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Ideas to Impact Post-Conference Checklist

2014 was my first year attending the Ideas to Impact Conference, and it couldn’t have been better. It was the biggest conference to date, with a total count of 1,036 clients and over 100 staff from ACS Technologies. In my two years of working at ACS Technologies, this was the first time I was able to meet and talk with clients, and it was such a great experience. I didn’t realize the impact it would have on me, but it has proven beneficial to my daily work as a writer, and that ultimately benefits you!

If you attended the Ideas to Impact Conference, how is what you learned benefiting you and your church? In this article, I want to discuss the importance of taking action on what you learned at the conference. To help you, I’ve prepared the following post-conference checklist.

How have you incorporated what you learned?

This is one of the most important questions you can ask yourself. After all, one main point of going to the conference is to learn new things and apply them to your work. Maybe you learned so much that you were overwhelmed when you returned to the office. In that case, try to avoid burnout and take one thing at a time. Look over your notes and start with things you can easily accomplish. As you feel more comfortable, move on to the bigger projects.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” Set realistic deadlines for each task. It’s more difficult to put off projects when you’ve set a date to start using a new product feature or process you learned about.

Did you share what you learned with your church office?

If you were the only one from your office to go to conference, you are the sole messenger of new knowledge. Why not share that wealth with those in your church office? Even if you went as part of a group, what you learned in a class could be different from what someone else learned in the same class. It’s important to have post-conference meetings to discuss what you learned with those who didn’t go to the conference.

What if your church office doesn’t take to the new procedures and ideas? People tend to resist change, so remember to take it slow. Don’t unload everything you learned all at once.

If the office wants to incorporate what you learned, you may need to mentor others over a period of time. Check in at logical intervals with those who are supposed to be using the new procedures and ideas. Listen to their feedback then decide how you can help. They may need a bit more training or maybe there are some cultural roadblocks to overcome.

Did you stay in contact with those you met?

Even for introverts like me, it’s great to discuss what other people do at their church. If you met someone who uses the same software you do, this is a great opportunity to learn new and better ways to work with it. Even after the conference is over and you’re back in your church office, you can stay in contact with those you met.

Besides direct email and phone calls, social media is a great way to connect. If you haven’t already, you can like ACS Technologies on Facebook and follow @ACSTech on Twitter. You can reconnect with those you met at the conference, especially if you didn’t get their contact information.

Have you thought about next year’s conference?

Next year, the Ideas to Impact Conference will take place May 26 – 29 in Dallas, Texas. Have you registered yet? You can register before January 2015 for special early bird rates!

It’s up to you to make the best of what you learned at the conference. I hope this checklist provided tips and asked the questions to help take you from ministry idea to true ministry impact.
What did you learn at this year’s Ideas to Impact Conference? Share your stories in the comments below or on our Facebook page.

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