AMPP Annual Conference + Expo: 2024 Preview

The AMPP Annual Conference + Expo 2024 is a highly anticipated event for the global coatings and corrosion industries that during 2024 is expected to bring together over 6,000 coatings, corrosion, and materials protection experts, industry leaders, contractors and service providers that work in and/or support the coatings and corrosion industries.

This years conference and expo takes place in the vibrant city of New Orleans, Louisiana-USA, this conference merges the former legacy CORROSION (NACE International) and Coatings+ (SSPC: The Society For Protective Coatings) conferences into a week of dynamic programming, technical solutions, and professional discovery.

With an extensive program featuring 600+ hours of specialized content, attendees will be able to immerse themselves in the latest advancements and trends in coatings, corrosion, and materials protection, as well as knowledge-sharing sessions and networking events. This year's conference and expo runs March 3rd to March 7th, 2024, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in downtown New Orleans.

So, the AMPP Annual Conference + Expo 2024 is offering an engaging lineup of technical focused topics. Here are some of the key areas that will be covered during this years conference technical program:

1. Advanced Protective Coating Technology: Learn the latest advancements and innovations in protective coatings, exploring cutting-edge formulations, application techniques, performance and durability.

2. Advances in Materials for Oil and Gas Production: Discover advanced materials used in the oil and gas industry, from pipelines to offshore structures.

3. Corrosion Control in the Water and Wastewater Industry: Learn about strategies to combat corrosion in water treatment facilities, water pipelines, and wastewater treatment systems.

4. Stress Cracking Under Thermal Insulations: Understand the complexities of stress cracking phenomena that occurs beneath thermal insulating materials.

5. Advancements in Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors (VCI): Experience novel approaches to preventing corrosion using volatile inhibitors.

6. Geothermal Scaling and Corrosion: Uncover current insights into geothermal systems, addressing scaling and corrosion challenges unique to various environments.

7. Environmental Assisted Cracking (EAC): Understand the mechanisms and prevention strategies related to EAC, which can impact critical infrastructure.

8. In-Line Inspection (ILI) and Other Detection Technologies: Stay informed about the latest ILI technologies and other methods for detecting defects and anomalies in pipelines and equipment.

These topics, among many others, will be discussed by industry and technical experts, providing one of the best knowledge exchanges for the coatings, corrosion, and materials protection industries.

Keynote Speaker - Michio Kaku, Ph.D. (MY HERO!)

The AMPP Annual Conference + Expo 2024 also boasts an impressive lineup of keynote speakers who will illuminate the event with their expertise. One standout speaker is Dr. Michio Kaku, Ph.D. , a world-renowned physicist and author. Dr. Kaku will take center stage to deliver an enlightening session on "The Impact of AI on the Workforce." His insights promise to be thought-provoking and relevant in our ever-evolving technological landscape. See Dr. Kaku, Monday March 5th, 3:30-5:00 PM CST in the Great Hall A.

One Last Thing, Sales Professionals...Here's Some Advice

Industry conferences, like the AMPP Annual Conference + Expo offer a unique and invaluable opportunity for sales professionals to capitalize on business development opportunities and existing client growth. Please remember that for many, your company is investing thousands of dollars to have you attend and/or participate at the AMPP conference in New Orleans. So it's very fair to understand that your company is expecting a return-on-investment (ROI) by having you be the best sales professional that you were hired to be. So with all that I just laid out, here's why salespeople should be actively engaged in every conference:

1. Networking and Relationship Building: Conferences bring together a diverse audience of industry experts, potential clients, and partners. By attending, salespeople can forge meaningful connections, exchange ideas and business cards, and importantly establish rapport. These relationships often lead to long-lasting collaborations and potential future referrals.

2. Showcasing Your Brand: Exhibiting at a conference allows sales teams to showcase their brand prominently. A well-designed booth, compelling presentations, actively staffed and engaging booth demos creates a lasting impression on attendees. It's a chance to highlight your company's unique value proposition and offerings.

3. Industry Research and Feedback: Conferences provide a platform to test your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and gather feedback. Engaging with potential clients allows salespeople to understand pain points, preferences, and industry trends. This firsthand knowledge informs product development, marketing and validates sales strategies.

4. Learning from Industry Leaders: Keynote sessions and technical workshops feature industry subject-matter-experts (SMEs) and thought leaders. Sales professionals can gain insights into their sales techniques, and understanding market dynamics, and emerging trends. Learning from conference experience best enhances their development and selling skills and positions themselves as informed industry experts.

5. Pack Mentality and Peer Learning: Conferences foster a sense of community. The more attendees salespeople meet and speak with, the more valuable they become to their company's sales team. Understanding how their business fits into the larger industry and observing how other competitive companies run their sales process provides invaluable insights.

6. Pitching Potential Clients and Prospects: Conferences offer a captive audience of potential clients and prospects. Salespeople can deliver compelling pitches, showcase their products, and explore collaboration opportunities. It's a chance to turn prospect leads into loyal purchasing customers.

7. Leveraging Industry Media Exposure: Many conferences attract industry media attention. Sales teams can leverage this by scoring interviews with industry publications, participating in panel discussions, and gaining exposure through flexing their professional social media during conferences. Increased visibility translates to professional brand recognition and potential leads.

Please understand, industry conferences are not just about attending; they're about actively participating, networking, and leveraging every opportunity to drive sales growth. Proper pre-event planning, expense management, and strategic engagement can make these events immensely profitable and valuable for sales professionals and the companies that they work for.

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