By Kat Fronek for our “99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy” blog series

I’ll let you in on a little secret about industry events: what happens in Vegas should not actually stay in Vegas.

Don’t worry; your secrets are still safe. What I’m suggesting is lifting the veil off of your trade show visits and making a strategic effort to involve every member of your staff in the industry event experience. Of course budgetary and logistical restrictions often make it impossible for multiple members of your team to attend trade events in person; but if you are heading to an event, make sure the other members of your team feel like they are a part of the journey. Making an effort to involve your staff in elements of the event, even if they can’t physically be present, clarifies for them the value in sending you to industry events and motivates them to remain high-performing in your absence – eliminating any chance of  a “the cat’s away” mentality affecting your store’s day-to-day operations while you are gone.

Here’s your before, during, and after-event game plan to get the most out of your next event:

1. Prep: Before you depart for a trade show, ask yourself, “Why am I going?” Think about what you’d like to learn or accomplish at the event, and share your goals with your team. This will hold you accountable, and ensure that you seek out and retain valuable takeaways from the event.

2. Productivity: While at the event, stay in touch with your team. Send a short email mid-day to highlight some of the connections you’ve made or insights you’ve gleaned, or post a picture on your store’s Twitter feed or Facebook page. Demonstrating to your team that you are at the event but still focused on your business will keep them energized and attentive in your absence.

3. Post-event: When you return from the event, take time to reflect on your experiences and share your thoughts with the entire team. Did you learn a great time-management technique that your team would benefit from? Did you talk to a new POS system vendor that has you thinking about your software options? Did you meet another pharmacist who is experiencing the same challenges as your store? You don’t necessarily need to enact every action-item following the event, but you should let your staff know what’s going on in the industry and what those new ideas or products have got you thinking about.

How can you make sure you stay focused at trade events in order to reap the most benefit? My next post will offer some easy solutions.

Kat supports our sales effort in continuing to build out efficient processes, defining and researching new business opportunities, maintaining high-integrity data, developing and organizing sales tools, analyzing campaign performance, and facilitating the success and performance tracking of our direct mail programs. Since 1987, Kat has strived to identify creative and effective solutions that result in HRG’s ability to deliver quality products and services. Kat is also an owner of the company.