Here at Nextech, we are so excited to be back in person for EDGE 2022. In fact, general registration has begun and will remain open until the very last day of 2021. This means there is still plenty of time for you to convince your boss that going to EDGE is best idea ever and that you should totally be going.
However, what are you supposed to do if the boss isn’t quite on board with the idea just yet? Well, we’ve got you covered. In this blog, we are going to give you some tips and methods on how to present the idea to your higher-ups in a way that will help you to get them on board (And who knows? Maybe they’ll even decide to come along to EDGE as well).
Present a Clear Travel Budget
Probably the biggest and most common hurdle to convincing the boss has to do with cost. Conferences aren’t free, after all. However, you can help address such concerns by putting together a clear travel budget for the trip. This will require you to do a bit of research on things such as airfare, hotel costs, food (meals are provided at EDGE), etc. You may also want to go here to find the per diem rates for the Orlando area where EDGE will be held. Pulling together all of this information into a clearly defined travel budget will make it easier for you to create a cost justification when presenting the idea to the boss.
Show Them EDGE is NOT a Vacation at Their Expense
Oftentimes, a boss may be a bit apprehensive about sending a staff member to a conference because they’re worried that, unsupervised, it will just turn into a paid vacation. They may be concerned that it will be a wasted investment, with the staff member doing more partying than learning. Therefore, it is very important to explain that this is not the case. While there may be fun to be had (and at EDGE, the evenings will be full of fun activities), you should make it clear that this is not the reason you wish to go. You are there to find ways to improve practice efficiency and profitability.
Show What You Plan to Learn
Now that you’ve explained the costs and expressed to them that this is a training and education trip (not a vacation), you need to be able to back these up by showing exactly what it is that you plan to learn while you are at EDGE. You can start by going to the agenda for EDGE 2022 for a list of all the currently available sessions. This year’s event offers more learning opportunities than ever before, covering everything from product-specific skills, regulatory changes, staff management, data security, and more. Take the time to identify which of these sessions could best address current issues or problem areas at the practice, then create a list of these to show the boss.
Demonstrate the Value This Will Bring to the Practice
When showing all of the above to the boss, it is important to remember that you are presenting this not as a costly expense, but as an investment in the future. Like any investment, however, your boss will be expecting to know what the return on that investment will be. Now that you’ve shown them what you can learn, you need to explain how it’s going to improve things at the office. What skills and knowledge are you bringing back with you and how will they be used to make the practice more efficient, profitable, etc.?
You Can Do it!
Getting the boss on board to send you to EDGE may seem like a difficult task. But you can do it! Remember, you are going to greatly increase the likelihood of a positive answer by presenting a clear plan that lays out your intentions (not a vacation), the expected costs, and what the returns will be on this investment. Good luck and we hope to see you at EDGE 2022!
