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brief, regular breaks throughout the day.

3. Focus: You’ll have to work a little harder than
you would if you were physically there to be pres-
ent.

• Take written notes. The act of writing allows
your brain another way of remembering
than just auditory or visual cues. It also
makes you take your fingers off the key-
board, which signals your brain to focus on
the screen.
• Take screengrabs of interesting charts or
items to refer to later.
• Watch in full screen, and turn off all alerts,
so you don’t get pulled into an update on
social media or an email.

4. Stretch: Did we mention breaks? We will sug-
gest it again. It is essential to get up and move
every hour to give your brain a quick recharge.

AFTER THE CONFERENCE

Most people plan on watching some of the on-de-
mand sessions, but they rarely do. If you have
recordings on your plan, schedule time to watch
them within a week to keep the context and con-
nections fresh. Also, reach out to your new con-
tacts and review any downloaded videos or PDFs
from vendors that first week after the conference.

Above all, adjust your expectation that you’ll be
passively watching other people online in your PJs
at home. If you actively include yourself in virtual
conferences and are committed to focused partici-
pation, you’ll be surprised by all the rewards you’ll
find.

Susan DeMatei is the President
of WineGlass Marketing, a full-service direct
marketing firm working within the wine industry in
Napa, California. www.wineglassmarketing.com

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