The American Payroll Association’s 33rd Annual Congress, the premier payroll event of the year, starts next week. The American Payroll Congress offers workshops, networking opportunities, recertification credits, and an expo with over 100 state-of-the-art payroll technologies and tools. The expo can be a great place to get educated on today’s resources and tomorrow’s trends, but with so many companies and technologies, it can be difficult to manage your time.
4 Tips to the Perfect Expo Game Plan at the APA Annual Congress:
1. Do Your Research
It’s important that you have a general idea which companies will be exhibiting. APA offers a great online expo map that highlights companies by category like Time & Attendance, Payroll Cards, or Software as a Service. From there, you can read company profiles and click links to company websites. Be sure to write down the booth numbers of the companies you want to speak to.
*Pro Tip: Call or email the companies you want to speak to ahead of time, and see if you can schedule a private meeting at the show.
2. Start the Conversation
Make the most of your time when stopping by a booth by starting the conversation. Describe your company, your industry, and your pain points. Maybe your company struggles with inefficient payroll processes, classifying employees, or complying with Affordable Care Act reporting requirements. Whatever your pain, you don’t want to waste your time talking to companies with a solution that will not benefit your company or specific industry.
*Pro Tip: Vendor booths can get busy, especially on opening night. Remember, you don’t have to hit all the booths in one day. The best time to stop at the expo is when breakout sessions are running. If you have an open hour, be sure to stop by the expo to maximize your time.
3. Take Notes
You will likely speak with 10 to 20 companies, so be sure to jot down a few notes after each booth. Many vendors give away pens, so there is no need to pack your own.
*Pro Tip: Jot down notes on the back of each companies’ business card. Keep the business cards in your wallet, and type up the notes when you return home.
4. Have Fun
With over 100 companies exhibiting at the Annual Congress, it can get exhausting, so it’s important that you enjoy yourself, too. Take part in the vendor games, giveaways, and raffles.
*Pro Tip: It’s okay to stop by a booth if you’re only interested in the giveaway. However, don’t just grab a prize and walk away. Be sure to have a short conversation about what the company does, get the name of the person you are speaking to, and pick up a business card. The expo is an endless networking opportunity, and who knows? You could learn something new or create a lasting business connection.
The American Payroll Association Annual Congress in Las Vegas starts next week. The Expo Grand Opening is Wednesday, May 6th from 3:15-6:30. See the full schedule here. Be sure to stop by EPAY Systems’ booth (#558) to view a product demonstration and enter to win a $500 Visa gift card. Or set up a demo in advance.
When it comes to time and attendance systems, you have options. EPAY’s software is cloud based and uniquely flexible, offering various data collection methods, budgeting & job costing, scheduling, and seamless integration with payroll.
Visit us at APA Congress to learn key factors that make Blueforce, EPAY’s cloud-based time and attendance system, worthy of your consideration, such as:
- 68% lower cost per user
- 3x faster implementation
- Free premium tech support 24/7