/services you’ve selected. At the end of each day of the conference, I’ll email you a report containing all of the findings on the topics, vendors and products or services you’ve noted.

2. Breaking Conference News Notification

Before I tweet or post to this blog, I’ll text or email you about any trending topics, interesting happenings, special offers, and other things I learn about during the conference.

3. Daily Summary of Top 20 Tweets

I’ll provide you with a daily summary of the top 20 tweets from the conference before they’re posted to my blog the following morning.

4. Exhibit Locator Service

Can’t find a specific vendor exhibit? Email or text me and I’ll do my best to get you directions.

5. Share Select Info from my Information Archives

At the end of the conference, I'll share select information (whitepapers, blog posts, surveys, studies, and other miscellaneous content) on the specific topics, vendors and/or products & services you’ve identified - from my extensive, personal library of healthcare and information technology topics.

6. Compilation of Conference Tweets

After the conference ends, I’ll send you a CSV/Excel file containing all tweets from the conference; parsed with select metadata in discrete fields. You’ll be able to review and massage all the tweets from the conference afterwards.

Here’s What I Need from You

1. Your Twitter handle and full name.
2. If applicable, your company name.
3. An email address.
4. Your mobile phone number (if you want certain information sent via text message – like that provided in services #2 & #4 above)

Send your information to my HITConfGuy@gmail.com email address.

Note: If providing both email address and mobile phone number, indicate whether you’d like information from services #2 & #4 sent to your email, your mobile phone or both. Information related to all other services will be sent to email.

Further Note: I won't share any of your information with anyone.

Once I receive the above information, I'll then need:

5. Completion of a survey to collect the specific topics, vendors and products/services you’d like to have monitored. I'll email this survey on Wednesday, April 1st - No fooling!

Note: Participation in this service will be closed on Tuesday, March 31st so please provide the information noted in items #1 through 4 above by then.

That’s All @HITConfGuy Followers!

I feel these are valuable services that will help you leverage what the HIMSS conference has to offer. If you want to participate, be sure to respond by end of day March 31st, 2015. 

For those of you who aren't currently following @HITConfGuy, you may want to do so as I'll be sharing more info and you never know how following me may provide other benefits like the above. 

* You didn't think there'd not be some sort of legal disclaimer, did you? To be sure, these services are subject to change and I reserved the right to cancel the offering, expand the offering, and decide who or who may not receive the services. That said I am doing this in good faith, fully expect to provide what I state above and hope it provides some value.

Ideas & Tips for Maximizing the Most Important Conference Asset: You!


A lot of attention is paid and tips suggested on how to get the most out of your attendance at a large, multi-day conference like the 2015 HIMSS Conference in Chicago. One thing that I don’t see a lot of are ideas and tips for taking care of the most important aspect of the conference: You! As luck – and social media –would have it, a recent #expochat tweetchat on “Taking Care of the Most Important Show Asset – People” provides a wealth of ideas and tips you can use to get the most out of your conference attendance.

The following tips and ideas were culled from the Storify for this recent #expochat tweetchat. For readability I’ve omitted the Twitter names of the people who submitted these ideas. Special thanks to @TraciBrowne and several #expochat tweeps who submitted many of these tweets: @TSNN_Rachel @harrisonia @MHighamVXD @EmilieBarta and @BusyEvent


1. Do you have any rituals before heading to show site?


a. Before the event I always spend as much time as possible with family.

b. I make sure to have healthy food in the freezer and house clean for my return.

c. I make sure to pack snacks, mints, reading materials...and I always compartmentalize my packing.

d. Other than charging all my batteries, I like to pack a tasty lunch/snack for the plane

e. I must have To-Do lists for week before leaving office; the last day in office and indexed packing lists.

f. I always map out the nearest Starbucks, pharmacy and 24-hour place to get any type of food.

g. I always have to find a nearby CVS or Walgreens, because I always forget headphones before I fly and stockings for show site.

2. Do you have travel or packing tips?

a. I print a packing list for each trip and check things off as I pack.

b. I do a clothing calendar for that trip to help minimize shoes/attire but maximize usage w/o obvious overlap.

c. I pick a color palette for the trip... makes it more efficient + provides mix-mix - and - match options on the fly.

d. I assign every outfit to a day I will wear it, then I remove at least 2 outfits. Also cut down on shoes!

e. Always have a hoodie + a hat in case of emergency run somewhere before being "show floor ready."

f. I pack snacks & tea, chargers, dollar bills for tipping, & backups of any materials/files I'll need access to at the show.

g. Biggest packing tip is to roll everything (more room) and to laundry bag (less wrinkles) everything else.

h. Roll your clothes...you can fit more in you bag and will eliminate creasing. Also pack a travel iron!

i. Wrap each shoe in a plastic grocery bag so you can squeeze them into the corners of your suitcase.

j. Unpacking is the 1st thing I do when I get to the hotel! After all...it is home for the week!

k. When I get to hotel I unpack & iron everything immediately - unplug the alarm clock, make sure I have lots of water, charge phone

l. Is unpacking in the hotel room a girl thing? So many men look at me like I'm nutz when I say I do this

m. Pack an extra charger/battery for your phone! Don't want to run out while traveling...

n. Making sure all my devices are fully charged, figured out the shortest route between airport and venue, got my Uber on order and

o. Check at the front desk for spare chargers, people leave them in the room all the time.

3. What are your must bring items to maintain your mental or physical health?

a. Foot roller massage, healthy snacks, oat meal packets and soup packets to use w/ room coffee maker in the morning.

b. Included on my checklist (always) is medicine for headaches, stomach aches, cramps, cotton swabs.

c. I bring disinfecting spray to remove germs + air spray to make it smell pretty.

d. Confession: I pack Clorox wipes for the oft-touch objects in the room.

e. Doctor Scholl's inserts. They have saved my life far too many times to count. And vodka.

f. Foot spray, sore muscle cream, and heavy duty lotion help protect my feet from the floor and my skin from the dry air!

4. How do you sustain your health and energy at show?

a. MUST eat breakfast and must carry protein bars or energy bars on/near your person.

b. Taking time to eat meals close to at-home schedule

c. Emergen C, probiotics, fiber drinks, cough crops, cold medicine. Pack stays in the suitcase always.

5. What are some tips you would pass on to a first time show attendee to keep their energy levels up, and maintain their health?

a. Treat the day as "business" not a "party."

b. Sleep, easy on the alcohol, coffee, lots of water, redbull repeat

c. Don't forget your business cards. And bring waaaaay more than u think u need!

d. You can attend an event with a drink in hand, but you don't have to keep refreshing it!

e. I would say to pace themselves in ALL ways - especially the opening reception (too much drink winky ...)

f. When you hear yourself say the words "I'll just have one more" stop and say "never mind, I'll take the check"

6. What are some of your post-show decompression techniques?

a. I lie and tell people I am coming back days later. Don't answer the phone!

b. Set an “out of the office” message the 1st day back home. Use that day to sleep, decompress, unpack, give brain a break.

c. I've learned to schedule an extra day in cities where I have friends or would like to explore - relax before I go home!

d. If it's a resort town, stay an extra day. Particularly so you can finally enjoy the upgrade you received

e. @Netflix...Binge watch all my missed shows!

7. How can we capitalize on that buzz right after show?

a. Follow up with those you promised to follow up with. The sooner you do that, the more respect you gain from buyer

b. You can always send it to their company addresses & those are always online

c. Share stories + pics. Follow up on conversations. Write thank u notes.

d. Follow up on Linkedin, twitter, and email, get together the list and send something clever, make appointments with new leads.

e. As long as they are flattering... I am sometimes shocked at photos that get published! :(

f. People love seeing pictures of themselves.

g. It's sending them an email about the conversation you had with them

h. Write a blog post, share media from the show, and send thank you notes to friends and partners.

Other Ideas?


What ideas, tips and suggestions do you have to get the most out of your conference attendance?  For more info on Health Information Technology Conferences like HIMSS annual conference, consider following me on Twitter.