IHAF’s biggest event of the year, theIHAF Awards Show & Annual Conference is right around the corner. With a snazzy newvenue, a two-day, action-packed agenda, and more opportunities for networking and participation than ever before, what can you do to get the most out of attending? Here are a few suggestions:

Get Up. Get On Up. It’s easy to attend a conference and never leave the cozy confines of your team’s table. However, the network you have access to at both the IHAF Awards Show and the Annual Conference is invaluable. And this year, we’ve built in more opportunities for networking and idea sharing with multiple discussion groups and interactive sessions. So hop up from that table, meet some peers and learn!

Turn Off the Tech. OK, maybe not entirely, but make a pledge to yourself that you’ll limit the amount of email checking, vmail checking, and texting you’ll engage in during the event. Try to hold most, if not all, tech checking until the breaks.

Don’t Be Afraid. They’re Only Sponsors. The IHAF Awards Show & Annual Conference is not a trade show. You will not be talked into buying a timeshare in Boca. The IHAF team vets all of our event sponsors to ensure that the products and services they offer are of value to our membership and pertinent to the unique needs of in-house agencies. Meet them. They might have something you need.

Ask It. Have you ever been to a conference and you’re sitting in the room with 200 or so people and you think, “I really want to ask this, but…” and then two seconds later someone else asks YOUR question and everyone around that person is like, “Wow. That was a great question!” Yeah, this year, make that your question.

Nametags Are NOT for Nerds. Are nametags nerdy? Yes. Do they ruin every outfit? Of course they do. Do they serve the purpose of reminding us with whom we’re actually speaking and identifying who we’d like to meet next? Yup. So, wear your nametag.

Spread Your Team Too Thin. This year, we’re offering eight roundtable discussions on Thursday and four breakout sessions on Friday. If you’re coming with your team, don’t travel like a pack of wolves or one of those dancing gangs from West Side Story. Spread out. Have everyone attend different sessions to maximize your group’s learning.

A Little Prep Goes a Long Way. You register for an event months in advance. It pops up seemingly out of nowhere on your calendar. An expletive pops into your mind because “I don’t have time to go to this!” You roll up to the event’s continental breakfast sort of knowing what’s happening that day, feverishly scanning the agenda to be sure. Our agenda lives here. Speaker bios live here. Take time before the conference to acquaint yourself with the topics and session choices. You’ll get so much more out of the event as a result.

Treat Yourself to the IHAF Awards Entries. Take your cocktail (which will NOT be $12 this year) or your water (which WILL be free this year) and peruse the work. It’s inspiring, a real treat and quite simply, the best way to visually benchmark your team’s creative against others in the industry.

Be Seen on Social. IHAF’s LinkedIn group is 850 members strong. If you’re a member of IHAF, make sure you’re a member of this group by opting in here. As we all gear up for the conference, our LinkedIn group is the best place to start connecting—making introductions, posting questions, and even looking for restaurant recommendations! Connecting before the conference makes on-site connections so much easier.

Come Early. Stay Late. The IHAF Awards Show & Annual Conference is an investment of your time, money and effort. Make the most of it. There is leading-edge content from the very start on Thursday to the glorious conclusion on Friday. (Hope to see you there!)