How to make the most of conferences

Conference attendance can be a big part of your travel budget, and with these being limited at times, it’s important to make the most of the opportunity. Here we list a few pointers to help you focus.

• List five things you hope to learn. Select sessions to attend or trade booths to visit, preferably before you get to the conference itself . If coworkers are attending too, coordinate with them so that, as a group, you’ll cover more.
• List people you want to meet – attendees, speakers, media and exhibitors – and jot down questions you want to ask them. Pack lots of business cards.
• Focus on reaching the objective you set on your various lists. Record one to three ideas you get from each session you attend or speech you hear. Seek out those you wanted to meet. Talk with as many new people as possible, and exchange business cards with everyone you meet. It can be useful to write on the back of their business card the topics you discussed as a reminder.
• Digest new ideas into one page and share it with coworkers. File all the business cards you gathered. Follow up on promises made to send materials, or call.

Try at least one new idea in your working practice.