AIMEbassador Colette Baini is the Founder & Director of The Conference Room, a leading award-winning Australian owned conference, incentive and business event agency. With 30 years’ experience in business event management, international tourism, event production, wholesale and group travel, as well as international and domestic airline operations, Colette is renowned for producing innovative events and experiences that challenge the status quo.

We sat down with Colette to get her top tips on making the most of your time at AIME.

COMMIT. LISTEN. LEARN

If you are going to accept one of the highly-coveted invitations extended to Hosted Buyers, then make sure you commit to this moment. This invitation is an investment in you and your product knowledge. It is a gift to be cherished.

ENJOY THE PARTY

We all love them and we need these moments, these glimmers of hope, these flashes of inspiration. AIME really puts on a party so make sure you rock up on time. You are being hosted by the best in the industry so take note!

BE ATTENTIVE

When you are engaged in conversation, no matter how insta-worthy activity is in the background, make sure you focus your attention on the person right there in front of you. Your attention speaks volumes as to who you are as an individual and as an operator.

PLAN FOR SUCCESS

Hosted buyers – as soon as you are given the green light to access the directory of exhibitors, take some time out of your day and plan. Study this list. It is pure gold. This is where you find inspiration to develop content for your business event, to add new dimensions to styling and entertainment, or to create new heights in incentive travel. Start identifying the exhibitors you want to pre-schedule meetings with – the more exhibitors you flag, the more you’ll maximise your time at AIME.

EMBRACE THE NEW

Whatever you do, don’t use meeting times to work on existing projects. Those opportunities are already underway. Create space that ensures you are inspired so that you, in turn, can inspire your customers.

LEAN INTO LEARNING

And this brings me to my favourite part of AIME, the Knowledge Program. These are carefully considered sessions designed to grow your mind – they are food for the soul. Give yourself permission to turn on the out of office, turn off your phone, and then turn your mind to the inspired range of speakers and workshops on offer. Lean in! This is where you grow. This is what fuels us all as we strive to create business events that inspire the business community.