One of my favorite ways to network with colleagues and keep up with new trends in my industry is to attend conferences. Listening to interesting keynote speakers, going to educational breakout sessions, spending time with like-minded peers, and browsing the vendors on an Expo floor are just a few highlights. But conferences often come with a hefty price tag. Registration fees and travel expenses can quickly add up. While these costs are often a wise investment in professional development, most of us look for ways to economize.
Here are a few ideas on how to attend industry conferences on a shoestring budget:
- Register with the "Early-Bird" pricing. Most conference registration fees have tiered pricing structures, with significant discounts for registering early. This may mean months (or even a full year) in advance! If you have your eye on attending a certain conference, make note of when the registration opens to capitalize on these early-bird discounts.
- Attend with a group. Most conferences also offer a discounted rate for groups, which could make a big difference in your total costs. If others in your organization would also benefit from the conference, then band together with them for this option.
- Find out if the conference has volunteer opportunities. Some conferences, such as the
Association for Talent Development (ATD)
's Annual International Conference & Exposition, use volunteers to help with various aspects of the program. In exchange for their work, volunteers get to experience other parts of the conference.
- Get an "Expo Pass". For conferences that include a product expo, the on-site vendors usually have free passes to attend their demonstrations and walk the expo floor. If your primary interest in attending a conference is to check out new products and services, while also getting to network with other attendees, this option can be the best of both worlds!
- Submit a speaker proposal. Most conferences provide free registration to speakers. You don't have to be a professional speaker or author to submit a proposal! Conference organizers often want to have practitioners who can share real-world stories, examples, and lessons learned. Just keep in mind that speaker proposals are typically submitted many months in advance, so you'll want to plan ahead for this option.
- Save on travel expenses. Think about ways you can be thrifty with your travel expenses. Perhaps you have points and miles to use on airfare or hotel. Or you look at upcoming conference locations to find one in driving distance. If the conference includes meals or coffee service, take advantage of those options instead of going to off-site restaurants.
What other money-saving tips for attending conferences would YOU add to this list?
You covered all the ones I could think of, Cindy. The two I've used most often are speaking and volunteering. Both options provide so many additional benefits beyond reducing conference costs, as we both can affirm. ??
Enabling the Frontline Workforce | CLO | Author | Technologist | Speaker | Advisor
1 年“Live in a conference town” probably isn’t the most useful advice. I applied most of the tips from your list when I first got involved in the industry. I couldn’t pay for events, so I started speaking to gain access. I rarely stay at the event venue in favor of a hotel where I have points or cheaper rates. Figuring out how to make a business case to your company/boss is also an important consideration.