It's that time of year! Even though we cannot gather together for the National Business Aviation Association's (NBAA) yearly convention, the organization is hosting a barrage of virtual events for their annual weeklong recognition of the aviation industry's commitment to excellence and leadership in safety.
"This year, it's more important than ever for our industry to come together, recognize innovative leadership, and seize this moment to strive for new heights," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "We're going to gather virtually, learn together, and plan for the future."
We could not have said it better ourselves.
Not Another Zoom Call
Make sure your computer is ready. Technology issues are the worst. Before the virtual event, make sure everything is working and online. Be prepared by double-checking your wifi, battery, and links to the event.
Be in the moment. The nature of being virtual is to remove yourself from the physical setting. Virtual events are no different, and as a result, it's easy to feel removed from the event and mentally check out. We recommend you attend these events with a solid mentality. Focus on staying engaged in the moment and continue to connect socially with your industry peers - just as you would during a "normal" trade show.
Connect Socially. NBAA offers the ability to connect socially through email, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. This enables you to see who in your sphere is attending, talking about the events, and it's a great way to let others know you will be attending. We encourage you to take advantage of this option to help spread the word to your contacts and colleagues in the industry and invite them to join you online.
Networking is still doable. Unfortunately, there won't be any in-person contact, but virtual events encourage opportunities to get to know other participants. Many conferences are hosting virtual social events for participants to get to know one another. These events will allow you to virtually meet with connections or potential clients in a more "casual" environment.
Confirm your contact information. Make sure that your full name and phone number or email (if you want) is associated with your registration to ensure that other participants can get in contact with you. Every virtual event and platform is different, but it's crucial to ensure that you have the right contact information to leave with a new contact or colleague.
Never miss a session. Have you ever attended an event in person and wish you could physically split yourself to attend everything as there are so many sessions? Virtual events eliminate this problem. As part of your virtual event ticket, you will have access to all the sessions on-demand after the virtual conference – meaning you don't need to be a mad scientist to catch everything.
Like many of you, we've been battling screen fatigue throughout the pandemic. Still, this week, as we attend NBAA's virtual events, we couldn't help but feel a small slice of normalcy return as we gather with our closest bizav colleagues and peers. Here's to connecting in-person soon.
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