Prepare for Success
AFFI-CON is a business-focused event that requires advance preparation to get the most value out of your time.
Over the course of AFFI-CON, most attendees hold over 40 business meetings with their buyers, suppliers and logistical partners. It is critically important to set these meetings up in advance of your arrival so you can meet with everyone you want and still have time to attend education sessions and networking receptions.
The AFFI-CON Meeting Scheduling Platform allows registered attendees to search for business contacts based on data collected during the registration process. To start planning for the event, we encourage you to visit the pages linked below.
Choose from a variety of options to have a dedicated place to do business at AFFI-CON.
Schedule your meetings in advance to get the most benefit from your time at AFFI-CON.
Enjoy downtown San Diego with waterfront views as you conduct business at AFFI-CON 2024.
Steps you should take to have a successful AFFI-CON:
Step 1: Secure Business Meeting Space at AFFI-CON
Attendees have the option to reserve suites, meeting rooms, company showcases (exhibit booths) or semi-private tables at the host hotel. You can view details on all these spaces on the Secure Your Meeting Space page. To request a reservation for any of these spaces please use the business meeting space request system which will be linked in your registration confirmation email. Space is assigned based on a priority points system that preferences AFFI members and event sponsors. The deadline to request a suite or meeting room this year is October 27, 2023.
Step 2: Request Business Meetings in the Appointment Scheduling System
Attendees start building their schedules for AFFI-CON months in advance. All attendees are advised to log-in the to appointment scheduling system linked in their registration confirmation email early and often to request business meetings and manage their calendar. The attendee directory inside the system offers a number of filters that can be used to find new business contacts to meet with at AFFI-CON. For assistance with using the system, please visit our Set Your Appointments page.
Step 3: Make Your Hotel Reservation
A link to the hotel room block will be included in your registration confirmation email and is available on the hotel page. Please make your reservation by February 1, 2024 to guarantee the group rate. Only one reservation can be made per registered AFFI-CON attendee.
Step 1: Register Early and Provide Your Company Details
Registering early will allow you to get the best rate on attendance and have the best chance of securing meetings. During the registration process all attendees will answer a series of questions about their company. These details about what your company offers to other attendees integrate into the appointments scheduling system as directory search filters and will allow you to make the right connections to grow your business at AFFI-CON.
Step 5: Set-up Meetings
The core attraction of AFFI-CON is the ease with which you can view participants, request a meeting, accept a requested meeting and choose a time to meet, or even snooze meeting requests if you’d like more time to decide. The attendee search panel provides a variety of filters to help you find exactly who you are looking for. The attendee panel also gives you the status of participants you’re interested in and shows you requests you’ve made that are still pending.
Additional Tips:
- Contact your meeting prospects as soon as possible to begin scheduling meetings!
- Make sure you include a meeting location in your appointment invitations.
- Allow time in your schedule to travel to your next meeting which might be in a different tower of the hotel.
- Be open-minded and look for opportunities to schedule meetings with new companies.
- Use the full three-day format to schedule meetings.
- Take advantage of education and networking opportunities throughout the event.
- Make sure you have the right people registered for the convention based on the meetings you want to conduct. Consider bringing teams of people that can address sales, food safety, and quality assurance.
- Please confirm all meetings prior to the convention.
Get answers to common questions about AFFI-CON
While at AFFI-CON, The Hub is your one-stop shop to meet up with other attendees, grab a coffee, or get your questions answered.
We want first-time attendees to become loyal attendees, so the following resources are provided to help you plan your event.
