Upcoming Face-to-Face Fall Convention in Dallas

Over the last few months this newsletter has highlighted in each issue the value we believe has been built into our upcoming Fall Convention in Dallas. From product councils to the supplier showcase to expert industry speakers, we have built a program that clearly delivers the ROI our members expect.

But why, in a time when tech savvy executives regularly use live audio/video and shared computer screens from their desk, are face-to-face meetings still so important? Why not just call or email that new distributor or rep I need to open new markets?

Our Fall Convention allows members to engage in and observe verbal and nonverbal behavioral styles not captured well in electronic communication. Even video conferencing does not capture all of the dynamics of group members.

Even more important, the Fall Convention allows attendees opportunities to develop important exchange relationships among themselves. These exchanges can be in the form of business negotiations, personal favors, promises, understandings and trust. One theory that emphasizes this notion is “social exchange theory”, where human relations are viewed as an exchange of rewards among individuals, or achieving equity between “what you put in” compared to “what you get out” of relationships. Our members regularly tell us they learn as much from each other at our meetings as they do from our expert speakers.

If you haven’t already done so, visit our website, review our program and take a look at the list of members already registered. Then make the decision to leave the office, get out of the factory and spend a few days in Dallas, meeting face-to-face with some of the people we are so proud to be associated with — The folks who bring choice, value and innovation to agriculture. ◆