Making the Most of the APMP Winning Business Virtual Experience 2020




We’re just three days away from the much awaited APMP Winning Business Virtual Experience! The event has more than 2,000 registered attendees and features over 120 educational presentations and 75 hours of content spread over two days! This exciting event will be delivering 32 straight hours of industry-related education (plus some fun sessions as well) across all time zones. It’s so exciting because you can take advantage of this awesome event from the comfort of your own home.

However, with so much content, and so many sessions to choose from, the idea of making the most of this event could seem a bit overwhelming. This week I’ll share my advice for making the most of this event—and provide you with a sneak peek of some of the sessions I’m personally excited about.

Take Time to Understand How to Use the Event Platform Before the Big Day

APMP is using a tool called Pathable to host and manage the event. Before the big day, make sure you log in and play around with the application so that you understand how to navigate the tool, update your profile, use the chat function, etc. If you wait until the 22nd to take this critical step, you may end up mission out on an event while you’re performing the initial troubleshooting. One other hint—APMP is planning on sending out a user training video to attendees. Make some time to watch the short video so you can hit the ground running once you log in!

Use the Pathable Tool to Build a Personalized Schedule and Block Your Calendar

Another thing you should make time to do before the big day is check out the schedule of events and take note of the sessions you’d like to attend. If one of the sessions is at a time you are unavailable, check to see if it’s a pre-recorded session that you can watch at a time that’s more convenient for you. For sessions you’d like to attend live, you can easily add those events to your personal agenda by clicking the “X” in the top right of the session description box. This will change the X to a check symbol. Once you have selected all the sessions you are interested in, you can export your personalized agenda directly to your Outlook calendar. So simple!

Keep Track of the Sessions You Attend and Log Them in Your CEU Journal

Don’t forget that you can earn 1 CEU for every hour you attend! Keep track of the sessions, the content, and the time you spend participating. Update your CEU journal in your APMP journal immediately after the virtual conference. Logging your CEUs when they are fresh in your mind will help you remember what you learned so that you can document it appropriately—plus you are way less likely to forget to log the hours if you just make a habit of logging them right away!

Make Time for Some Fun Events

In addition to some great educational content, WBVE has planned some fun virtual sessions as well. These include happy hours, bingo events, wellness sessions, learning to do a handstand sessions, and more! It’s been a stressful year full of so much illness, death, and general uncertainty. Make some time to wind down by taking advantage of some of the more lighthearted events. I know I am looking forward to Baskar Sundaram’s Strong and Stable Foundation – Time Under Tension session at 11:00 a.m. CST on the 22nd and the Rhythm and Harmony Chapter’s Virtual Beer Tasting at 6:00 p.m. CST, also on the 22nd (which I’m super excited to be attending in person!).  

Connect with Attendees and Presenters

One of the most beneficial takeaways from the APMP conferences lies in the networking. Make an effort to reach out to other attendees and presenters. Chat with them, build relationships, and connect with them on LinkedIn. But after the conference, be sure to maintain those relationships! Follow up with them in a few weeks to see how they are doing. If they are local to your area, schedule some time to meet up in person (using COVID friendly protocols, of course!). Or schedule a video chat if an in-person meeting isn’t feasible. Remember, you can’t continue to learn from one another if you don’t maintain communication lines!

Reflect on What You Learned and Take ideas Back to Your Company

It’s critical to reflect on what you have learned once the conference has ended. Pick some things that you want to embrace in how you approach the profession. Write them down. Throughout the rest of the year, monitor whether you are following through. Additionally, identify some best practices that you would like for your company to embrace and write down the benefits of each. Share these ideas with your team and document any resulting implementation goals. To increase the chances of successful adoption, set up a plan for achieving these goals, and track your progress regularly.

Final Thoughts

Just like the in-person Bid and Proposal Con, all the options and available during the WBVE can at first seem overwhelming. However, I have been approaching the WBVE just like I approach Bid and Proposal Con! have made sure to prepare before the event, using the app to plan my schedule and strategy and export that plan to my MS Outlook Calendar. During the fun-packed two-day event, I’ll make sure to engage and participate actively (using the built-in chat features and other tools). I’ll use the built-in networking events to reconnect with colleagues as well as build new relationships. And finally, following the event, I’ll make sure to reflect on my experience so I can embrace and apply what I have learned.

I’m curious—what are your plans for making the most of the WBVE?

 

Written by Ashley Kayes, CP APMP

Senior Proposal Consultant, AOC Key Solutions, Inc. (KSI)

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