6 Ways to Maximize Your #XYPNLIVE Experience

7 MIN READ 

Coming out of 2021, we’ve all felt a little alone in our work. Some of us may have returned to a hybrid or fully in-person office setting. Others may still be working from a home office. Whatever your preference, we are here to get you re:engaged with your community at #XYPNLIVE 2022 so that you can continue to re:imagine the industry. XY Planning Network set out to do just that exact thing 8 years ago—re:define traditional financial planning and take it to the next level. It’s kind of our thing. 

This year, you can re:engage with your community with our networking roundtables, panels, and mixers. Each and every one of our members (and prospects!) has a unique view of the industry that we want to hear! That’s why we encourage you to spend some intentional time thinking about what you will take away from, and most importantly bring to #XYPNLIVE. We recently interviewed Arlene Moss, XYPN’s Executive Business Coach, who’s been at #XYPNLIVE from the very start, for her pro tips to make the most of the conference. Here are the six ways that you can maximize your time before, during, and after #XYPNLIVE in Denver CO.

Before we dive in, it’s important to know that these marketing steps below build upon each other. They are most effective when done in order and with adequate time for consideration.

Before you head to the conference:

#1: Join us for an #XYPNLIVE Link-Up 

Everyone has been a first-timer at some point in their life, and being a first-timer at #XYPNLIVE22 will be the BEST of those times! Almost 22% of the attendees for this year’s #XYPNLIVE conference are first-timers, meaning if this is your first conference with XY Planning Network, you’re not alone! Our goal is that there’s always a familiar face in the crowd, and we’d love you to get you connected ahead of time at a new #XYPNLIVE Link-Up virtual networking hour in mid-September.

Even if it’s just your first #XYPNLIVE in a while, the Link-Up will get you plugged into the community ahead of the conference, and includes an invite to a special reception at #XYPNLIVE and a post-conference follow-up. We’ll share tips to build your conference schedule, answer common questions, and most importantly—get you connected with other attendees. Join us on SEPT 12 at 3:30 PM MT, and you’ll walk away with at least two new connections in the network!

#2: Make a conference plan

As the unofficial #XYPNLIVE cheerleader, Arlene Moss knows the importance of making a conference plan (and sticking to it). Check out her insight in the video below.

At #XYPNLIVE, you'll get the opportunity to be inspired by our jam-packed speaker sessions, keynote speakers, action-packed exhibit hall, and after all that, a Lucky Strike closing party. We’ve even dedicated a whole day to getting connected with our coaches, partners, and community. Talk about re:inventing the conference experience!

With all of these amazing events on the schedule, it can be hard to track down what schedules might best suit your firm. Our first recommendation is that you take some time to look through our conference schedule. As you take a look through the schedule, start to make some notes about which sessions might benefit your firm, and who you might want to connect with. Repeat the same process for our exhibitor list. What technology, tools, and solutions do you want to explore?

To help you find the most relevant sessions, look for the tags above each session. Not sure where you stand? Check out the Sample Schedules shared during our last Town Hall to get a sense of where you might start. 

Networking is easily the best part of #XYPNLIVE, but don’t let a hallway conversation make you forget your conference plan. Once you’ve figured out what events might be the most relevant to you, add them to your calendar. Set up notifications to let you know when a session is coming up so that you—and your new connections—can join the conversation. 

If you’re coming to #XYPNLIVE as a firm: review the schedule and determine who is going to attend what sessions. That way, your firm can debrief each session and maximize the amount of knowledge you can take away from the conference. 

If you’re coming to #XYPNLIVE to meet-up with advisors in your network: pre-arrange a time so you don’t forget to connect during the week. Lunch on Sunday, October 9th is set aside for you to schedule your own networking lunch, with your Accountability, Mastermind, or peer group. Don’t have one yet? No worries! You can head to the networking area and we’ll help you find a flash group and send you on your way. The time can really fly by, so make sure to plan ahead! 

Once you’ve organized your own schedule, let your clients and team know that your availability will change. Set the expectation that you are taking a break from working in your business to working on your business. A simple email can let your clients know your updated availability and that you are all-in on continuing your education. This will help protect your downtime at the conference and minimize the amount of time spent wrangling your inbox. 

Once you're at the conference:

#3: Build in networking opportunities

#XYPNLIVE is where the network comes together, and where you can re:connect with advisors on the same journey as you. Every year, we hear that the networking experience, and the ideas and inspiration that come from it,  are what make #XYPNLIVE unique. If you haven’t already added these to your conference plan, do so now. This year, we’ve expanded our schedule (thanks to member feedback!) and have a full slate of networking events designed to help you find your people: 

Roundtables are built to encourage you to have conversations that matter. This is your chance to share your ideas and ask questions to advisors in the same position as you. 

Panels at this year’s conference will have a combination of member experts sharing their experience and networking time to help you connect with like-minded attendees. 

Mixers are a must-attend to form connections through casual conversations. Whether you're looking for advisors who share your values, have similar identities, or are at a similar place in their entrepreneurial journey, there's a networking mixer for you.

#4: Take care of yourself

No matter how exciting the #XYPNLIVE experience is, you will get tired if you don’t properly take care of yourself. Set aside some time at the beginning of the conference to map out your own needs. That might include figuring out how to get to your hotel room, gym, nearby stores, or a walking path. If you have dietary restrictions, put a plan in place to address those. You are worth it! 

For example, if you know you are an early-morning riser, gym-goer, or otherwise, our 8:30 AM MT breakfast time might not work with your schedule. Put a few snacks into your conference bag, or run to the grocery store, so that you can take care of yourself when you need it. 

Denver CO is not called the Mile-High city for nothing—the air really is thinner up here. That means plenty of water and sunscreen are a must-have for the conference. Though you will be inside during the events you can (and should) take a step out to enjoy some fresh air. We learned last year, the conference center can be a bit chilly for folks from warmer climes! Make sure to bring a sweater to stay comfortable. Bottom line? Listen to your body. If you need to take a 20-minute power nap to be present for your networking events then so be it!

#5: Take note of who you meet and what you learn

We know that the XYPN members are brilliant advisors. But being a successful financial advisor doesn’t mean that you can skip on notetaking. Avoid information overload by taking notes at each of the sessions that you attend. Don’t worry about the format or the style of notes. Just make sure that you have enough to jog your memory at the end of an informative—and fun—conference. These notes will help you share the important takeaways with your own networks after the conference to put your learning into action! 

If you’re a visual learner, written notes may not be the most helpful. It’s incredibly common to end the day with a stack of business cards without a face to connect the names with. Instead, grab your phone—we know you have it on you—and ask for your neighbor's LinkedIn profile. Not only will this help you put a face to the name, but you will also have an immediate contact added to your network. That wasn’t so hard, was it?

After the conference:

#6: Debrief with your network

It is easy to think that you will remember everything that you heard, saw, or noted. However, that is rarely ever the case. Gather the information that you have collected, and talk to your team (or new connections you have made) about what you have learned. Not only will this help the rest of your team to catch up on the information they may have missed, but it will also help solidify your memory of the event sessions. It’s a win-win. 

Sometimes these debrief conversations can benefit from having a detailed agenda or structure to make sure that nothing falls through the cracks. If this is the case, communicate early with your team about the structure. 

The sooner you review your notes, follow up with your team, and note the things you want to put into action, the more you will have been able to take away from the experience. Not everything that you discuss has to be put into action right away. Instead, view it as information that you can put into practice for your 2023 business plan. 

That’s it!

Well, sort of. Our hope is that you can head into #XYPNLIVE feeling confident in what you can bring to the conversation, and leave with ideas to implement in your own firm. Whatever that process looks like for you, we’re here to empower you to re:imagine, re:define, and re:invent your firm and the future of financial planning

We know that entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey, an experience we have all shared over the last two years. However, at XY Planning Network, you are never alone on your path. Re:connect with your network at this year’s #XYPNLIVE—it’s not too late to grab your pass. 

About the Author

Colby Goodrich is XYPN's Content Designer. In her role, she works closely with the Marketing Team to help bring the XY Planning Network experience to life. When she isn't busy creating, connecting, and communicating, she loves to go camping in the pacific northwest.