10 Things to Maximize your Return on Attending a Conference

By Kimberley King

Let’s face it.  It is a real investment to attend an industry conference.  On top of the registration fees, travel, hotel and meal costs, it’s also time away from the office and the disruption to your schedule.  That said, if you take the time to prepare in advance, you can reap some pretty incredible rewards from your time spent in sessions. I loved this article below because it really sets a conference goer up for success before, during and after the event.  With this checklist in hand, you are already ahead of the conference attendee game! If you send staff to conferences, or plan conferences, this is an excellent list to share as well.

Here’s my top three tips! (Read all 10 here)

  1. It’s important to tie up loose ends, finish tasks, projects and deadlines so that you can go away clear minded and caught up. Whatever can wait until you return, let it wait.
  2. Make sure you prepare your “professional branding statement” when someone asks, “What do you do?” One sentence that opens the door and offers them something they can remember about you.
  3. Sort out your cards and the connections you have made. I usually plan about 4 days after a conference to follow up with specific people I have met and include some specific things we talked about via email and phone.

I block time in my calendar when I return from an event to make sureI take full advantage of my connections!