There’s a lot to be said for online conferences. You get the same information you would get at an in-person conference – possibly even more if you can watch recordings of sessions after they go live – but with no travel required. You can attend a conference anywhere in the world, and you don’t have to pay for a flight or hotel room. It’s better for your wallet, it’s better for the environment, and it might be better for your personal schedule, too.
This year, WAPCon2021 is going to be held online. It’s a three-day, interactive event packed with the information and insights you need to plan a great AEP. The following tips can help you make the most of this virtual conference.
Update Your Profile
When you’re on the WAPCon2021 platform, you can click on “Account” to see your profile. Add a photo of yourself. Also write a short description to introduce yourself. This way, other people will be able to connect with you.
Plan Your Schedule
You don’t have to pack a suitcase, but there’s still some planning to do.
To make sure you don’t miss anything, you need to check out the schedule. WAPCon2021 is taking place from September 8 to 10. When you go to the WAPCon2021 platform, click on “Agenda” to see detailed session descriptions, speaker profiles and PDF handouts. You can click on a session to add it to your agenda.
You should try to clear your schedule, but you don’t have to be logged in all day, every day. Many sessions will be recorded and available on demand. This means that you can watch them later, at your convenience. However, to receive certification credit, you must attend rollouts at the scheduled time.
When reviewing the schedule and planning your time, think about what you need to attend during the scheduled time and what you can do later. This will help you prioritize sessions.
Dress Appropriately
Dress codes have become a little more relaxed. When you’re working from home, you might be tempted to be casually dressed. That may be OK sometimes, but not for a virtual conference. Remember – video goes both ways, and sometimes the screen shows more than we intend. The clothes you wear can also impact your mood and attitude. As the saying goes, dress for success!
You’d probably wear business casual attire to an in-person conference, and we recommend that you do the same for WAPCon2021.
Be Ready and Focused
One possible drawback of a virtual conference is that you might find yourself getting distracted. Resist the urge to use your phone, multi-task during a presentation, or leave the room for an extended period of time because you might completely miss all the information you need to succeed.
WAPCon2021 can help you get ready for a successful AEP, so it’s in your best interest to make the most out of this event.
Try to eliminate distractions. Have a beverage ready so you’re not getting up to go to the kitchen. Turn off other screens and silence your phone. Show up for each session on time and be ready to take notes. And remember that you must attend rollouts at the scheduled time to receive certification credit!
Be Patient
This isn’t the first time WAPCon has taken place virtually. WAPCon2020 was also held online. Hopefully, this means any bugs have been worked out. Nevertheless, technical issues can happen. Try to be patient if there are problems.
You may have technical issues on your end, too. If you’re having difficulties, there will be a support desk team to help you troubleshoot any issues.
Take Advantage of Networking Opportunities
Conferences are a great time to network, and WAPCon2021 is no exception.
- Stop by the chats to say hi.
- Check out the list of participants and exhibitors. You just need to click on their name to connect. (And don’t forget to fill out your own profile!)
- Book private meetings and chats.
- Schedule video calls with exhibitors, vendors and carrier partners.
- Visit the exhibitor booths. You can view Medicare-related products and services through the exhibition booths.
- Ask questions. Every session and every booth will have someone ready to answer your questions via chat, private message or video meetings.
- Participate in surveys and live polls. We want to hear from you! Your feedback is key to making WAPCon a successful event year after year.
- Play games. Don’t forget to have fun! Check out the games tab and take a shot at winning some prizes.
- Get social. Spread the word on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or wherever you spend your time. Show your followers that you are attending a national Medicare virtual conference by sharing photos of yourself in WAPCon gear or by posting about the sessions you’re attending. If you’re on Facebook, add the #WAPCon2021 hashtag and tag @westernassetprotection to appear on the conference social wall.
- Remember to stretch. There will be multiple opportunities for breaks with music, light stretching, yoga and some laughs to keep the energy flowing.
Keep Learning After the Event
Again, many sessions will be recorded and available after the event ends. If you have to choose between two sessions, don’t worry – you can come back and watch a recording of the one you missed. Just make sure you attend rollouts at the scheduled time to receive certification credit.
You can also download content during WAPCon2021 so you can review it later. Every booth and presentation will have content for you to download. We recommend creating a folder and downloading content as you go. See you at WAPCon2021!
