Azione Unlimited, The Smart Home Association, has concluded the Azione Absolute Fall Conference, celebrating an overwhelming success for its first-ever digital event. As a powerful alternative to in-person events, the three-day Azione Absolute Fall Conference had 326 Azione Unlimited members in attendance for “one of the most powerful conferences in the industry.”
“The Azione Absolute Fall Conference has been an absolute hit among all our dealer and vendor members,” said Richard Glikes, President of Azione Unlimited. “The balance between small group meetings, keynotes, and one-on-one networking injected a much-needed dose of energy back into our industry. The results have been absolutely outstanding, and we are proud of the positive ripples it produced in making our group that much stronger.”
Running from Oct. 13 to Oct. 15, the three-day conference offered 30 sessions, including three keynotes, three networking opportunities, six presentations, and 18 small group sessions. Of the 326 unique dealer and vendor attendees, there were more than 1,200 session participants across all events.
Engaged Schedule, Effective Results
Focused on providing a platform for dealers and vendors to interact, the Azione Absolute conference’s hallmarks included one-on-one speed networking and small group meetings. Each of these sessions had audio and video enabled to provide a safe and natural experience.
One-on-one speed networking randomly matched dealers and vendors, allowing just five minutes of conversation. Direct and genuine conversations provided a renewed path to connect dealer and vendor members. Over the three days, 130 speed-networking meetings took place, producing outstanding effects for both dealers and vendors.
The result of the speed networking was an absolute success. Dealers and vendors found the five-minute sessions to the perfect amount of time to catch up with friends or meet new members for the first time.
“It was the first virtual conference I attended that was actually beneficial,” said Jeff Costello, Vice President of Sales for Nortek Control. “I really enjoyed the one-on-one speed networking, and the small group meetings were incredibly interactive. I was thrilled to connect with dealers and really liked hearing that the world is going to be fine in 2021.”
Complimenting the one-on-one speed networking, the Azione Absolute Fall Conference also provided small group meetings focusing on an array of topics including lighting, service plans, business acumen, remote employee management, wellness offerings, and more. These small group sessions emulated in-person events and offered dealers a platform to share face-to-face experiences in a non-competitive environment.
“I wanted to say thank you for putting on another great event,” said Nick DeClemente, President of Elevated Integration in New York. “The commitment you guys have to all of your members is amazing. Azione has shown that throughout 2020 and has continued to provide value even in the most difficult of circumstances.”
“I wanted to thank you for your dedication to your members to put on a fall conference,” said Angela Larson, Vice President of Sales Operations at Savant. “While it is not easy to pivot and embrace new ways of doing things, you all did it with grace. I give your team huge kudos for being here for your members when they need you, no matter what the format is.”
The three keynotes were also praised for their ability to convey information with a timely and exciting tone. Renowned interior designer business coach Nancy Ganzekaufer opened the conference with a conversation on how to create, maintain, and maximize relationships between integrators and designers. Chris Smith, CEO of TheCoTeam, energized dealers with a discussion on how to “Overcome Self-Limiting Beliefs” and create a culture of productivity in your business. CEDIA Senior Vice President of Education Samantha Ventura closed the conference with powerful advice on being a better leader, even in difficult times.
“Azione Unlimited is always looking to surprise and delight members, so having to accommodate to a completely virtual meeting became a fascinating challenge for us,” said Patrick McCarthy, Director of New Business Development and Member Services for Azione Unlimited. “We decided to take the strength of in-person meetings and recreate that magic digitally. The results were three-days of action-packed sessions that energized both dealer and vendor members to generate new business, meet with old friends, and, importantly, build stronger relationships.
About Azione Unlimited
Azione Unlimited, the education and buying group for integrators, is a consortium of like-minded custom installers, home technology professionals, and vendors. The organization helps its members achieve greater levels of prosperity, technical acumen, and sophistication in running their businesses and serving customers. Founded by industry veteran Richard Glikes and headquartered in Chester Springs, PA, the organization hosts two high-energy, information-packed conferences per year, Azione provides its members with a host of benefits, from product discounts to educational meetings and marketing tools. Learn more at AzioneUnlimited.com. Follow @AzioneUnlimited on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
