I love the Pharmaceutical Industry

I'm going to the annual conference with a couple of coworkers in June. We're working on planning our stay. Got this hilarious email this morning:

Here are my URS regarding business functions, networking opportunities, etc. You are right on the money. Start collecting the invitations as they role in and compare. Here are a few more thought on how to maximize your experience.

1.1 Determine if the event location is cool (i.e bar, atmosphere, clientele, etc.

1.2 Find out in advance who else plans on attending. Are they people that you like or think would be fun, or are they obnoxious and rude? I find that the people that go to these establishments are often good indicators of the type of experience you have.

1.3 Have a contingency plan. In the event you get there and it's a complete nightmare, have a disaster recovery plan that you can implement in a moments notice. Find out what other cool places are in the vicinity so you can bolt if necessary.

1.4 Try to attend at least 3 events per evening if possible, saving the best for last. Hollywood is all about this, especially for the award parties thrown after the Oscars, Golden Globes, etc. Jump from event to event - that way it never gets stale. Cover more ground and you meet more people. Also, it drives the hosting vendor nuts if they find out you're leaving their soirée early. They'll want to know what other parties are you going to, who's throwing them, etc. Watch the free drinks flow at this point.

1.5 Make sure they know you're from Southern California. That way none of the locals will try to pull the wool over your eyes trying to convince you that a party/venue is cool when it's not. They won't mess with you because they'll know that you're well informed and armed with knowledge!