Conference Exhibitee to Exhibitor

 

25 years ago I was a continence advisor attending the ACA conference, if I was asked back then what I would be doing now I wouldn’t have said running my own company and exhibiting at conference.

The first ACA conference I attended was in Scarborough, having previously worked in a hospital environment and been appointed as a continence advisor in the community attending a conference was very different if not a little overwhelming.

Back then the ACA conference was run differently, each branch took turns to organise the annual conference. I remember being on the organisers committee when the London branch hosted the conference in Bournemouth and I am still in possession of my t-shirt.

As a clinician I looked to the ACA conference to update my clinical skills and also my knowledge of the products on the market, not just new products but to refresh myself on existing lines. It was a great opportunity to network with other clinicians and to reflect on my practice and not forgetting collecting post-it notes and pens!

As an exhibitor many of my objectives remain the same, I still look to keep my knowledge up to date and enjoy listening to some of the speakers of areas within continence and urology which are still of interest to me.

Exhibiting at a conference for any company is a big financial commitment, however, it can be beneficial. As a small company, we have to weigh up the benefits of supporting a conference, I do not have a salesforce so conferences enable me to see clinicians whom I may not have met and to catch up with those I haven’t had the opportunity to visit for a while. However, I often leave conferences disappointed when I look at the delegate list and note that only a fraction of the attendees have visited. As clinicians roles are forever changing keeping abreast of all products within the speciality of continence and urology can only improve patient care.

It is easy to be lured to the big stands, however it is often the smaller companies who bring to market innovative niche products which can bridge a gap and make the biggest impact on the patient.

Please try and take time to visit all the stands big or small as you never know what could be lurking in the corners…..