Industry events are great opportunities for program managers to network, learn, and showcase their skills. However, they can also be overwhelming, time-consuming, and expensive. How can you make the most of your time at industry events and achieve your professional goals? Here are some tips to help you plan, prepare, and perform at any industry event.
Before you register for an event, ask yourself why you want to attend and what you hope to gain from it. Do you want to learn new skills, meet potential clients, find mentors, or promote your projects? Having a clear purpose will help you choose the right events, set realistic expectations, and measure your success. It will also help you craft your elevator pitch, which is a concise and compelling introduction of yourself and your work.
Know your purpose and have clear objectives for fulfilling your purpose. Know the value you bring and have an elevator pitch ready. It may come in handy.
Before the event, check out the schedule and decide which talks or sessions you want to attend. Planning beforehand ensures you don't miss out on interesting and helpful information that may be of interest to you, your work, or your company. At the event, focus on meeting and talking to new people, and building connections which can lead to valuable opportunities, and help you learn from others in your industry. After the event is over, reach out to the people you met. Send them a message to say it was nice meeting them and keep the connection open.
Sink into your UN-comfort zone. Try to make part of the event about rounding out your weaknesses. Do you talk too much? In a 1 hour happy hour, try to make 20 minutes about deep listening. Are you normally too quiet? try to make 20 minutes about fostering your ability to facilitate conversations. The more versed you are in event skills, the easier it will be to adapt to environments and turn on or off the necessary skills to achieve your goals at the appropriate moments.
Once you have decided on an event, do some research on the agenda, the speakers, the sponsors, and the attendees. Find out what topics are relevant, what challenges are common, and what opportunities are available. This will help you identify your target audience , prepare relevant questions, and tailor your messages. You can also use social media, online forums, or event apps to connect with other participants, ask for recommendations, or arrange meetings.
There is a subtle difference between knowing my stuff and researching 'what I will speak'. The second approach is a profound one. Because it pushes us to think about the content, the choice of words, the representation in terms of fonts and colors, the stage, the audience and the timing. TedEx speakers are well aware of all these facts. They research everything to practice which turns out to be a successful speech.
Identify your goals: What do you hope to achieve at the event? Learn about new trends? Network with potential vendors? Find inspiration for your current project? Defining your goals will help you prioritize your time and activities. Target relevant sessions: Scour the event schedule and identify sessions, workshops, and keynotes that align with your goals. Don't just pick the most popular ones! Look for specific topics or speakers that resonate with your current challenges or interests. Map out the floor plan: Familiarize yourself with the venue layout. Locate the sessions you want to attend, booths of potential vendors or partners, and networking areas. This will save you precious time navigating the crowds.
Even if you do nothing else before attending an industry event - do this. Aside from speakers and sponsors, try and find out who's going if you can, and reach out in advance to anyone you're particularly keen to connect with, to organise a coffee or meal on the sidelines (whether the purpose for your meeting is directly related to the event or not!). Even better - proactively reach out to people in your network who you've perhaps not been in touch with as often as you would like, to see if they are also attending. Or think about who might live in the same city as the event, who you could meet up with in person at the end of the event/in the evenings/for breakfast before it starts. Rekindling professional connections is always a good thing!
A few days before the event, research a handful of individuals you'd like to personally meet and make it a point to meet them and take your conversation from there. Another best practice is if you know the speakers, attendees beforehand you and add them to LinkedIn and make a preliminary connection/introduction before.
Industry events can be packed with sessions, workshops, panels, and networking activities. To avoid missing out on anything important, plan your schedule ahead of time. Prioritize the sessions that align with your purpose, interest, and skill level. Leave some gaps for breaks, networking, and unexpected opportunities. Also, check the event location, transportation, and accommodation options. Plan your travel and budget accordingly.
In planning what to attend, don’t think merely of what interests you - or your org now, but what are the areas you need to know better or learn more. Beyond networking, these events are incredibly development opportunities - and the learning you gain and relationships you make can influence your strategy and positioning. They provide a safe space to get out of your comfort zone; use them!
So important! This, and the previous step are the two most critical parts of attending an industry event. If you're lucky enough to be attending as a team - take the "divide and conquer" approach to split the team up to attend parallel sessions, then regroup afterwards to debrief.
To make a good impression and stay organized at industry events, you need to bring some essentials. These include your business cards, your resume or portfolio, your laptop or tablet, your charger or power bank, and your notebook or planner. You may also want to bring some snacks, water, mints, and tissues. Make sure you dress professionally, comfortably, and appropriately for the event.
You can optimize your experience at industry events by setting clear objectives, actively engaging in sessions, and networking strategically. While the goal may be increased businesss don't lead with that, be present and let it happen organically. If there are key learnings or takeaways leverage various forums afterwards to connect and share to make an event greater impact.
I find qr code business cards that link to LinkedIn or a linktree a great way to remember the names. As someone with a neurodiversity it can be difficult to keep track and this makes it a lot easier. I would also take a pen. Sounds simple but you can write key prompts on business cards you give out or receive to trigger the memory of the discussion.
The key to maximizing your time at industry events is to engage actively with the content and the people. Attend the sessions that interest you, ask questions, share insights, and take notes. Participate in the workshops, exercises, and games that challenge you, teach you, and inspire you. Network with the speakers, the sponsors, and the attendees that can help you, support you, and collaborate with you. Be respectful, curious, and open-minded.
In my experience, actively engaging with other attendees significantly enhances the value of industry events. During a product launch event, I found that participating in Q&A sessions, joining panel discussions, and networking breaks provided opportunities to connect with key industry players. Actively seeking out conversations, sharing insights, and being open to new perspectives not only enriched my experience but also expanded my professional network.
Maximizing time in the industry reflects on my active engagement in all programs, activities,and responsibilities with full accountability and professionalism.
Genuinely enjoying the event makes it more attractive for others to seek out your company and network with you. Sitting with people you don't know open up opportunities to share observations and get to know them in a more natural way.
Engagement is the art of leaving lasting impressions. I'm sure conceptualy this is very popular in sales. Every exchange, whether in conversation or the actual work, shapes the narrative of our impact. Being mindful of this dynamic allows us to intentionally craft the impressions we leave behind.
After the event, don't let your connections and learnings go to waste. Follow up promptly with the people you met, thank them for their time, and remind them of your conversation. Send them your contact details, your portfolio, or any relevant resources. Invite them to connect on social media, join your network, or schedule a meeting. Also, review your notes, reflect on your experience, and identify your action steps. Apply what you learned, share what you gained, and celebrate what you achieved.
In my experience, sending personalized follow-up emails or messages shortly after the event helped solidify relationships. Whether it's expressing gratitude, sharing additional insights, or scheduling a follow-up meeting, prompt communication ensures that the connections made during the event are leveraged.
In my experience, following up within a short time frame (ie. 1-2 days) with the people you connected with by sending them a personalized email (if you have it) or LinkedIn request to connect. Highlight 1-2 items you enjoyed, learned, etc. from the connection.
Don't just meet people to meet them, try to make a genuine connection so once you meet them, and follow up, you create long lasting relationships and you can be a part of each other's network.