UTILIZE SOCIAL MEDIA TO ENHANCE YOUR CONFERENCE-GOING EXPERIENCE

ATTENDING OPTOMETRIC conferences is a must for any O.D. who wants to remain on top of his game and connected to the profession. At press time, the meeting du jour is SECO in Atlanta. It boasts more than 400 hours of education, according to the website. But in between all that education, there is an opportunity to see and meet more than 6,000 eye care professionals and industry persons. Harness those social media skills using these three tips to tap into your network and get the most of your optometric conference experience.

1 SET UP MEETINGS

Social media has the power to unite members, allowing you to network with like-minded colleagues in real life. If you are on a social media platform, such as Facebook or LinkedIn, you most likely are a member of several groups. I recommend a few days before the conference that you post to the group asking who will also be in attendance. You can then coordinate a meet up.

Similarly, once at the event, announce your presence, and ask for others who are in attendance to indicate they are there as well. Once you know who is there, you can reach out to set up a meeting. I have many Facebook friends who, once I know that they are at the conference, I reach out to and set up a meeting.

2 ATTEND SOCIAL EVENTS

Don’t just do social media, be social. By nature, humans are social creatures. We form communities and interact with each other in groups. Utilize your network to identify those extra-curricular activities available at the conference. Check in with friends, colleagues, professional groups and industry contacts to get the details — and go! Meet your online colleagues offline. Have fun. Post pics and videos of the event back to the group. Share your experience with your social media communities. A little bit of FOMO is a good thing! Hopefully, next time your colleagues will be able to join in.

3 GET THE APP

A few years ago, O.D. and tech guru Walt Mayo asked me to download and try the SECO app. I thought, “OK, I’ll give it a shot, but I don’t think it will be too useful.” Wow, was I wrong. Having the SECO app has made my conference-going experience a lot better. I no longer have to carry a bag of paperwork around. My agenda, with reminders, is right on my phone. The map is also a great feature, and I absolutely love the social media feed.

CHECK IN WITH ME

Follow these tips to enhance your conference-going experience. Personally, I’m tired of taking selfies. So, if you see me at SECO, please come up to me, and take a pic so we can post it on Facebook. OM

DR. BAZAN is founder of Park Slope Eye, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He is a member of the AOA, NYSOA and the American Academy of Orthokeratology & Myopia Control. In 2017, he received financial compensation for services from Bausch + Lomb, Essilor, Lombart, Vision Service Plan and The Vision Council. Find him on social media @ParkSlopeEye and @JustinBazan .