Last week, we discussed tips for exhibiting at trade shows and standing out, or at least finding your place, within the trade show floor.  This week, let's focus more on the show attendees.

The top reason exhibitors decide to attend a trade show is to gain new prospects. It’s all about the potential sale. There are other factors, of course – meeting with existing clients and partners, forming and expanding partnership opportunities, networking with industry professionals, getting noticed within a new market, etc. However, targeting prospects is almost always the most important goal at a show. So, if you’re an attendee at a show and you visit the exhibit hall, what should you know? Or, more to the point, what do WE, as exhibitors, hope to gain from YOU, as the attendee? Here are three things an exhibitor would love to see all trade show attendees do:

Stop and say hello – Yes, trade shows are big and loud and overwhelming. However, when you walk by an exhibit, take the time to look at the booth, see all the smiling faces, and say hello. When attendees avoid eye contact and walk as fast as they can to get past exhibitors, it only makes both parties feel bad. Hey, we’re all nice, we promise! Exhibitors won’t bite, and even if you aren't interested in the specific product or service at that moment, we still like to make new friends. We also hope you’ll remember us later on down the line if and when you are looking.

Get hands on – Exhibitors exhibit at trade shows to display their wares. We want you to come to our booth and ask questions, talk to our team, and see what we have to offer. After all, attendees come to trade shows to LEARN – ways to improve their business, new industry trends, what others are doing – so come to the exhibit hall with that same mindset. Stop and speak with vendors, view demos, and learn more about the product and services available to your organization.

Come prepared – Many attendees that approach exhibitors are unsure about searching for a new product or even when their company is planning on beginning the search, whether in the next few weeks, months, years, etc. Granted, these attendees might not have what exhibitors consider the “purchasing power” within their company, but they could still be undervaluing their positions. Attendees are there because they are essential to the business process which is being showcased at that specific show. Your opinion as an attendee does matter, so come prepared – know where your company stands. If everyone within your organization is dissatisfied with a current product (and you hear about it every day), find out what isn’t working before you attend the show, then scour the exhibit hall for a solution. It’s never too early to start the process, even if other factors are preventing the actual decision from being made at that moment. Come prepared by researching new vendors, have a set list of questions to ask, and talk to other attendees about their experiences. Then, when it comes time to present your findings before the boss, you’ll already have a recommendation (plus, you’ll get noticed for taking the initiative). Or, if you are the boss, you’ll have a few options to discuss with your team and get their input.

Are you attending one of IMAGINE’s upcoming shows? Then stop and say hello, get hands on, and come prepared – we’d love to see you there!  

Here at IMAGINE, there is rarely a time when you'll find us sitting still.  Our team is always on the move, whether tracking down new prospects, visiting clients and partners, or making our presence known at industry events.  In fact, one of our new customer service initiatives just launched this week, with IMAGINE employees hittin' the road to embark on a national tour of all current client sites in an effort to personally reach each customer throughout 2012 (more on that as it progresses - and no, I'm not writing this blog post from the dusty trail...yet).

As this year really starts to gear up and with the blessing (or curse, if you like) of warm weather looming, it's time to start focusing on the upcoming, travel-intensive season of the trade show.  IMAGINE exhibits at numerous national and state shows each year, most of which occur in the spring or fall.  Some are bigger than others, but each one is important, and ultimately, it's up to us to make sure that we know why we're there, what we're trying to accomplish, and if we reach those goals in the end.  How do we do that?  Very carefully and with a lot of preparation, organization, and implementation - all three of which go hand-in-hand.

If you're new to the trade show game or curious about how to make your trade show experience more successful, here are some tips to consider:

1. Pick your battles (or in this case, trade shows) wisely - Make sure you research which trade shows will be most beneficial for your organization.  Target the markets you would like to reach while keeping in mind that it could take a couple of appearances before you really get noticed.  Stick with it!
2. Set your goals and shout them from the rooftops - Be prepared by setting concrete goals you hope to accomplish at each trade show.  Try to make them as specific as possible, not just "we hope to get new prospects", but instead, pick an exact number of new prospects you hope to meet.  Then relay your goals to your team at each and every pre-show meeting to make sure everyone is on the same page.
3. Budget, budget, budget...and budget some more - Especially if you're planning on attending multiple shows in one year, it's easy to let your budget get away from you.  Trade shows aren't cheap and it all adds up quickly.  Prioritize your shows and direct your budget accordingly.  You wouldn't want to blow your resources on 300,000 pens that unfold to reveal a pocket knife, nail file, and mini flashlight all at once, now would you?
4. Walk the walk and talk the talk - Once a show attendee walks by your exhibit, you'll have mere seconds to grab their attention.  How will YOU reel them in?  Know your stuff and make sure your team does, too.  Everyone needs to be prepared to answer questions about your products and services while engaging attendees to the best of their abilities.  Be friendly, be attentive, be knowledgeable.   
5. Make a splash - Trade show floors can be massive and intimidating.  If you don't go with a firm grip of who you are as a company and what you can offer, you'll be easily swallowed up in the crowd.  It's important to standout, either with your revolutionary product line, exceptional client support, cool promotional items, or rockin' booth (for IMAGINE, of course, it's all of these - come see, we'll prove it!).

Finally, don't forget that when it's all said and done (and you've finished celebrating the fact that you made it through alive), there still needs to be a follow-up process in place.  It's critical to keep a connection with the people you met, whether they're existing clients, new prospects, important industry professionals, or potential partnership opportunities.  Make a call, send an e-mail, drop a letter through snail mail - however you do it, follow-up so you can stay on their mind after the show is over.

Check back next week for a follow-up post on attending trade shows and what exhibitors look for in attendees!

Want to see IMAGINE in all our trade show glory?  Visit us at our upcoming shows:
March 29-30, 2012 - Annual Texas Chapter RBMA Meeting in Grapevine, TX
April 13, 2012 - California RBMA Chapter Meeting in Ontario, CA
May 20-23, 2012 - RBMA Radiology Summit in Orlando, FL

Switching practice management systems can be an extremely difficult decision.  Choosing which software to implement, learning a variety of new processes, and trying to make everyone happy about the change are just a few of the challenges organizations can encounter.  More often than not, an upgrade in technology will pay off in the long run, but getting through the process itself can be, well, a process.  Here are some helpful steps to get you started when searching for a new practice management system -

1.  Establish a team who can assess your practice needs

2.  Evaluate the entire patient and claims revenue cycle

3.  Determine essential software features and functionality

4.  Identify software vendors to consider

5.  Request a formal proposal and schedule system demonstrations

As discussed last week (see Don't Just Adapt, Evolve - Part I), there are several tools to consider when trying to successfully navigate the ever-changing healthcare market and evolve above it.  So what are they?

• Education - The most important part of evolving as a result of change is knowing what the change is and how it will affect you.  Educate yourself, your employees, your colleagues, your partners, your customers, anyone who will be impacted, so that everyone involved is on the same page.  Utilize resources like CMS and HHS that will be able to explain and provide documentation on the most recent changes to current rules and standards in place.
   
• Research - Once you know what is taking place, you can then begin the process of finding a solution.  This could include implementing brand new technology or upgrading a current application.  Research what you need and which products can supply it.  In addition to looking for features or enhancements that will be beneficial, it's important to also consider those who have made the change before you.  How did it go?  What would they have done differently?  Are they satisfied overall?  Experience is the best teacher, so tap into your network of connections and ask around or join user forums from health care organizations whose members are knowledgeable and willing to share.  Organizations like HIMSS provide incredible resources to professionals in the industry.
   
• Communication - After you're confident on both the issue at hand and the best solution to evolve above it, it's time to implement your plan of attack.  To do this, you will need to communicate freely and frequently.  When something new is introduced, it can be a daunting process to those involved.  Make sure everyone who has even the slightest amount of participation is aware of what is to come and how it will be handled.  Detailed plans need to be in place for a smooth transition.  Be well prepared for any resistance, questions, doubts, and/or concerns that may arise so they can be addressed and resolved.  Without good communication, overcoming change and thriving as a collective unit will never happen.

Change - it's all around us.  It's a proven fact that at some point or another, change is inevitable.  After all , the saying goes that the only guarantees in life are death and taxes.  Yet, it's hard to accept change and, even more challenging, embrace it.  Once you do, however, the choice is yours to simply adapt (while still clinging to the past) or to evolve into a more successful version of your former self. 

The past few years has brought a lot of changes in health care, with even more to come.  Things like ICD-10, 5010 compliance, PECOS, Meaningful Use, EHR standardization and others are changing the landscape, not to mention the never-ending developments in technology for medical billing systems, practice management software, electronic medical record management, document imaging and image archiving, as companies frantically try to compete in a world where fast-paced information gathering dominates.

The good news is that the opportunity to move ahead and rise above change exists for all health care organizations who have the desire to do so.  It will take some effort, but whether you belong to a small hometown practice or a large, integrated hospital system, you can successfully navigate change to become a stronger entity.

So, what are the tools you need to successfully evolve above it?  Check back for Don't Just Adapt, Evolve - Part II and find out!