Top 5 Things to Consider When Attending An Event
That being said, with time constraints and sometimes even budgetary concerns, one does have to pick and choose the events to attend. There are a few questions I ask myself when I'm deciding on whether or not an event is for me, and I'd love to share my top five with you:
I'm a small business owner, like many of you who are our readers, and so I have to be strategic when it comes to getting the word out about what I offer. Just like you, I want to provide the best service to the people who are looking for my gifts and talents, and I want to make it amazingly easy for them to find me. If i'm attending an event where there is an opportunity for making high quality connections with people who may need my services, people who may be great partners for collaboration and people that I can refer to or use their services, then I would chose that event. It's interesting: You could attend an event where you collect 500 business cards and not make one true connection and then there are those events, where the mood has already been set for collaboration and sharing of ideas and resources. In those environments, even if you only make one connection, it could be the one that sustains your business for years and years to come.
#4 The investment and value - Quality VS quantity
Did I mention that I go to a lot of events? In October of every year, we set up a budget for events for the following year. I have to balance among the mandatory CME credited events, events for certifications and or training as well as business growth and personal development. There are a lot of events to chose among and prices can range from less than $100 to a few thousand dollars. When allocating budget, I usually consider the return on the investment: Am I going to connect with resources that will translate to business growth? It could be hearing a speaker on a topic that helps me perform better in life/ business, I could learn a new skill, or it could be knowing I have the opportunity to make connections I wouldn't otherwise make. At the end of the day, making the decision for me is more about the quality of the event and less about the price tag. I'd rather go to two events that fulfill my most important needs than attend 10 just to fill my networking calendar.
#3 Workshop Vs Lecture - Getting my hands in the clay
One of my favorite mentors says: "Words don't teach but experience is worth everything." This sums up how I learn. I suppose sitting in a lecture style situation is OK, however if I am really hoping to integrate something, to really be able to go back into the office on the following day and start implementing, then having some hands on workshop style learning is truly helpful for me. That explains why when I'm looking at choosing events to attend, if i'm planning on learning something, then workshops are my choice.
#2 Presenters and organizers - Who on earth are these people anyway?
You want to know that the people who are teaching you something actually know what they are talking about. They don't have to be the biggest names in the business. The truth is some of the best events I've been to have featured people i'd never heard about before and who I continue to follow to this day because they are just outstanding. That being said, in order for me to appreciate their credibility, they need to have a strong resume in the area that they are speaking on. Even though it obviously helps the decision if I've seen them speak before, if the conference provides a way for you to get to know the newer speakers ahead of the event through articles, free gifts, videos, webinars and that sort of thing, then I can more easily make my decision about attending. There are also some conferences that I make an effort to attend every year. I trust the organizers because over the years, they have brought us quality, fresh, new topical information and experiences. I actually look forward to the next one once the last one is done!
#1 Focus of the event - Do I even care about this topic?
I'm a physician and optimal life coach, who runs her own business. Whew! That really broadens the scope of the types of conferences and events that I will attend. But, while I might start doing my happy dance when I see that there is a conference on the Neurological Benefits of Low Level Laser Therapy, (An actual conference I attended last year by the way, ) you might not feel that same interest. So truly, in my opinion, the most important thing that I consider when choosing a conference is: Does it float my boat? Is the focus of the event something that is important to me. I've discovered though that sometimes you get value where you never expected it, so keep an open mind. I'll give an example: last year I attended an event focused on social media influencers. I went because it was what all the cool kids were doing, but I wasn't expecting much. Was I wrong, I learned so much about social media in general and about the exactly how to work with an influencer, in a way that translated to value in my business. Meanwhile, that marketing seminar that had all the big name speakers, well, lets say I could have just dusted off my marketing 101 text book... Nothing new to see there.
#BONUS - The Fun Factor
Is the event fun? I know what you are thinking: "Why is fun even a consideration, I mean we are talking conferences here!" I understand where you are coming from, I truly do. And I will just say this: If I have to chose between two equivalent events, I'm choosing the one that looks like more fun. Sure we are grown ups and business focused, but our lives are so much richer when we spend more time being happy, having fun and looking for high vibration activities to participate in.
The bottom line is, If you are looking to advance your business you are going to want to make room in your budget for conferences and events. If you chose wisely, looking at the focus of the event, the presenters and organizers, the style, the investment and the opportunities for connection, then you can make your conference budget show significant return.
Here are some events I plan on attending soon:
- Ladies Power Lunch Presents: Transformation 2020 (Full disclosure, this is my event so I've got to be there. I invite you to attend upcoming LPL events : just click here for information!)
- The Art Of Showing Up (Already got my ticket and it was soooo good last time that I got tickets for friends as well!)
- eWomen Success Summitt (Also already got my ticket!)
Happy networking. See you out there.
CHO Ladies Power Lunch
(CHO = Chief Happiness Officer)
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