Ten Tips for Building Your Case for Attending the 46th Annual Bank & Capital Markets Tax Institute

1. Focus on the issues at hand. Write down three to five strategies or issues you need information to help you do your job. Then explore the Conference session schedule and make a list of the sessions that will help you address these immediate challenges.
2. Highlight legislation that is taking place in 2011 and the need for compliance with it. 2011-2012 is shaping up to be the year of tax reform and legislation for financial institutions. You need to hear directly from government agencies responsible for creating and interpreting the law.
3. Call attention to the longevity and credibility of the Annual BTI. As the nation’s longest conference in the industry, the Annual BTI offers a comprehensive, time-intensive learning environment. Attending it is much more cost-effective and time-efficient than participating in multiple seminars or Webinars because you get all of the information you need in one place at one time.
4. Demonstrate your return on attendance. Given the high cost of providing benefits, you can realistically quantify savings realized through education. Cite the numerous speakers, sessions and the up to 23.5 anticipated CPE credits you will receive by attending this event.
5. Build a networking list. The Annual BTI is your unmatched source for networking, bringing together nearly 400 your peers who serve as tax managers, accountants and other financial managers in banking institutions. Make note of speakers, exhibitors, industry representatives or other attendee groups you would like to meet, share strategies with or learn new techniques from.
6. Talk up the takeaways. The Annual BTI provides information you can put into action when you return to the office. And, you can bring back ideas or solutions from the industry’s leading service providers and consultants active at the conference.
7. Emphasize the value of long-range planning. Learn skills that will have a lasting effect on your role as a financial professional. List the sessions that will help you improve plan, save your company money and fulfill compliance requirements.
8. Offer to share handouts and present what you have learned. Immediately after the conference, write a short summary of what you learned and who you met at the conference, and how you will use the information you received and the contacts you made to improve your plan. Offer to deliver a short presentation, distribute speaker handouts, and conduct a question-and-answer session with your board, colleagues or members to share what you’ve learned.
9. Register early for lowest registration, hotel and airfare rates. As with all BTI conferences, you can save by signing up before the early registration deadline of September 16 or look for discounts in our email promotions. Early registration will also ensure a larger variety of airfare and negotiated hotel room rate options. (See budget-conscious planning tips section for more information.) Register online here.
10. State your case. Use provided suggestions, full conference session outlines, testimonials from industry leaders, and the list of attending organizations to write a statement for making your case for attending.