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The Marketing Strategist Group
Converge…the American Marketing Association’s Leadership Summit 2016
When you have over 350 of the top marketing leaders in the Country converging in a hotel for four days, you can only imagine the hundreds of ideas exchanged, the volumes of information shared and the overload of key learnings. Sounds productive, right?
So what’s the issue you might ask? It’s Summit Stress. How do you take all this helpful information, share it and put it into action?
What’s a marketer to do with ALL THIS INFORMATION?!
It’s not really an issue, but a challenge. Worse-case scenario – you go home and forget everything that happened over the past four days. Best-case scenario – you follow these 5 simple steps. This is my strategy and it may help you, too, the next time you find yourself at an industry or company conference.
Step 1: Connect on Social Media With Everyone You Met
Connect with new colleagues on LinkedIn. Follow them on Twitter. Do it now while you still remember what you discussed. If you did not have time to spend with someone but wish to connect, remind the person that you attended the Summit and would love to connect to keep the Converging going. This is your network, after all. We are all here to support each other.
Step 2: Review Your Notes
Review your notes. Sounds simple? Do it immediately. On the plane or car ride home or the very next morning upon your return, before your morning routine. I like to use highlighters to color code items. For example, if I wrote a person’s name, I highlight it in yellow. That means it’s important, it’s a person. If I promised someone information, I highlight it in green, the “To Do” list. Then I highlight the top items that pop out as good ideas to implement. That’s it. I pass no judgment on these ideas about resources, time, people, and money. Just good ideas highlighted.
Step 3: Let Your Notes Simmer
As one of our fearless leaders said towards the end of Summit, “put away your notes and don’t share right away.” I totally agree with that advice. Give yourself time to get back into your regular routine. In your “Silent” time, recall the ideas that you highlighted and think about them. Forgot some? That’s good, too. It’s a great way to narrow down your focus.
Step 4: Revisit Notes and Select Ideas - 3 for 3
A few days have passed and you are now refreshed and ready to take on the notebook. Go back through your notes and select the top ideas that you would like to implement. Limit yourself to 3 ideas in 3 categories:
- Implement in current year
- Implement in upcoming years
- Long Term parking lot
These categories will help you to FOCUS and PRIORITIZE the top ideas for your Chapter without forgetting items that may be important at a later date.
Step 5: Action Plan
Create the action plan for the top 3 ideas that you’d like to implement in the current year. Then share with the team. Did others attend Summit? Have them follow the same process and see where the top 3 ideas intersect….you might just have the start of GREAT IDEA IMPLEMENTATION from Summit 2016!
P.S. Are you wondering where my top 3 ideas are? I need to go to Step 4 and then I’ll share!
Good Luck!