Conference Preparation

I’m Attending a Conference – How Should I Prepare?

And Actually get ROI

Conferences can be a strategic pillar of your business plan. But it’s important that each of the attendees knows their roles for the event and the definition of “success” for both themselves, and for the organization.

Start with Strategy (Ideally at least 60 days in advance):

Before any tactical planning, clarify your purpose. 

• Why this event? What value does leadership hope to generate? 

• What’s worked (or flopped) before? If anyone from your team has attended before seek insight that might help you maximize the opportunity. 

• What’s Included? Review all the attendee or sponsor benefits like attendee lists, facilitated meetings, or the chance to add an item to welcome bags.

• Nail down logistics. Coordinate travel and hotel plans early, especially if your firm limits the number of employees that can be on the same travel itinerary.

Move into Planning Mode:

Start putting your strategy in to action.

• Define success before you arrive. Even if you don’t know what to expect, start with some criteria for “was it worth it”. Otherwise, it’s very easy to fall victim to confirmation bias – zoning in on what you wanted to see rather than what actually drives impact.

If your objective may be to network with colleagues, you may set an activity goal to connect with 5 existing contacts and establish 5 new ones. If you need to get CE Credits and stay up on the changes in your industry, activity goal may be to attend 6 sessions. 

• Get your bearings. Get a sense of the conference structure, flow, and offerings. Are there different agenda tracks? Breakout sessions? Facilitated meetings? For future Proof, the Break thru meetings are where a lot of the magic is. 15 minutemeetings, where both parties have “opted in”. So your chances of getting into a conversation that feels like a Timeshare pitch are minimal. But the meeting process starts several weeks before the conference, so it’s important to pay attention to deadlines.

• Master the agenda. As soon as the agenda is available, start looking at session you’d want to prioritize. Some popular sessions may fill up, so plan to arrive early. If you’re attending with colleagues, there may be an opportunity to divide and conquer, attending different sessions and comparing notes afterwards. You can also ask if sessions will be recorded for viewing later. 

• Work your lists. If you’re able to access an attendee list in advance, take the time to comb through for people you may want to connect with. When possible, reach out in advance to book a meet up.

It’s Go Time!

You’ve done the prep work, now make the most of it.

• Download the app. Take the time to complete your profile, including a photo. It’s much easier for people to find you if they know what you look like.

• Bring your brand. I’ve carried a large, lemon-yellow tote bag to conference for the last 7 years. It’s memorable and stands out in a crowd – helpful when you’re 5’2”.Whether it’s a lanyard full of buttons, a bowtie, or a signature color, find a fun (and tasteful) way to be memorable.

• Take notes. Phone, notebook, tablet, whatever. Write notes at the panel session, after networking meetings, after cocktail hour. Who you met, what you talked about, if you agreed to connect later. You won’t remember it all, so make it a little easier for your future self to follow up.

Note: Watch out for NSFW behaviors.

While conferences often have fun activities and fabulous locations built in, remember that it’s still a professional event. No amount of money can buy back a tarnished reputation, so be intentional as you head to (or back to your hotel room from) happy hour.

A Final Thought. With a little strategy and prep work, conferences can stop being just busy days on your calendar and start being a meaningful investment for yourbusiness and yourself.