Preparation And Packing For CMB Momentum

September 9th - 12th

CHRISTIAN MUSIC BROADCASTERS (CMB) MOMENTUM conference kicks off next week, and radio folks from all points of the globe will descend on the DISNEY YACHT & BEACH CLUB CONVENTION CENTER, SEPTEMBER 9th - 12th,  for networking, education, breakouts, killer concerts, and much more.

What must one know in order to fully cash in on all that MOMENTUM has to offer?  That list is long.  But the top five skills to master before you get to CMB MOMENTUM, are:

1. The radar handshake - Smile, look them in the eye, grab the hand, shake, look over their left shoulder for your next conquest, shake, look over their right shoulder for someone more famous, shake, glance behind you to make SURE you're not missing someone, shake, release the hand.  Then move along before the conversation gets too personal.
2. The cursory nametag glance - start the handshake (see #1) and quickly but deftly glance at their nametag to determine name, job, city or ANYTHING that you can reference to make it seem like you remember the details of meeting them last year.  If you get caught glancing, just say you're shocked they haven't been promoted yet and needed to confirm that horrendous oversight before you could accept it as fact.  It's referred to as cursory because you mutter a couple under your breath when you can't read the nametag fast enough.
3. The popular table dance - seeing someone you know who waves you over to the seat that they've saved for you at their table, but knowing you have a BETTER offer at table #27.  Juking, jiving and dodging seating/visiting/catching-up requests can be treacherous with both food and feelings squarely in your hands.  But the reputation you save may be your own.  Choose wisely.  You've only got one chance to make an impression on the people who see who YOU are sitting and laughing with!
4. The sincere swag grab - looking like you're really interested in hearing about the story/promotion/single BEHIND the swag, when you're REALLY just supremely focused on getting to the next swag station as soon as humanly possible before they run out of re-giftable giveaways.  Those "bring me something back from Orlando" requests can get EXPENSIVE if you aren't adept at THIS skill.
5. Acoustic Exit positioning - the art of determining exactly which door will be opened to hand out the Disney tickets on Friday, and picking a chair as close to that prime position as possible.  Only the most inexperienced newbies stand in that horrendously long, constipated line and are forced to board the buses under the watchful eyes of practiced exit positioners.

Side note: mentioning that your handicapped grandmother who's last wish to meet Prince VALIANT would be so much easier to grant if they'd give you one EXTRA pass to Disney will probably fall on deaf ears....because there's no such thing as Prince VALIANT.  Get your characters, story and facial expression straight before you get to the front of the line.

Extra side note:  a little Visine placed discreetly in one eye just seconds before making your request for extra pass(es) has been known to help (so I've been told).   But don't let them see the Visine bottle.  Rookie mistake, and grounds for the walk of shame, including repossession of your Fast Pass.  Which is a fate worse than death.  Imagine standing in the LINE waiting for the ride while all your friends/cool kids/& THAT guy run screaming and laughing by you as they race to the lead car.  Their pitiful glances toward you will only serve to drive the knife deeper.  It's situations just like this that caused Disney to remove the Hari Kari attraction.  Too many takers due to Fast Pass omission envy.

So what deft MOMENTUM skill have we not covered?  Several have been intentionally omitted to allow your wisdom and experience to shine through.  Please share them in the comments below, so no one is forced to endure the shame of being singled out as a Rookie.

Remember, practice makes perfect.  And if all else fails, just be authentic!  Engage, be equipped, and leave energized!   Love God, love people.

For a full MOMENTUM schedule, visit CMBonline.org.  See you at MOMENTUM!

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