After ASHP Midyear – Business Cards in the Drawer?

Are your business cards still in your drawer after ASHP Midyear or other pharmacy conference? If so, read Part I of this article on what to do right away before they become clutter in your drawer.  Don’t miss out on some of the most long-lasting benefits of attending a pharmacy conference that most pharmacists overlook.

(In pharmacy school, I remember hearing that it’s not what you know, but who you know.  Looking back, I find this to be so true and wish I recognized this earlier.  I’d like to take it a step further and say “It’s not what you know, but the relationships you grow to help each other.”  You get catapulted faster in the direction you want by having the support around you vs. doing it alone.)

If you are a pharmacy director who has an assistant, you can have your assistant take over pieces of what to do immediately after the pharmacy conference in Week One.  Here are two more quick things to do before Week Two:

• Week One– Never under-estimate the value of a handwritten card or postcard. Following an event like ASHP Midyear Meeting, email inboxes can be backed up with emails from being away from the conference.  They can blend right in with yours and get lost in the shuffle.  Choose at least a few key contacts and mail a thoughtfully written thank you note that expresses how you enjoyed meeting them and that you look forward to helping them/working with them soon or down the road.  Wish them the best, and let them know that you will stay in touch.Taking this extra step is memorable, simply because it is not often done and you will stand out.  Come from the perspective of connecting and giving, rather than asking for anything in the note.  It is a gesture of appreciation and/or helping.  Try to send as many notes as possible in the weeks following the conference.BONUS “No-Procrastination” Tip:  To make things as easy as possible, before you attend another pharmacy conference, bring blank cards or postcards and stamps with you to the conference.  Write your handwritten note in your hotel room or on the plane ride home.

  In this week, pick up the phone and call your top 3 priority connections.  These are connections whom you either really hit it off with personally and want to grow that connection, or whom you can mutually benefit professionally in an immediate way.  For example, your expertise or a connection you have aligns with something that your new pharmacist friend needs right now.

You may be nodding your head because you understand the benefits of taking action right away.  If it’s not simple and easy, I guarantee you will not do it.  You have too much on your plate already as a busy pharmacist.

“If you’ve always done what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got…”  Do you want to experience a new way of developing relationships and networking which will give you help and resources that you need at the most unexpected times, or do you want to stuff business cards in your drawer?  It’s your choice.

This is simple, so do it and comment on your experiences below.  Stay tuned for the next step of what to do to make the most out of your new relationship with another pharmacist/other contact.