PUBLISHER’S CORNER Summer, Training, Conferences & Goals WRITTEN BY TONY CORPIN |
TONY@STNMEDIA.COM I
don’t know about you, but when summer arrives I think of the warm sunny beaches, cool breezes and vacations. It’s also traditionally a time for kids and teachers to take a much needed rest. But the transportation department’s
work to prepare and re-equip for the fall school startup has just begun. But summer does allow many transportation professionals the opportunity to attend training events and conferences to network with peers from their home states as well as from all over the country. In speaking with many conference attendees over the
years, I’m always reminded that education, training and networking deliver positive benefits to companies and school districts, alike. Tis return on investment (ROI) for each attendee’s participation is key to quantifying corporate fiscal responsibility and accountability. As transportation professionals, more often than not you will need to convince your supervisor of exactly why you need to attend a conference and trade show. Tat ROI should come in the form of forging new
relationships and obtaining knowledge or information on new products and services, trends and current events. When I head home from any event, I want to feel that I received a great value for the time and money spent. As the STN EXPO + Green Bus Summit, the Southeastern States Pupil Transportation Conference and the NSTA Annual Meeting and Convention approach, as do several more annual state conferences, I would recommend you create some goals for yourself before arriving. A recent HubSpot article, “Conference Attendees: How
to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck,” recommends iden- tifying a basic, high-level goal such as, “I’m here to learn,” or “I want to meet people.” You don’t need to get into the nitty-gritty details just yet. Having a high-level goal will help you figure out what to do at the conference to make it worth your while. I recommend doing some homework on the conference
you are attending before you even leave home. I mean, why are you going if you haven’t properly researched it? Try visiting the conference website to find out more about the current educational schedule of classes, speaker roster, networking events and the trade show. Once you get a solid overview of what you can expect to accomplish in the time allotted, you have to make some hard choices on which classes to attend, speakers to
98 School Transportation News • JULY 2016
meet, what networking events to be at and which exhib- itor booths to visit. Be sure to download the conference app on your smart phone, if one is provided, as it will help you greatly to organize yourself with information at your fingertips.
Arriving with an agenda is key. Decide in advance who
you definitely need to talk to and what booths you will want to visit. Set up appointments in advance so your questions are answered and needs are meet. Ask how exhibitors can help your operation save money, create efficiencies and improve safety. Tey are there to help. And even when you arrive at the conference with a goal in mind and agenda in hand, you have to be ready to pivot. For example, I once attended a conference where my goal was simply to learn. I wanted to be a sponge and soak up as much information as I possibly could. After attend- ing a few sessions, it was clear to me that I wasn’t learning anything new, so I decided to change it up. Instead of picking sessions based on their title or topic, as was my previous strategy, I chose based on the presenter. Tis gave me an opportunity to hang back after the session was over and have a conversation with some really smart folks. Also, make sure to attend the hosted networking
events and the trade show. Tese events are great opportunities for you to interact with both public- and private-sector professionals. While networking, be prepared to exchange information. Don’t forget your business cards. Tis is vital to the success of your event experience and the vendors too. And don’t forget to let vendors know how you found them and what motivated you to stop by their booth. Did you see or read about a new products or services that an exhibiting company was offering in the very magazine issue you’re reading? For attendees, speakers and vendors, conferences can be an non-intimidating, multi-day forum where you make new business connections, learn what others in your space are succeeding with, and learn what you can do better. Even the best plans can change and you are likely to be pulled in many directions with colleges, in- dustry peers and vendors. Be sure to remain flexible and poised to pivot to reach your goals. ●
Tony Corpin, Publisher
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