A deep dive into education courses with PCMA’s Sherrif Karamat,

CHICAGO — Trade show education courses are a great opportunity to experience new ideas, develop professional skills and meet colleagues.

trade show director (TSE) spoke with CAE Sherrif Karamat, president and CEO of the Professional Conference Management Association (PCMA), about strategies to help professionals make the most of these opportunities.

1. Prioritize necessary topics

For those who are confused about which classes to take, especially at large events, Karamat recommends focusing on basic skills or topics.

“I would look at the philosophy of ‘need to know’ versus ‘nice to know’ and go from there,” Karamat said.

Karamat offered similar advice, asking to balance education with time spent in the showroom and networking opportunities.

“Be very focused on who you really want to see at the trade show and really map it out, because anything else beyond that will be great,” Karamat explains.

2. looking for challenges

“We will never learn unless we step out of our comfort zone,” Kalamat added. “When you do that, magic happens. Don’t limit yourself to only focusing on those things that absolutely must be done. You Make time to introduce yourself to new concepts that may lead to a breakthrough in your thinking or open your mind to something you haven’t thought of.”

3. Make connections

While learning should be the first priority in an education session, Karamat recommends trying to meet other attendees and schedule a time to exchange ideas later.

“The people you meet and interact with in these meetings—maximize the time you have with them,” Karamat said. “When you’re in a room and content is either thrown at you or you’re engaging with that content, you need time to reflect … attend networking sessions afterwards and reconnect with the people you meet.”

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4. be yourself

For those nervous first-timers, Karamat has this to say:

“Remember, everyone who attends this trade show or educational program has been there for the first time. If you think about it, you realize that everyone has been through this experience…I don’t know anyone who No one has experienced it the first time – myself included. My advice is to go there and open up and say hello.

“Be open to what you want to learn, or if you don’t know anything, you go in there with an open mind, be honest about it and be yourself. I’ve found that if you’re participating in something Show your true self and people will gravitate to you…(and) when you’re doing something for the first time, most people are willing to help you and most people want to support you.”

5. ready to contribute

Karamat said most experienced attendees are interested in learning from less experienced attendees, while young professionals should be prepared to share their insights.

“There is such an opportunity for both sides to learn from each other,” Karamat shared. “Today learning is not just about the professor at the front of the room, it’s about everyone. I never refer to a person as an ‘attendee’ – they are just participants. We learn from each other and from each other.”

6. View PCMA’s resources

PCMA has student chapters and a network around the world dedicated to helping event participants succeed, even before they start working.

“I encourage you, as a young professional, to jump in with both feet. You will find that the environment here is absolutely welcoming,” Karamat said.

Curious about the future of trade show education? Karamat believes that informational content is becoming integrated with exhibitor activity on the show floor, and more vendors than ever are sharing their knowledge through immersive demonstrations and experiences.

“It’s a collision of content, commerce and community, and it’s changed dramatically over the years,” Karamat explains. “You can set up a booth and provide education and content that is really relevant to the people at the show. It’s really changed the face of trade shows today.”

Stay tuned to TSE for more information on this topic, and you can learn more about the PCMA here.

Take advantage of these insights at upcoming industry events, including the IAEE Expo! Expo! and PCMA convening leaders in January. Check out TSE’s guide to visiting the Expo for the first time! Expo! Next week in the Young Professionals Corner!