Anyone who works in the aesthetic industry will most likely have one or more conference dates highlighted in their diaries. Whether it is a national conference (eg Facial Aesthetic Conference and Exhibition (FACE), Aesthetic Medicine or CCR), a profession-based conference (eg British Association of Cosmetic Nurses or British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons), or a smaller specialityfocused conference (eg Menopause in Aesthetics), conferences are the staple of anyone who wants to keep abreast of the latest developments and develop their knowledge.
Lectures, live demonstrations and panel discussions are often the key attractions at conferences, with business talks or the exhibition only being attended ‘if there is time’. However, if attending lectures and demonstrations are all that is prioritised, so much value is missed. Value that can help you grow your business, value that leads to effective clinical results and value that could even raise your industry profile.
So how do we juggle so many parts of a conference when we have a limited amount of time? It all starts with a plan.
Planning ahead
Although it is common to leave conference planning to the last minute, there are many benefits to planning in advance. You may have pre-booked your ticket and pencilled the date in your diary, but have you planned the travel and accommodation? Researching and booking this early can pay off. Other attendees will also be looking at the same hotels or booking the same flights and these can sell out fast or rise in price dramatically as demand increases. When it comes to accommodation, many conference organisers make deals with nearby hotels and have a limited ‘conference delegate pricing’ available. If you book early, you are more likely to save money and guarantee a room at your preferred hotel. Location is also very important because you do not want to waste valuable time travelling a distance to the conference each day. Conferences can be tiring, so you will really appreciate the close proximity of that hotel if you book near the venue. If you have attended before or if it is an international conference, consider booking as early as a year in advance to ensure the best rates and widest choice of accommodation. The same goes for transport too. Trains and flights often have advance tickets at a cheaper rate in limited numbers, so set an alert and make sure you do not miss out.
Who will you be attending the conference with? Are you happy to go alone and meet up with people when you get there or are you going to travel with a colleague or friend? It can be beneficial to bring a member of staff with you. They can experience the excitement of an industry conference and return to clinic motivated and with new ideas. Can you budget for this and justify the expense?
Check the programme well in advance. If the conference is spread over a number of days, decide if you want to/can attend all of it. Time away at conferences may impact your aesthetic business if you do not have anyone to stand in for you. Therefore, it is essential to factor this in when you plan and block out the relevant time in the diary.
Knowing the programme in advance will help you make the best use of your time. Focus on a good mix of practical demonstrations and talks, including lectures on treatments you already perform (you can further develop your technique or pick up some new ideas), as well as lectures on new and upcoming treatments you might be considering bringing in to clinic. Do not book up each day completely. Keep some time aside as you will need to eat, drink and catch up with others too. Once you have your chosen talks and lectures highlighted make a copy on your phone and use it to stay on schedule.
The medical programme
The medical programme is usually the most wellattended part of any conference and it should be your main focus. Look for talks and demonstrations on products or devices you currently use to see if they have new techniques, applicators or new launches. This way, you have something that could immediately benefit you when you return to clinic. Is there a particular industry expert presenting at the conference whose techniques and knowledge you admire? Attending their talks and demonstrations can be very motivational and there may be an opportunity to ask questions, so prepare some in advance so you do not miss out. If you specialise in something, prioritise attending talks or presentations on those subjects. Nonetheless, do not forget to leave room in your diary for attending lectures on new and innovative aesthetic treatments, as well as products. Do some research on these new innovations prior to the conference and go with an open mind. Can they benefit your patients or help you reach out to a new demographic?
The business agenda
Sometimes seen as the ‘also ran’ of the aesthetic conference, the business agenda is an often-overlooked valuable resource that can unlock huge potential in your aesthetic clinic and help you develop your career. Often grouped into topics, the business agenda can be wide-ranging, so it is important to read up on the descriptions of each talk and check the credentials of the speakers to see where their experiences lie. You may need help and support with finance, so a 20 minute talk on tax in aesthetics, accountancy or investing your profits could be hugely beneficial for you. If you are trying to attract new patients or grow your business then it might be helpful to attend talks on selling techniques, developing packages or how to select something new for your clinic. Social media and marketing presentations can be beneficial if you are doing it in house. The talks can help you learn a lot in a short space of time. The business agenda can also include more specialist topics such as Care Quality Commission and legislation, insurance and recruitment. The speakers have been selected as industry experts and will make that 20–30 minute talk engaging and informative. It may also lead to you hiring one of the experts to help you with your business. All the clinical knowledge in the world will not help you succeed if you do not have a grasp of marketing, selling or other business skills. Make time in your diary to attend these talks.
The exhibition floor
The exhibition should be used to help you plan your future business growth. Even if you are not at the stage where you want, or need, to invest in something new, it is always valuable to spend some time walking through the exhibition hall and seeing what is out there. You will notice trends in technologies and can gauge the direction the industry is heading. This can be invaluable when you are putting together a plan for expansion or growth. Make notes and refer back to them at future conferences so you can identify what trends are here to stay and what are worth avoiding.
Look out for brand names you are familiar with, because if you have heard of them, it is likely that your patients have too. Is there something you have been reading about in magazines, or a treatment a celebrity has had? It could be worth looking at so you have information at hand, should any patients ask about it. It could be a great addition to what you currently offer.
The size and style of a company’s stand can tell you a lot about their positioning in the industry. The bigger global players tend to invest in larger, more central stands, or stands positioned near the entrance or main lecture theatres. They invest heavily in marketing and their technologies, and usually provide excellent post-sale support, which is vital when you are selecting something new for your clinic. You can meet the UK teams and in some instances, the global management teams too. This is important when it comes to building relationships and growing your network. If you nurture and develop these relationships and drop by the stands to say hello at each conference, you will find you are in a better position to negotiate something good when you are in a position to buy.
If you are researching something new, plan in advance and book time out to spend on the exhibition floor. Here are some pointers to help you use the time on the exhibition floor wisely.
- ► How soon are you looking to introduce the new device or treatment? If it is in the next few months, then contact your finance provider before you attend the conference to see what funds you can borrow. If you are pre-approved for finance, it will put you in a much stronger position at a conference when you are negotiating a package. A lot of companies have show deals, so this is the perfect time to grab a bargain, especially if you already have finance pre-approved
- ► If it is in 6-12 months, find out what the lead time is for the devices you are looking at. Not all devices are available straight away and some take up to 12 weeks or longer to build once an order has been placed. Speak with the reps and plan your timeline accordingly
- ► If it is longer than 12 months before you think you will be ready for a new device, go with an open mind, and then at each future conference narrow down your selection. Be honest with your timeline when speaking to industry representatives. They will not think any less of you if you are not ready to buy now. They will simply note the planned timeline in their database and ensure they follow up at a more appropriate time
- ► Find out who is exhibiting, highlight the top three or four providers of the type of equipment you wish to invest in and make sure you have their stand numbers written down so you can find them all easily. If there are particular devices you are interested in, it could be worthwhile reaching out to the brands prior to the conference and making an appointment to meet with them on stand. This way, you get quality time talking to the right people, whether it is the regional sales representative, the clinical trainer or even management. Ask for the clinical studies specific to the device you are looking at, the warranty and service package, the training provided and the customer support on offer. These are just as important as the specification of the technology used.
Networking and socialising
One of the most important parts of any conference is the networking opportunities. Leave space in your diary to socialise with people, whether that is having a coffee or breakfast together, or going out for drinks. Find out in advance what drinks receptions or gala dinners are planned and schedule them in if they are of interest. If you work with an existing supplier or provider, then reach out to your rep and ask whether they are hosting an event during the conference. You may get a dinner or drinks invitation and can mix with like-minded peers. Great friendships and support networks can be grown from attending conferences, which are even more important if you work alone. People do business with people they like and trust so you never know, doors could open for you, key opinion opportunities may be offered and partnerships may develop. Notwithstanding that it is fun to have some downtime and enjoy yourself.
International conferences
International conferences take a lot more planning and tend to be more expensive. If you are considering attending, it is important to understand why. Is it for the programme that perhaps cannot be duplicated here at UK conferences or is it to meet and network with the global aesthetics community? Maybe you just fancy attending one because it is in a glamorous location and you can justify a few extra days away as a work expense. As long as you understand what you want to get from travelling abroad, you can work out whether the cost of attending is worth it. If you do decide to go, re-read the paragraph on planning ahead as you will get the most aff ordable package by planning well in advance. Reach out to any company or supplier contacts you made at previous conferences and see if they have any free delegate badges, as that could save you a few hundred pounds in entry fees. If you are lucky, you may even fi nd your travel and accommodation is paid for by a company you have a strong connection with them.
Post-conference
You attended the conference, you followed your schedule and you made the most out of your time. Now what? Sit down and assess what you got the most benefi t from. Is there anything you need to follow up such as booking a demonstration, buying new products or scheduling some training? It is important to do this while still motivated.
Some considerations to make postconference
- ► What went right and what went wrong? Did you double book yourself and miss some valuable content or did you fi nd yourself at a bit of a loose end? Use this knowledge to ensure you make better use of your time at future conferences
- ► Was it worth the time away from clinic and the fi nancial investment to attend? Will this make you money and progress your career in some way or are you no better off post-conference?
- ► Have you taken away anything of value from a clinical standpoint ? Perhaps you have learned new techniques, ideas for combination therapy or ways to manage complications. Are you using it to improve patient results?
- ► Did you discover new business approaches that you can put into practice back in clinic or has it identifi ed areas where you could benefi t from expert help? Do not neglect the business side as this can make the diff erence between treading water and thriving
- ► Have you identifi ed any new technologies, products or trends that could benefi t your aesthetic business now or in the future and if so, how should you go about implementing these?
Conclusions
Having a framework for attending a conference will allow you to get more value out of it, which can help you advance your aesthetic business and career. Taking the time to plan ahead a few months prior to a conference will give you the best aff ordable travel and accommodation options, allow you to make the best use of your time and ensures you get the most out of attending. Knowing what you want out of attending a conference before you go will help you justify time away from clinic and keep you focused.
CPD refl ective questions
- ■ What changes can you make that will maximise your attendance at future conferences?
- ■ Can you identify gaps in your knowledge that can be filled by attending the business agenda?
- ■ Can you list 3 key benefi ts of networking and allowing time to meet with friends and peers?
Key points
- ■ Planning is key if you are to get the most from a conference
- ■ Take advantage of all aspects of the conference : clinical, business, exhibition and social, to maximise the benefi ts to your business
- ■ Understand what your business needs from attending a conference, so you can plan your lectures
- ■ Book ahead with travel, tickets and accommodation, to get the best deals