Implementing Conference Lessons for Lasting Change

Growing up, every summer and during breaks, I would go on church camp trips, retreats or service projects. I would return home after these trips with a newfound motivation – I was going to be a better person, I would be more mature, I would adopt all the lessons I learned during my time away from home. Inevitably, within about a month, I was back to being a normal teenager and the “high” of my post-trip emotions had worn off. 

Fast forward to May of this year: When I left the AccountingWEB Live Summit, I found myself feeling a similar way. I was incredibly motivated and excited about all the new projects and initiatives I was going to start working on. However, as I returned to the rhythm of my daily schedule, many things that had been front and center in my mind retreated to the back burner.

As many other people attend conferences this year, from larger shows like AICPA Engage and Scaling New Heights to smaller regional conferences, I imagine that there will be many professionals feeling the same, facing the same obstacles. We learn a lot at the events we attend, but it’s a struggle to find the time and motivation to lead and institute the changes you feel passionate about making. 

So, what can you do to ensure your conference experience has a lasting and positive impact?

To get some insight, I sat down with Rachel Fisch – who you should absolutely follow on Twitter, might I add, @fischbooks – and had her guide me through what she would recommend to ensure that conferences have a lasting impact. After all, you and your company spend time, manpower and money sending their team to them, so if all professionals left with was CPE, then there would surely be a better, cheaper, way to accomplish that.

Here are the suggestions that came out of my conversation with Rachel.

Plan Ahead

It may seem unhelpful to make step one of an article about “after conference to-dos” be “Plan Ahead,” but it can still be a helpful way to digest everything after a conference. Rachel mentioned planning ahead is very essential. Before you even get to the event, you’re spending time looking at the agenda and the speaker lineup, seeing which sponsors and other professionals will attend, and planning where you want to be.. Reaching out to people in advance of the conference is a helpful way to make the most out of your time.

Let’s say, for argument’s sake, you didn’t do that. If the conference has passed, resources still exist that would allow you to revisit and accomplish similar things. Agendas, vendor lists, speaker lists are all available long after each event is over, and you can end up having even better conversations with these people after the fact. These resources, depending on the show, likely have recordings of sessions, too – so if in your review you find a topic of particular interest that you missed, it doesn’t mean it’s too late. And, chances are, the speaker is willing to talk with you after the fact (more on that later).

So, going forward, remember to plan, but don’t miss the opportunity to review what the conference you just attended had in store for you.

Debrief

A quick note: It’s always helpful to schedule a debrief ahead of time. This was a particular point of emphasis in my conversation with Rachel. She even noted how unlikely it is that you get it done after the fact, and I can attest that this is true. As a vendor, I represent a different space, but at the end of the day, both vendors and firms learn a lot and make a lot of connections at conferences. Setting aside time to prioritize what was accomplished and determine the best next steps will help ensure things are accomplished after the show.

Also, as Rachel noted, it’s unlikely that your whole team goes to these shows. So, in these debriefs, include the rest of your staff at some point so they know what happened, what you learned, and what you’re hoping to work on to help solicit their feedback.

When we returned from the AccountingWEB Live Summit, we sat down with our dev team and recounted the conversations, connections and prospects we gained. It was one of the most encouraging team meetings we’ve had in our company’s short life. Don’t miss these opportunities to motivate and excite the rest of your team.

Know Your Needs

Shiny object syndrome is a real thing at conferences. From exciting technology companies (*cough* like Once Accounting *cough*) to inspiring and motivating professional development, conferences are filled with opportunities to try new things and explore new opportunities. But what is most important to remember is what your pain points are day to day and what should be tackled first.

After my conversation with Rachel, I posted this Tweet: It’s vital for CPA firms to prioritize and take time to digest what’s the most important thing for them to implement and adopt so that change is both effective and lasting.

How do you create effective change? First, determine what you are going to rely on. Which changes are most foundational? Using our tech at Once Accounting as an example, if you were interested in utilizing our product but still have a large number of clients on desktop solutions and not centrally hosted, I’d say that’s a foundational change that you should consider tackling. Can we work with desktop solutions? Sure – but our effectiveness skyrockets with cloud solutions.

This leads to the second step: Make a storyboard of change. Build a process and map. “Doing A will allow me to do B which will domino through C, D and E.” Trying to take on multiple changes at once while undergoing some which may be “foundational” is unwise, so build a path.

And when it comes to the vendors you are working with, communicate that path to them so they can help you succeed. If you’re implementing new client service lines, for instance, network more and ask for advice from people who have been down the path before.

Do Some Post-Conference Networking

A couple of years ago, I stopped using my Twitter account, mostly because I didn’t see the point anymore. After the AccountingWEB Live Summit, though, I got back on because it was a way to stay connected with accounting professionals and continue dialoguing about relevant topics to the industry. Social media is how I got connected with Rachel to help me put together this article. Don’t miss the opportunity to continue to dialogue with people you met and seek out their advice. 

Also, if your firm and company have the resources, you can always bring in a speaker for a lunch and learn. If nothing else, most of them will be willing to schedule a call with you or share resources from their presentation. So reach out to people who taught on topics of particular interest to you, and build a connection from there. 

Conferences should be seen as starting blocks – and when you leave, you’re truly off to the races. The best way to run that race effectively though is to prepare, set goals and track your progress along the way.

The 2022 AccountingWEB Live Summit may be over, but you can join us in 2023! Pre-register today to be the first to know when tickets are on sale. You can find the form at www.accountingweblivesummit.com.