Looking back at the meetings you’ve been to in the last 2, 3, or 4 years, it’s probably safe to say that there haven’t been too many significant changes from one year to the next.
So when we get used to the way our meetings go, we also tend to just copy/paste our own behavior…. go to the lecture… get scanned in the hall… grab a snack…. yada yada yada.
But what if you had a plan set in place beforehand that wouldn’t allow you to sit back and “go through the motions.” A plan that will elevate your chances of maximizing your meeting experience and take home more relevant information that can truly impact your patient care and practice revenue? Let’s do that instead!!!
What do I mean? Well, (for example) have you ever taken the time to thoroughly read through a meeting pre-show agenda and highlighted the lectures you know you can’t miss? If no -start there. If yes, have you taken it a step further and written some questions ahead of time that you feel the presenter could/should be able to answer for you?
Set goals for the lectures you attend, creating a plan for what you want to get out of them. The lectures don’t have to start and stop with what the presenter has in store for you. Push your speakers a little bit to make sure you get the information you need, vs. just what they think you need.
Most presenters leave time for questions, and they’re usually super excited to field them! It’s also so interesting to see how much more information can be extracted from the rest of the audience. Q&A can turn into a focus group which becomes a whole new learning experience full of new ideas and sharing!
Next, (as another example) have you taken the time to go through your office dispensing materials and determined which products move and which products don’t? Then, said, “I’m going to find our vendor at the show and ask them if they have any strategies to get this product moving off the shelves.” Or, you may decide it’s time to find a new product/supplier that resonates better with your staff and patients. Staff? Yes staff. If you and your team don’t believe in the products you’re dispensing, they won’t move; that’s a guarantee.
Or, maybe you/your staff have been having a ton of quality issues with your current orthotic lab. Make a plan to see your lab while they’re on site and have a discussion with them about the issue. Take it a step further and talk to a few more labs just to get a sense of what’s available to you and where you may find a better fit – for you and your patients.
Making changes in your practice regarding your suppliers is not always easy. It can cause a disruption to the immediate day-to-day. But one of my favorite quotes (which I saw on my dear friend and business partner’s Instagram wall one day) – Don’t Cling to a Mistake Just Because You Spent a Lot of Time Making It.
There are million and one different scenarios we can play out here in terms of how you can plan ahead to maximize your time at a meeting, but hopefully you get where I’m going with this.
Of course, setting goals and making a plan takes a little bit of time. I have several thoughts on how to get this task accomplished, but instead of going through all the scenarios, I’m going to simply equip you with another DPM DOWNLOAD. Stay tuned for this helpful tool in next month’s newsletter.
-SARAH