Twelve Ways to Get More from Events

Attending conferences and workshops relevant to your business is one of the highest return activities you can spend time and money on, provided you approach it right. There is nothing like a live event and the decisive action statement of stepping away from your daily surroundings to put you in your growth zone.

Here are 12 strategies I use to make the most out of every event I attend.

1. Be strategic about the events you attend – In your corporate career, you most likely had a training and development plan that was developed by your supervisor. You might also have had events that you attended purely for marketing your employer and networking with others in your line of work. Being in your own business is no different, except that you are responsible for creating your own plan.  So, set your goals for the next year and make a plan. Look at what you need to learn, as well as the events that attract the kind of people that fit your target market. And remember, your target market isn’t just your clients! Connecting with other business owners who your services complement and can be valuable sources of referrals is just as important. Whichever way you approach it, put a dollar value on it to put it into perspective. Many business owners, especially in the start-up stage, talk themselves out of going to events like this because of cost. But spending $2,000 for example to meet contacts that lead to $20,000 in business over the next 12-18 months is a sound investment, don’t you agree? If you are strategic and you follow through, this isn’t an expense, it’s a down payment on future revenue.
2. Once you’ve committed, find out who’s going – Do your homework before you leave. Make a list of who you intend to meet. Today many events are posted on LinkedIn and Facebook, and it’s possible to see who else is planning to go.  If you don’t know who, then identify your criteria for the type of person you want to connect with. Are you looking for prospective clients? Seeking someone to partner with on a project? Looking for someone who has a valuable resource your clients need? Be definite and choosy too.
3. Start networking before you get there – Connect with the people on your list. Send them a message through Facebook or Twitter, or email. Try to line up a phone call. Note: this has an awesome side benefit if you tend to be shy; you’ll already know someone when you get to the event.
4. Put your best foot forward – Take a fresh look at your business cards, website and other marketing materials and see if they are current and represent you well. The people you meet are going to check it out, so it had better be up to date and professional. The same goes for the obvious personal stuff, like you r appearance. You don’t have to go out and buy a new wardrobe, but dress neatly and professionally.
5. Take material with you – You’ll need lots of business cards. Consider printing a special run with your photo on it. Especially when you attend large conferences, it’s hard to put a face to the name later. With the fast and inexpensive print services like Vista Print out there now, you can economically do a custom business card for special purposes like this. Make sure yours has your name, email, phone, website, and your social media links (your name on Twitter, Facebook etc.)
6. Use your travel time to catch up – You know all those audio downloads,  business articles and books you’ve been saving? Spend your travel time catching up. You can pick up a tiny MP3 player for next to nothing that plugs right into your computer USB port. Listening to audio programs is a great way to get into the training mindset and uses your travel time productively. If you have a laptop computer you can access all of that reading material too, just set some time aside before you leave to put it all in one place.
7. Keep your eye on the ball – You’ll be hearing a lot of concepts, and at a really good conference, there will be more than you can possibly handle at once. Make notes in the margins of your materials, or bring those little tab Post-Its (I love 3M) to mark the good ideas for later. Don’t discount them because you feel they’re unattainable, or beyond your level. Remember, you might not be there yet, but you’ll get there eventually.
8. Start an idea list - As ideas, even the crazy ones, pop up (and they will) write them down in ONE place. Capture them! Some of these off-the-top ideas end up being the best, you just might not see it yet.
9. Stay an extra couple of days – I make it a point to build in some solo time right after the event ends to absorb what I’ve learned and combine it with some rest and relaxation. Stay an extra night or two in the hotel, or move to somewhere else nearby. The cost is minuscule and the benefit is huge!
10. Make an action plan right away – It is amazing how many people invest hundreds or thousands of dollars in conferences, and immediately go back to business as usual on “Monday”. Don’t do this! Go back to your idea list and your bookmarks, and put your plan in play immediately. Decide what piece of learning or good idea you want to pursue, identify what you need to do and get it on your calendar and in process right away.
11. Have a follow up plan – You know all those people you met? Get in touch right away. Because the majority of people don’t do this, you’re automatically going to stand out. Write a follow up letter template before you go and have it ready to personalize when you get back. Or, delegate this to your virtual assistant if you have one. Make the letter more than a simple hello by having a call to action. For example, if it’s a potential client, invite them to join your mailing list, connect with you on Facebook, or schedule a free consultation (whatever is most pertinent for you right now). If it’s a potential joint venture partner, invite them to let you know how you can help them, and what you’ve got going on that might complement them. These are just examples, but you get the idea.
12. Protect your zone! – The worst thing that can happen is to feel the euphoria and positive energy of an event, and have it crash the minute you go back to your usual routine. This is why I recommend you define action steps to keep that momentum going, following up with people who you met and setting aside time on your schedule each week just for learning and connecting. Hold on to that possibility you glimpsed, and don’t let it go. Protect your time, and stay in that space. It’s where the magic happens.

Want to use this article? You can as long as you include this footer: Sherri Garrity is the Chief Corporate Fugitive and creator of the Five Keys Success System^TM for ex-corporate employees and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to break free from the confines of their corporate experience and  live outside of the ordinary. The Corporate Fugitive system demystifies the business of setting up, managing, marketing and growing a successful and extraordinary business. Visit www.corporatefugitive.com for information and step-by-step resources to take you from overwhelmed employee to extraordinary entrepreneur.