We’re less than two months away from the 2024 Rent Manager User Conference! As you make travel arrangements and start to plan your itinerary, you might be getting excited for all that RMUC has to offer. A property management conference like the RMUC extends amazing opportunities to learn, network, and test-drive the latest product features. But these experiences also cost you or your business money, so we’re breaking down the real value when it comes to attending these industry events. Let’s review some key factors to weigh when deciding whether to send yourself or your team to a destination conference.
What’s On The Agenda for Your Conference
With so many online trainings and virtual options available, it’s important to understand what you can gain from an in-person event before attending a property management conference. You will need to review what sessions are being offered and who is teaching those classes—is it someone knowledgeable with a valued reputation in the industry? Review the presenter list and look for names and biographies that make you excited to attend their sessions. Additionally, some events have attendance caps for particular courses. Confirm that you’ll be able to attend the classes you want, and what steps you need to take to secure your seat.
Another important factor to consider is who else will be attending the conference. If your competitors are flying to a summit, you may also want to attend, or risk giving them a leg up. Conferences are also a great time to network with industry peers, vendors, and even future clients. Look to see if your conference hosts social events or networking spaces where you can easily connect with fellow attendees.
How Does RMUC.24 Compare?
As the winner of the 2024 Silver Stevie Award in Conferences & Meetings – Educational Event category for its 2023 event, the Rent Manager User Conference sets high standards when it comes to our sessions. Each year, we review our schedule and carefully select new classes that will provide the biggest impact for our attendees. Sessions presented by our internal Rent Manager experts are thoroughly reviewed and practiced in front of the RMUC planning committee and peers. For our external speakers, we recruit the industry’s best to share their hard-earned advice, tips, and tricks that will help attendees solve today’s most pressing property management problems.
Tangible Learnings for Property Management
Being inspired by an amazing presentation or conversation is just the first step. The hardest part is taking that inspiration and translating it into visible progress. If your employer pays to send you, a bottom-line boost is likely the return they want on their investment. For this, you need not only inspiring sessions but practical advice on how to implement changes in your business. Review your conference agenda and look for opportunities for hands-on trainings. Find experiences where the speaker walks through a common problem and demonstrates a new solution. Look for classes that provide workbooks or handouts that you can use as a template when applying that advice to your operations. Roundtable and Q&A sessions also offer the chance to ask panelists questions directly pertaining to your area of interest.
How Does RMUC.24 Compare?
The Rent Manager User Conference always starts with two Rent Manager Bootcamps, which are full-day training sessions led by Rent Manager experts. The Core Bootcamp is our crash-course fundamentals training, while the Administrator Bootcamp is a customized, advanced training course where you can learn creative solutions to your everyday operations. Attendees will also have the chance to earn a coveted Rent Manager Certification while attending the conference—an accreditation demonstrating a level of expertise that is well worth the conference investment. Any of these steps empower attendees to return to their office ready to tackle any challenge.
Our conference sessions are designed to be engaging and interactive to help you retain all the information. Additionally, most courses include downloadable documents you can use as reference points or to share with colleagues. Our Rent Manager employees attend the same social events as attendees, making them easy to connect with if you have follow-up questions.
New for 2024, we’re also introducing the Rent Manager Experience, a designated area of the conference space where attendees can get up close and personal with all things Rent Manager. In addition to taking practice certification exams or becoming Rent Manager Certified, attendees can explore our Strategic Solutions and IT Services booths, get one-on-one help from our live or virtual Product Support Teams, or test out new and upcoming Rent Manager features with our developers and analysts.
Networking Opportunities
We mentioned it before, but it bears repeating… industry conferences are the perfect place to network! Review the conference schedule to see if the event offers networking opportunities. This includes happy hours, social events, or industry lunch groups—all great ways to connect with other attendees in a neutral environment. Some events offer even more networking opportunities with sponsor trade shows. These spaces are usually packed with vendor booths, allowing attendees to view product demonstrations, learn ways to enhance their operations, and mingle with like-minded peers.
How Does RMUC.24 Compare?
RMUC.24 offers several networking opportunities that are included with the price of admission. The Opening Reception, Innovation Hall Power Hour, and Mealtime Networking tables all offer fun ways to let loose and connect with other attendees and exhibitors. We also host a Premier Social Event that takes attendees out of the learning mindset to experience our destination city for a night of food and fun.
How Can You Make the Most of Your Property Management Conference?
Once you’ve decided on the property management conference you want to attend, ensure you get the most bang for your buck. Check out some ways to maximize your experience by following these tips!
Get Approval
Attending an industry conference is an investment of time and money. Ensure your boss understands the value of your attendance by sharing the information that sold you—explain which classes and events you plan to attend, and how you can use what you learn to impact the overall business. To make your proposal even more impressive and save yourself some time, check out this pitch letter to attend RMUC.24.
Prepare
Check the weather for your destination and pack accordingly. Print extra business cards and be prepared to use them. But most importantly, clear your schedule to fully focus on your conference experience! Review the conference agenda and choose the sessions that will be most beneficial to you ahead of time. Most events have packed schedules with overlapping classes. As great as it would be to attend every class, it’s not always possible. Choose the sessions that will have the greatest impact on you and your business. By narrowing your focus even slightly, you can free your schedule for impromptu networking experiences. Don’t forget to make time for ‘non-educational’ events, like formalized networking sessions, informal happy hours, group workouts, movie screenings, etc.
Engage With Sessions
Participate in classes, raise your hand, and take notes—this helps you retain the information and provides a handy resource when you return to work. Snag the speaker’s contact information and send them a follow-up email, referencing a moment from their session. This will help you not only reinforce what you learned but potentially create a valuable industry contact. Collecting business cards or jotting down quick reminders about new contacts after a networking session can help you build relationships and references for later. Make a note of follow-up ideas, shared points of interest, or key questions for your next interaction.
Attend The Non-Educational Events
Attending conferences isn’t just about the new skills you learn, but about the connections you make. Take advantage of the networking opportunities offered. From structured to informal events, there are many ways to get to know your fellow attendees outside of a classroom. Take advantage of the in-person element, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone–you never know who you might meet!
