What to do after a show
The value of a show is decided in the two weeks afterward, when notes turn into decisions or get lost.
In the first week
- Write up what you saw, what you were told and what you still cannot verify, as three separate lists.
- Send follow-ups while the conversation is fresh.
- Ask for the source behind any figure you plan to repeat.
Before you act
- Check claims against primary sources.
- Keep the date on every note, since programs and products change.
- Record who owns the decision and what would change it.
More guides
First time at a major show
A show floor rewards a plan. Decide what you need to learn before you see the program, then let the program fill the plan.
Show planning checklist
The same checklist works for a payments summit, a marketing conference and a machine tool show.
Parking and getting there
Parking and transit change by event and by day. The venue and the transit agency are the sources to trust, close to the date.
Hotels and travel
Use the organizer's official housing page as your starting point. Third-party offers that use a show's name are not always connected to the organizer.
During the show
A claim on a show floor sounds as firm as a published figure. It usually is not. Keep the same few questions in your pocket, and class what you hear.
Meeting planner
A meeting earns its time when both sides know the question before they sit down.