Know Before You Go!

DO:

• (Do) Bring plenty of business cards. It is awkward when you reach into your wallet or purse to discover you are out. You never know who will want to follow-up with you – so carry plenty of cards just to be safe! And if you don’t have an official business card, consider printing simple cards at home or via an online platform like Vistaprint for a nominal fee. Pro tip: our mobile app allows you to save people as contacts!
• (Do) Take notes and remember a note-taking device (e.g., notebook, iPad or laptop). Listening to a presentation is really just a gateway. Through their words, the notes you jot down should be a summary of actions or brainstorms you have that might work for you or your organization. Back home, your own words will have much more meaning.
• (Do) Listen. Be in the moment. We spend too much of our time distracted; turn off your cell phone and be present. No one is so important they need to “take this call.” People will wait, that’s why there’s voicemail. Focus, instead, on the new ideas you’re presented and the new people you meet.
• (Do) Say “Hello” and introduce yourself to anyone sitting next to you before a session begins. Everyone is overwhelmed and feeling out of their respective comfort zones. Instead of waiting for them to come to you, take the first step.
• If you’re on Twitter or Facebook, (do) use the conference hash tag #AORE19AEE and post golden nuggets you hear or see throughout the event.
• (Do) Tell organizers if you really like something. They’ve gone through a lot of hard work to make it special for you. Specifics are best. If you really loved the music – tell them. If the speaker moved you to change something – tell them exactly what. Just one or two things in person or by email are appreciated more than you will ever know.
• (Do) Drink plenty of water. The truth is that you probably will eat and drink differently than usual. That coupled with less sleep is a recipe for dehydration. Please pack a personal, reusable water bottle to use throughout the conference so we can reduce material waste and stay hydrated. We will provide plenty of refill options for attendees. 
• (Do) Wear comfortable shoes or sandals. You know what’s comfortable given the amount of standing and walking that’s done at conferences.
• (Do) Bring “nice” clothes to wear to the Thursday evening awards banquet. While there is no specific dress-code, our banquet is a special event to celebrate colleagues, accomplishments and a year of success. 
• If you are a job seeker, (do) bring copies of your resume and trip logs for distribution.
• (Do) Design your schedule ahead of time using the mobile app. Select 1-2 education or symposia sessions every hour to give yourself options. Choose sessions to challenge your assumptions, grow your knowledge base and explore new ideas. And don’t get stuck attending only the sessions that align with your expertise. You’d be surprised how much you can learn and grow by attending even one “stretch” session.
• (Do) Allocate time for the exhibitor hall. And don’t be shy; ask questions regarding products as you move from booth to booth.
• (Do) Offer your feedback on evaluations. Help make the learning and networking offerings stronger for future events. Share your thoughts and recommendations, both positive and constructive.

DON’T:

• (Don’t) Sit with the same people you always do. Later you’ll have time to go to dinner and connect. Remember lifelong friendships (and solution providers) could be waiting for you in another aisle.
• (Don’t) Immediately analyze what you didn’t like about a speaker or a program. Instead, try to find a specific idea or takeaway and share it with others. You’ll find more people will be encouraged and glad they spent that time listening and connecting with you.
• (Don’t) Zip through the exhibitor hall just to snag food and gather swag. Exhibitors are important to both the viability of the conference and the success of the industry. Be sure to approach them with the respect they deserve.
• (Don’t) Be afraid to arrive late or to leave early… choose an easy seat for this. Ultimately, if the session you’re in doesn’t seem to be meeting your needs, follow the “Law of Two Feet” and find one that does!
• (Don’t) Engage in intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory or demeaning speech or actions. AORE and AEE aim to be inclusive to the largest number of contributors, with the most varied and diverse backgrounds possible. As such, we are committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and religion.
• (Don’t) use products with fragrances (perfumes, colognes, body sprays, etc) while attending conference functions as some of these products can cause adverse health effects to individuals who are sensitive to them.

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Ground Transit: Before you head out the door, remember that the Davenport Grand Hotel and Spokane Convention Center are approximately 8 miles from the Spokane, WA airport (GEG). You’ll need to arrange a shuttle or ride share to get from the airport to the conference locations. The Spokane Airport offers a list of ground transportation companies. Uber is also a popular local choice. If you are driving, parking is available at both the Convention Center and the hotel. Please review our Lodging & Travel page for parking rates and other transportation information.

Location Information: The Davenport Grand and Spokane Convention Center are centrally located in Spokane, a 3-minute walk from Looff Carousel and 7 minutes by foot from Great Northern Railway Depot Clocktower. Bad weather? No problem! The Davenport Grand is directly connected to the Convention Center with a covered Skybridge! Looking for something interesting to eat, see, or do? We've got you covered. Head to our conference mobile app HERE and check out visitor guides, maps, and more!

Our sustainability team is working to secure volunteers that will be at all main meal functions to help us properly dispose of waste into three marked bins - compost, recycle and landfill. Please help us in our efforts and be patient as we help other attendees. We are also working closely with our contacts on the ground to ensure that the conference is environmentally friendly. A full list of details about our efforts can be found HERE.

CHECK OUT OUR COMPLETE SCHEDULE:

• Wednesday | 6:45 AM - 7:30 PM | 100 Hallway
• Thursday | 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM |  100 Hallway
• Friday | 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM | 100 Hallway