Southwest Regional Conference Preview: Conference Newbie Survival Tips

SWRC Preview

After seven years of doing Marketing in the A/E/C industry, I am thrilled to be attending a conference. The Southwest Regional Conference (SWRC), held April 12th through 14th in Santa Fe, New Mexico, will have an assortment of speakers and sessions for anyone at any stage of their career.

As a planner and “overstresser” when it comes to traveling, going to a new event makes my anxiety go through the roof. To help relieve that anxiety, I spoke to people that have attended in the past to try and gauge what to expect. I reached out to the SWRC Conference Chair, Megan Mickey, and the Conference Co-Chair/Programs Chair, Cynthia Re’Mine. Each provided great insight into what to expect as a whole and with the sessions. I hope other new conference attendees find this as useful as I do.

What to Bring for Sessions:

  • Computer and charger
  • Notebook and writing utensils
  • Business cards and lots of them
  • Layers
  • Comfortable shoes for walking

What to Know:

  • Conference is business casual attire
  • Thursday evening networking event (separate registration) is more formal attire 
  • Sessions will be indoor and outdoor for networking and business development. The outdoor spaces will overlook Santa Fe’s downtown plaza.
  • Conference has two paths for sessions but you do not need to be pigeonholed to a path. Pick the session that best fits what you are looking to get out of the conference.
  • Don’t focus on just the sessions; networking is equally as important

For a little preview from Megan and Cynthia, I asked if they would share what speaker/session they are most excited about and after hearing their answers, I am excited for them too.

  • Natalie Bradshaw is an eloquent presenter and makes it seem so natural. Her previous presentations included the brain science behind marketing and business development. This year her session is titled “Your Brain's Road Map to Better Business Development Habits”
  • Michelle McCullough presents at the Opening Keynote, “Social Media Blueprint for 2023”. If you are responsible for driving social engagement for your firm, you will want to catch this insightful session.

Lastly, I wanted to share this tip from Cynthia because it will help anyone that attends the conference. She has three things that help her gauge if the conference was a success. Did she: 

  1. Learn something to take back to her firm;
  2. Learn something for yourself; and
  3. Learn something to share with someone in her network.

To learn more about the SWRC, the sessions, and how to register, visit https://smpsswrc.com/index.php

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