How to get more out of going to marketing industry conferences

We’re heading into conference season! I recently organized the High Five Conference in Raleigh and would like to share a few conference attendance tips and lessons I’ve learned.

Conferences are a big investment of time and money, and if you’re going to a conference without a plan, you’re probably going to waste your time and money.

Maximizing Your Conference Experience

Here are 8 tips to gain the most from going to your next conference.

1. Set goals

When you go to a conference, set primary and secondary goals, or baseline goals and reach goals. Primary goals are your main goals. These are your focus points and the purpose of your attendance. Secondary goals are things that would be nice to accomplish, but aren’t vital. Baseline goals are the reason you came to the conference. They can be as simple as “to learn about the industry” or as detailed as “to meet potential investors.” Reach goals are goals that would be fabulous to achieve, but they aren’t as likely to happen as your baseline goals.

Setting goals ensures you at least get your baseline or primary goals done during the conference, and allows you to prioritize the essential versus the ideal.

2. Reach out to people beforehand

Much of the benefit that comes from attending a conference is networking, but did you know that networking doesn’t begin or end at the conference? For example, if you know you’re going to a marketing event, reach out to other attendees on Twitter or through the event organizer and introduce yourself. It’s a great way to build connections in the industry and connect with people who have similar interests.

3. Organize a guerrilla event

Put on your own event (outside the official conference schedule). This could be a lunch, a dinner, a happy hour, or something else. The goal is to bring people together (when they’re already gathered for the conference) without the constraints of being an official conference event.

Read 5 more tips at the Sakas & Company blog >>>