When choosing a conference to attend look at it from the following perspectives:
1) the educational benefits provided
2) the opportunities to make business contacts and network
3) the opportunities for business growth.
For educational benefits: Always look to learn something for your own professional enhancement was well as to streamline your business practices and writing processes. I look for educational benefits from each meeting I attend.
For business contacts: Seek to make new business contacts as well as to reconnect with established contacts. I choose meetings which provide these opportunities.
For business growth: New business usually comes from developing and maintaining business relationships. Meetings that encourage sharing of business information can be a valuable place to do this.
To get the most out of meetings, go to the meeting with goals in mind. I ask myself to fill in the following sentences:
- This meeting will be successful if…..
- My goal for this meeting is….
Answering these sentences will help you develop goals for the meeting.
- I always get more out of meetings when I have goals.
- I always try to speak or participate in the meeting, if possible. This will increase your visibility and the number of potential contacts you can meet.
- I plan my meetings ahead of time-reviewing the meeting information to see what sessions will be most educational for me at that particular time.
- If possible, review the attendee list to see who you might want to meet. Try to connect with at least 3 people a day at a meeting, depending on the meeting.
Try these tips to get more out of meetings–both national and local ones!