Conferences are a great excuse to get out of the office, meet new people and become absorbed in all things surrounding your chosen industry. And Accountex on 11-12 May is no exception, with 5,500 accounting and bookkeeping pros preparing to descend on Excel London in four weeks’ time for the UK’s largest independent accounting conference.

Jam-packed with 200+ exhibitors, 175 workshops and keynotes, and 15 dedicated theatres, Accountex provides plenty to see and learn across the two-days. But how do you make sure you’re making the most of this once a year event? Take a look at our tips below to help get your Accountex planning in order.

1. Choose your five must-see keynote sessions

It doesn’t matter how hard you try, there’s no way you can catch all 125 speakers at Accountex 2016. But what you can do is narrow down your top choices now. Take a look at the long list of speakers and sessions and pick out the ones that appeal to you most – or borrow our top five for inspiration!

• Any Accountant Can Show Their Client the Past. Learn How to Increase Your Fees By Showing Your Clients the Future – Amy Harris, co-founder of CrunchBoards
• Rise of the Integrations Economy – Garrett Knight, sales lead and integration guru at Expensify
• What’s Next for Cloud Accounting? – Gary Turner, co-founder and MD of Xero UK

• Power BI for Data Lovers – James Akrigg, data expert at Microsoft
• How to Become One of the Most Inspiring (and Profitable) Practices in the World  – Steve Pipe, best-selling author and advisor to accountants

2. Make positive connections

Surrounded by more than 5,000 accounting professionals, Accountex is a great opportunity to make new friends, catch up with old ones and learn all about what your peers are up to within their practices.

Touch base with fellow accountants and bookkeepers who you know are attending and arrange for a catch-up. If you don’t know anyone else going, get social on social media. By searching for #accountex on Twitter and Facebook, you can find others talking about the event – this is your chance to make a new connection.

3. Choose which Accountex exhibitors you need to see

In a world where technology is adapting at record speed, finding the software and services that are right for your business and your clients can be a challenge. Think about the top three areas of your accounting or bookkeeping business that you’re hoping to improve, and let those areas guide you towards exhibitors that can provide solutions for your business.

Whether you’re on the hunt for online accounting software for your clients, maybe you’ve already chosen a software provider, or perhaps you’re not quite sure what they need, be sure to visit Xero at stand A340.

With live group and one-to-one demos, plenty of smiling Xero staff on hand to tell you all about how beautiful accounting software can solve your problems, and a place to sit down and relax for five minutes, be sure to come and see us. Who knows, you might even find yourself a refreshing drink and an exclusive Accountex offer waiting for you there…

You’ll also find some of our awesome ecosystem partners demonstrating apps that integrate with Xero, including CrunchBoards, Receipt Bank, Expensify, Chaser and Microsoft Power BI.

Once you’ve had your Xero-fix, take a look around at some of the other Accountex exhibitors, from addMASS and Deputy, to Microsoft, Fathom, PANALITIX, and many more.

4. Download the Accountex event app

The Accountex app is a great way to keep all the event information you need in your back pocket. Available for iOS and Android, the app provides information about how to get to the venue, what hotels are nearby, event start and finish times, a full list of exhibitors, news and offers, and plenty more.

And make sure you download the app before you leave home – fast wi-fi can be hard to come by at events like these.

Interested in joining the Xero Partner Programme? Come and see us at Accountex stand A340 and let us show you everything our beautiful accounting software has to offer. Or, find out now – email partnerteam@xero.com or visit xero.com/uk/partner-with-xero/

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Source: Xero