The Secrets to Attending Conferences so You Can Come Away with More Than Just Free Pens

Fellow blogger David Dalka's recent post, SES San Jose - Conference Networking Tip, inspired me to take his conference tip a step further.  As David mentions, he brings an extension cord so that he can provide extra plugs for anyone who can't find one of the scarce power outlets at an event.  Very creative idea David!

So, below are some more secrets to attending conferences so you can come away with more than just free stuff.  The key to attending conferences is to build relationships not to come home with as many free pens, key chains, mints, etc. as you can.

Plan Ahead

Take the time to study the conference information ahead of time.  Review the agenda and anything else that you find about the conference. Most conferences have Websites devoted to them so make sure that you thoroughly review all of the information so you know what will be talked about and who may be there. Take a good look at who will be speaking and the topics so you can focus your efforts on certain sessions.  It is impossible to attend everything so pick the most relevant ones for you.  You want to make sure that you leave time for open networking so don't spend the entire time sitting down.

Once you have a good idea of what to expect, contact the organizer to ask additional questions about the format and what types of people show up.  If this is a repeat conference, then the organizer should have plenty of information to share.  Also, ask the organizer if there are any sessions or opportunities that he/she suggests where you can meet the people you are looking for.

Also, study who will be exhibiting so you know who you should target.  This will save you a lot of time so you don't have to walk aimlessly.  In addition, come armed with questions or points of discussion with the firms that you would like to talk to.  You will stand out because most people will not do this ahead of time.

Once you have all of this information, then you will be better prepared to attend a conference. The last thing you want to do is spend time at the conference figuring out what you want to.  Time is precious so don't waste it.

Offer Your Services

When you talk to the organizer, ask how you can help out.  Most conferences need as many bodies as possible to help.  Make sure that you contact the organizer well in advance of the conference date so you can help with any of the planning.  In addition, ask how you can help out the day of as well.

Most of the time, the organizer will tap you to help out.  Volunteering your time is one of the best ways to connect with various individuals on a more intimate basis.  If you help with planning, then you are working together with people to achieve a common goal, which is a great way to build relationships.  In addition, you are potentially exposed to some very influential people such as the speakers, sponsors, or other executives. 

Helping out the day of, whether it is at registration or directing traffic flow, is another way to get exposed to lots of people.  The great thing about helping out is that you will be able to attend the conference for free!  After awhile, attending trade shows and events can add up.

Work the Room

While attending sessions is one of the reasons you come to a conference, make sure that you work the room as well.  My experience at most conferences is that the talks don't give you much more details than you already know.  So, I don't come away with too much new information.  With that said, take the time to meet the speakers and the attendees.  After all, part of what makes a conference a success is having various people in one setting.

Treat a conference like any other networking event by introducing yourself to people.  Don't be shy about this because everyone is there to meet people.  Not only should you work the room in the sessions, but also work the room with the booths.  As I mentioned above, spend the time studying the materials so you know who will be speaking and exhibiting.  That way, you can maximize your time and only focus on the topics and booths that will get you closer to meeting the people you would like to meet.

Also, most conferences have pre or post receptions.  Make an effort to attend these because you never know who you will meet.  Receptions can provide a more laid back environment so can potentially have a chance to talk to more people at these functions then at the conferences.  Also, it shouldn't be too hard to start a conversation because you are all there for the same reason - to learn and meet people.  Use the conference as a conversation starter.

Host Your Own Post Conference Event

A creative idea that I learned from Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time, is to host your own post conference event.

Keith suggests that you should pick a location afterwards to get people together.  So, as you are meeting people, tell them that you have organized a post conference event.  You don't need to make this very formal.  Your goal is to get people together so you can build some additional relationships.

One of the great things about conferences is that many of the attendees are from out of town so they may not have plans after the conference.  By playing host, you are giving them something to do and making a name for yourself. 

With networking, you need to always find ways to connect with people. Keith's suggestion is a very creative and effective method.

What other methods have you used to connect with people at conferences?

Comments

[Dr. Pete]

My former company was in event services, and this is all great advice. I especially agree with offering to help; events always need more help, and it's amazingly easy to get involved. Even becoming a speaker at some events is shockingly easy, and any involvement not only helps you meet people, but it builds credibility.

I would also highly recommend solid follow-up. Even salespeople are notoriously bad with following up on tradeshow/conference leads. Touch base with people about 3 days after you get home (give them time to get home as well) and, where possible, share resources from the event they might not have picked up (or just give them a couple of insights you had).

[Jason Jacobsohn]

Thanks Pete. I agree that follow-up is very important. Most people don't follow up so if you do this, you will stand out. Thanks for the reminder of how important this is. Without proper follow-up, the relationships that you have begun to build won't mean anything.

[Oliver Picher]

Jason,
These are all great ideas. I especially like the suggestion of holding your own post-conference event. If done right, it would really reinforce your personal brand and influence.

The idea of holding your own "mini-event" reminded me of something I've done at a few of the conferences that my employer either sponsored or hosted. (I was director of public relations, so my goal here was to get good stories about our company, but the effort turned out to be an excellent tool for networking.)

I would create an invitation-only roundtable that focused on a "burning topic" that people would want to discuss and that my target magazine would want to write about. Then I would comb through the attendee list to find people with the right background and right title, and I would invite 8 or 10 of them to join the roundtable. I would also engage some of my company's executives to be on the roundtable.

The resulting discussions were eye-opening, and the attendees would thank me afterwards for setting up the meeting and involving them in it. Here's what was really great about the roundtables: our company made customers out of several of the companies that participated in the roundtables!

There is no reason something similar couldn't be done even without a reporter present (might actually be better). The trick is to have a really HOT topic that will engage people, get the right people to attend, and then plan, plan, plan for how to keep the discussion exciting (have 8 to 10 open-ended questions to throw out for discussion, and have a pithy point of view -- backed up by research -- on a few key areas).

[Jason Jacobsohn]

Thanks Oliver for sharing what you did in the past. It sounds like it was a very effective technique to generate leads and ultimately some new clients. Roundtable discussions can be a great way for people to connect and share stories. Part of the reason these work so well is that they are peer based.