Attending industry events and conferences is critical for professional development and continuing education. Trade shows and conferences provide marketers and IT professionals an opportunity to see the latest innovations, listen to subject-matter experts, and network with their peers. Our team attended Apps World last month in San Francisco, CA and we are at MarketingSherpa’s Email Summit in Las Vegas, NV this week. Here are a few tips on how to extract the most value from an event.
DO have specific questions
Your company spends substantial resources for you to attend a conference. Make sure you come back armed with information, ideas to test, and new process improvements to immediately implement. This is accomplished by taking the time to identify two to three specific challenges that you want to learn how to overcome. Naming your purpose ensures a focused pursuit, reducing the time to discover new methods to increase productivity and project results.
DO be proactive in seeking answers
Upper management will frown if you return to the office without any key takeaways. Blaming it on the conference’s poor sessions, speakers, and exhibit booths will only further infuriate your boss. Rather, think of yourself as an investigative reporter, where leads can come from a variety of sources. Strive to build your own expert panels based on your specific questions. In addition to their excellent advice, they become lookouts in search of recommendations even after the event.
DON’T judge fellow attendees
It is easy to make assumptions that a peer in another industry (e.g. B2B, B2C or Non-Profit) will not understand your challenges. However, in most professions the basic challenges are the same. Look to learn from a company’s successful approach and be inspired to use similar tactics, slightly adjusted for your organizations requirements. Likewise, don’t allow titles to hinder your quest. A corporate executive can learn just as much from a junior marketer as he or she can from another Chief Marketing Officer.
DON’T exclude exhibitors
Yes, the salesperson’s goal is to capture your contact information and expose you to their product’s latest features. Nevertheless, try turning the tables and ask the questions, “Why do your customers need this feature?”, “Can you give me an example of when to use this widget?” or “I want to do this, how would you advise one of your clients?”. Salespeople value customer relationships. The knowledge they gain in serving their clients is the information they relay when conversations go off the sales script. These case history tidbits may lead to a breakthrough for your team.
DON’T be afraid to speak with presenters
Not every public speaker is like Kristin Zhivago, who interviews attendees weeks prior to giving any kind of speech. However, your conference lecturer will welcome the opportunity to know what is on the minds of his or her audience in the moments leading up to their presentation. Take the chance to learn directly from a subject-matter expert. Typically, the presenter will end up putting more emphasis on the topic of your conversation during his or her speech.
DO filter the information you collect
Conference attendees routinely return to the office with a combination of notes, tweets, S.W.A.G., and sponsored literature. Stand out among your peers by taking the time before you go to create an outline for the information you wish to gather. Examples of information to save include:
- Overview: Note the industry trends, challenges, best practices and omitted issues related to your objectives
- Specific solutions: Assemble the strategy, tactics, resource requirements, timeline, and expectations to carry out the resolution
- New networks: Gather contact information and conversation highlights; consider follow up actions and timing (e.g. thank you notes)
- Resources: Compile best-in-class examples, website addresses, and titles of training workshops or books referenced at the conference
- To-do list: Write down the tasks you plan to do immediately
Deliver and share information quickly
With the content fresh in your mind, meet with your team and communicate what you learned. Next, create the momentum needed to implement new ideas and improve your organization by taking immediate action with the items on your to-do list.
We hope these tips help make your next trip to a conference more productive. Disagree with this list, or have an addition? Share your approach to gathering information from industry events by posting a comment below.
Image by GDC Europe via Flicker
Speak Your Mind