It can take time to remember everything you need, everything you want to learn and everything you want to accomplish, when attending conferences, so we’ve created this conference game plan that should get you up and running, to make the most out of a conference.
Pre-game
Create your own game plan for what you want to achieve. Review the conference agenda and map out the most relevant sessions you want to attend. Schmooze social media to see who’s attending and connect with them. Finally get your kit ready, which may include; pens, paper, your laptop and charger, business cards, water, an energy bar or two and the conference pack with details, maps and social media handles so you can get visible online talking about the conference.
Game
If you can, show up early, get registered and relax before the event really kicks off. Some conferences may have a breakfast networking hour, which can be the perfect opportunity to meet speakers before they’re inundated with questions after the main conference. After the main conference, you may experience your energy flagging, so whip out that energy bar and get to work on networking and attending those smaller seminar sessions.
“Teamwork makes the dream work” … tackle the conference with a colleague. Especially if you’re attending a large conference, you may not be able to hit all speaker seminars which could leave you missing out. Bring someone with you so you can divide and conquer the sessions and networking.
Post-game
After the craziness is over, take out your pre-game game plan and reflect on what you’ve accomplished. This way you can easily map out anything you’ve missed and make a note of learning points to remember for your next conference. You can also use this when updating colleagues about your findings from the conference.
It’s also important to follow up with contacts you’ve met, so connect with them and continue the discussion.
To discover more about conferences at The Mermaid London click here
Since conferences and networking go hand-in-hand, we’ve also created 3 top tips for successful networking… read here
