How To Prepare For Magento Imagine 2017
It’s the 7th Road to Imagine – time to get lucky!
Imagine 2017 is just around the corner, about to take over the Wynn in Las Vegas. As a seasoned veteran of the event, I see this year as being lucky for all who attend. After all, Imagine is in its seventh year – I admit it, I consider the number 7 lucky. I am not alone in this belief. Think about these seven somethings:
- 7 days of the week
- 7 colors in a rainbow
- 7 notes on a musical scale
- 7 seas
- 7 continents
- 7 dwarves for Disney’s Snow white
- 7 brides for 7 brothers
- 7 ages of man described by Shakespeare
- 7 voyages made by Sinbad the Sailor
- 7 letters in Roman Numerals
- 7 lucky Gods in Japan
- 7 deadly sins (I would avoid as many as possible while at Imagine)
- 007 (the coolest 7 of all): James Bond’s given code
To stick with the 7s, here are 7 things to make sure you are ready to join the 2,500+ merchants, partners, developers, and commerce experts from 45+ countries at Imagine. Get ready to network, exchange ideas, and build relationships with some of the coolest people you will ever meet!
- Pack Comfortable Shoes
You will do a lot of walking around and the schedule is tight, with the last keynote in the evening almost going straight into the evening reception. For the ladies, heels can get uncomfortable fast, so I suggest flats. You are probably going to be doing 5 miles per day; I reached over 10 miles each day last year.
If you are working at a booth, wear shoes that are worn in with plenty of padding. Personally, I believe sneakers are the only way to go. As much as I love Imagine, it is not the place to make a fashion statement. Go for comfort so you can enjoy every minute!
*Note: Dancing is always a possibility, so make sure you have those dancing shoes on! Who knows you could be the next John Travolta, or the Magento Dancing Queen!
- Pack For Work
Again, I am going to go with this is not a fashion show. Besides, if you are a developer, you probably dress casually anyway. If you like to dress up, the nighttime events are the perfect place to try out that new blazer or dress. However, do not feel obligated to do so. Seriously, you are putting in a long day, and sometimes, it’s just easier to forget the fuss. With all that said, I would count on at least having changes of clothes for day and night. The weather in Las Vegas can be a crap shoot. Generally, the days are warm and the nights are a bit cooler. And just like previous years, the evening events are outside (unless Mother Nature gets a little moody, so be prepared for that as well).
*Note: When you are packing that suitcase, do not forget your business cards, your boarding pass, your I.D., your cell phone, and all necessary personal items.
- Schedule Meetings In Advance
Once you arrive in Vegas, the last thing you want to do is scurry about trying to schedule a meeting, especially if you want to have longer chats with partners, friends, competitors, and maybe even the competition (you know what they say, keep your enemies close!). Imagine flashes before your eyes. If you are not organized you could miss out on having vital conversations, especially with people that are much in demand – like the Magento team.
*Note: With that said, don’t overdo it! Try to schedule some free time to enjoy all the sights and sounds of Las Vegas and the Wynn. I promise if you don’t, you will regret it.
- Don’t Miss Important Sessions
Don not miss the keynotes at Imagine as they tend to really get the crowd excited. They are different each year and it’s fair to say you leave the keynotes feeling revitalized, motivated and ready to take on anyone or anything that gets in your way.
Review the Daily Agenda: https://imagine.magento.com/agenda
Learn about the speakers: https://imagine.magento.com/speakers/general-session
Schedule beforehand which breakout sessions you want or need to attend. Make time to go see the exhibition stands, and grab some cool swag.
*Keynotes Speakers at Imagine 2017: Serena William, who Nike calls “The Greatest Athlete Ever,” Mark Lavelle, Magento Commerce, CEO, and Jessica Herrin, Stella & Dot, Founder & CEO.
- Make Sure You Eat
You won’t have to worry too much about food during the conference, because the team at Magento sees to it that you don’t starve. However, I found out the hard way that if you get caught up with networking, and, dare I say, drinking, dinner could be easily missed. Luckily, the Wynn has some great restaurants on the premises that can accommodate whatever you are in the mood for. Dining options at the Wynn: http://www.wynnlasvegas.com/Dining
*Note: Every year the team at ParadoxLabs makes it a point to stop by Bobby’s Burger Palace. I kid you not when I say they have the best burgers on the planet!
- Make Time to Sleep
First, and foremost, make sure you rest during the week leading up to Imagine. I have found that when the evening events end, people hit the casinos for some gambling that can stretch into the wee hours of the morning.
*Note: Common sense – enough said!
- Network Your Butt Off
I’ve been to many networking events over the years, and I have found that there are a lot of people out there who have no clue what they are doing. Trust me, I used to be the one who felt awkward and uncomfortable, especially at Imagine. I didn’t think I had anything useful to share. However, once I stopped worrying about who or what I didn’t know, and approached networking as a learning opportunity, I was a natural. So, before you board the plane, prepare yourself by trying a few of these tips:
- The buddy system: Attend with a friend or colleague, but don’t stay with this person all night. The purpose of the buddy system is to have a safe retreat if you find yourself lost in the crowd. If you don’t have a friend or colleague, I suggest using the bar as a place to start conversations.
- Confidence: Walk around with confidence and a sense of purpose. Do not feel intimidated and ask a lot of questions.
- Respond: This may seem extremely obvious, but I have witnessed a lot of people that don’t seem to have that down pat. If someone says hello and introduces themselves to you, respond – say “hello” or “hi” or whatever your normal greeting is, tell them your name, and keep the conversation going.
- Relax: Don’t feel compelled to tell the person everything about your business, your products, or the services right out of the gate. Networking is a long game. You should not be expecting to close sales or get referrals. Believe it or not, you don’t even have to talk about business. See if you have anything in common with the person. Have they attended Imagine before? Is this their first time at this venue? If you’re a sports fan, did they catch the game last night? If you love music, did you hear the new CD? (note: if you meet me at Imagine, Bon Jovi is a great conversation starter, and if you are too young to know who Bon Jovi is, I like Lady Gaga too!) Exchange business cards, relax, and just try to have a conversation and make a genuine connection with the person.
- Remember: Even if the conversations are going well, you don’t want to talk too long and reach an awkward point in the conversation. Leave when things are good, especially if you know you want to follow up with the person to get to know them better.
- Follow Up: If you took business cards with the intent to follow up, make sure you actually follow up. Call or email the person within a week or so to invite them to coffee or set up a time to talk more.
*Note: If you see someone standing alone playing on their phone, go say hello. If nothing else, we all have something in common at Imagine: Magento.
You have the opportunity at Imagine to meet some amazing people, and learn about what’s hot in the world of Magento and eCommerce. Get out of your comfort zone and if at any time you feel lost or alone, I am sure I will be at the bar, so come say hello!
Follow ParadoxLabs on Twitter and Facebook for live updates before, during and after the event. See you there!
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