To Actually Get The Most Value Out Of Attending Conferences in Less Time Here Are Powerful Things You Need To Know And Do

Although conferences take place throughout the year, it seems to me that most of them take place during the spring and summer months. You may be asking why would you attend a conference? Or what are the benefits of attending a conference? If you’ve attended no conferences or just a few, you may be wondering how to actually get the most value out of attending conferences.

Benefits of attending a conference

As a woman small business owner, it’s very important to capitalize on opportunities to meet other like-minded people. You never know where your next joint venture partner will come from. Conferences are a great way to do that. Attending conferences also provide a way for you to learn and grow, stay up to date on industry trends, as well as learn about new tools and resources to streamline your small business. All these reasons for attending conferences will allow you to grow and expand your small business.

Some of these conferences in the two related articles have already passed. But it’s the perfect opportunity to plan to attend the ones you’re interested in next year. Conferences that I’d like to attend include Inc Growco, Black Enterprise Entrepreneur Summit, Aspen Ideas Festival, and BlogHer Conferences.

The ideas in this article are based on my experiences attending conferences and trade shows in Canada, the United States, China, and Grenada. My experiences will help getting the most out of a conference a breeze.

Tips to Help You Actually Get the Most Value Out of Attending Conferences in Less Time

Before the Conference: How to Actually Get the Most Value Out of Attending Conferences

Do You Need a Passport and Visa?

Do not limit yourself to attending conferences only in your country or city. Visiting other countries is a major learning opportunity as you get to experience other countries and cultures. If you serve an international audience, you may find your next few clients at overseas conferences.

Make sure that you have a passport that you don't have to renew within six months from when you plan to travel. Check to see if you need a visa to travel to your destination.

Because I'm a Canadian citizen, my passport is all I need to travel to the US. But when I traveled to China for a conference several years ago, I had to get a visa. I also didn't need a visa when I attended an international arts and craft show in Grenada. That is a story for another time.

Budget How Much Money You Want to Spend

Budget how much money you want to spend. You own debit and credit cards, but if you’re not careful, you’ll spend much more than you ever intended. I was traveling to the US from Canada, so I went to the bank to get some American dollars. Two weeks before leaving, I had my cash in hand.

Remember to allocate money to buy books that presenters wrote. This can turn out to be a major unexpected expense.

Pay in Advance for as Many Things as Possible

Try to pay for as many things as you can beforehand to control the amount of money you spend on the conference. You obviously have to book your flight in advance, so search on Expedia and Kayak for the best price. I traveled American Airlines to Dallas and returned to Toronto on United Airlines. When you book your flight this way, as two segments, it’s usually the cheapest option. When I went to China, I met my niece in Chicago so we could travel to Beijing together.

InterContinental Dallas was the conference hotel, but when I tried to book my room, the block of rooms was gone. I searched for hotels close to InterContinental Dallas and found Best Western using Priceline. When I booked my hotel, I thought I was paying right away, but I had made a mistake. At the end of my stay I had to pay for the hotel. In the past, when I went to conferences in Washington, DC;  New Orleans; and Rhode Island, I paid for the hotel in advance when I booked it online.

Another reason for me paying for my hotel in advance is that the Canadian dollar is weak in relation to the American dollar, and it keeps on fluctuating. Locking in the hotel when the price is right, is a good thing. When choosing your room online, choose one that has a refrigerator. You can store breakfast foods and snacks. This will save you a lot of money.

Pack Comfortable Shoes and Clothing, Luggage and Other Essentials

Having comfortable clothing is an absolute must to get the most out of a conference. A few years ago, I attended a HubSpot event in Toronto during the summer. The air conditioner was turned up so high, that it was unbearably cold. I was so uncomfortable – shivering – that I had to leave early. You don’t want that to happen to you, especially if you paid to attend the conference. I'm prone to getting the flu and bronchitis, so I have to be careful.

Additionally, I've never been to a conference where the days weren’t long. You want to be able to concentrate, so your clothes have to be comfortable. And remember that it is usually very cold inside, so have some clothing to keep you warm.

Take some low-heeled shoes with you. There are many stylish low-heeled shoes. Make sure they're weather appropriate. The shoes I took to China, close to the end of spring, were very different from the shoes I took to Dallas in the summer. While I was at the conference in Dallas, most of the women were wearing high-heeled shoes. But at the end of the long days, some of them were barefoot.  They had very sore feet. That won’t happen to you if you choose your shoes with care. You can wear high-heeled shoes, but have some flats to change in.

Remember to also take your running shoes, so you can work out in the hotel gym or when you go for an early morning walk.

Baggage handlers often do not treat luggage with care. So my advice is to get good luggage, but do not invest too much money. Get a size that will have room for all the swag you’ll get at the conference. Go through the swag first to ensure you're taking home things that are useful to you. When I returned home from the conference in Dallas, I noticed that my luggage was damaged. Must have happened on the return trip. The damage was at the bottom of the outer compartment, so I didn’t notice it when I was claiming my luggage. I have to buy new luggage for my next trip.

Remember to pack toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, body wash, nail clippers, and a shower cap. Most hotels provide these, but not all. I have specific brands that I like, so I make sure that I pack them.

Schedule Business Meetings

Going to a conference in a city where you do not live, gives you the perfect opportunity to meet with your online contacts in real life. Meet with clients that you may have in the city. Meeting in real life is a way to deepen online friendships. This seems like the perfect time to recommend practicing your 30-second elevator pitch. This is a very important way to actually get the most value out of attending conferences.

When you take time to schedule meetings in advance you have time to plan what you want to achieve. This actually helps you to get more in less time because you what to do.

Choose Touristy Things You Want to Do

I don't believe in simply attending a conference then going home. One of my hobbies is to travel and attending conferences allows me to do that. Additionally, I want to learn about other places and cultures. I always add on extra days to my trip to a conference, so that I can see the city.

Usually, I do an organized tour, then I do things by myself. When I went to New Orleans a few years ago, for the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP) annual conference, there was a formal tour of the Wax Museum. But I also did touristy things by myself. I went on a walking tour, and that was a lot of fun.

Conference attendees usually go to the conference, then return home the day the conference ends. You never get to know a city that way. When I went to Dallas, I spent two days doing non-conference activities, enjoying myself. I went to the Addison Galleria Mall, and was surprised to see an ice-skating rink there. The visit to the Dallas Museum of Art was awesome and was free. I also rode the free tram car around.

When my niece and I went to China with The International Alliance for Women (TIAW), there was a formal boat tour in Shanghai, and another tour to a city outside of China. We went to Beijing first, where we did a four-day tour. Most cities have tourist bureaus. Check online to see what the city has to offer. Arrive early so you can do touristy things to relax your mind and prepare for the conference.

Get Business Cards (or not)

It’s often recommended that you get your business cards ready to take with you to a conference. The truth is that I haven’t had business cards in 10 years. I have a trusty notebook that I write people’s contact details, then send them an email, which has my contact details in my email signature.

Another progressive option, is to connect with people on social media, especially on LinkedIn. Make sure that you have the LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook apps on your smartphone and iPad. Check your social media profiles to ensure they're up-to-date. Expanding your network is another important way to get the most out of attending conferences. The new people you meet could become clients, customers, or joint venture partners.

Back-up All Your Devices

Before you leave for the conference, back-up all your devices – laptop, tablet, and smartphone. Accidents happen. Devices get damaged, lost or stolen. Today, you have many options. You can store your files in the cloud on Dropbox,  Microsoft's OneDrive, or Google's Drive. You could also get an external drive.

Take Devices to Capture Moments

If you noticed, I said devices, and not cameras. And I did that for a special reason. Many smartphones today have very good cameras. While I was in Dallas in 2016, I took over 300 photos with my smartphone and they look amazing. The video also works very well.

I also used my iPad to take photos and record videos. My Google Pixel works well as a camera, so it makes sense to buy a tripod and light for it to take to my next conference. Use the cameras on the tablet and smartphone to take pictures of the presentation slides. Think about your needs, then make a decision on whether you need a digital camera to take to the conference.

Get a Roaming Plan for Your Mobile Phone

If you are leaving your country like I often do to attend conferences, chances are that you will need a roaming plan if you want to use your cell phone. Your phone will recognize that you're in a different place. When I traveled to Dallas,  all I had to do was turn on roaming in the settings on the phone.

I assumed, wrongly, that the conference organizers would have free Wi-Fi for conference attendees. That was not the case, you had to use your hotel room number and your last name to get access to the Wi-Fi. Since I was not staying at the conference hotel, I had to use my own Wi-Fi. It’s a good thing I had a roaming plan.

Today, my plan is with Freedom Mobile. Included is the ability to make calls between countries when traveling with paying for roaming. Knowing this information can actually help you to get the most value out of attending conferences.

Have Essential Computer Equipment

Traveling on the airplane can be a hassle these days. If you travel with a laptop computer, you often have to boot it up when going through security. To bypass that, I bought an iPad. I love my iPad, but as someone who is over 40, I found that I needed a keyboard and a mouse to feel like I'm in control. This may not be important to you.

The other thing I discovered while at the conference, when I was writing my blog posts at night, mobile apps often do not have all the functionalities of the same web apps. I discovered this while I tried to work with Canva for the iPad. I couldn’t access my photos in Dropbox, it only connected to the iPad Gallery. Now I know how to connect my download files from DropBox to my iPad and vice versa.

I'm going to purchase a keyboard and a mouse. If you plan to take an iPad instead of a laptop to a conference, I recommend that you do the same thing. To be able to use a mouse with your iPad, you need an adapter. I'm also seriously considering the Microsoft foldable keyboard. It would work with my smartphone and iPad. What are your thoughts?

Decide on Note-Taking Tools

In the past, while at conferences, I took notes in a notebook. In the future, I'll take digital notes instead, so I don't have to transcribe. I used to use the Echo Livescribe pen, but you have to make sure your notes are legible.

I read “The 7 Best Note-Taking Apps for iPad and iPad Pro.” I’m interested in the Notability app because you can use the the Apple Pencil with your iPad and it converts your handwritten notes to text.

Have you read?

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Effective Note Taking Tips: The Art of Writing While Listening
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Have a Power Source for Charging Devices

One of the worse things to happen to you during a session at a conference is for your smartphone and/or tablet to die because you forgot to charge them. Additionally, you may not easily have access to a power outlet because of where you're seated. This is where a portable charger comes in handy. In one session that I was in at the conference, there was a line-up of people who wanted to charge their mobile devices.

If you need to charge both your phone and tablet, people wouldn't appreciate you using two outlets. You can build goodwill by traveling with your own power strip. That way you can charge more than one device at a time, and invite others to use your extra outlets. If you're someone who has never traveled internationally, you may not think about this, but chances are you’ll need a power converter as well. It's the little things that will actually get you the most value out of attending conferences.

Go Through the Conference Agenda

You're attending the conference for specific reasons, so you want to get the most from it. Carefully go through the conference agenda, selecting the sessions that will make you more valuable and marketable. Schedule them into your calendar.

If there are concurrent sessions that you’d like to attend, find someone who is going to those sessions that you cannot attend. Offer to share your notes if they’ll do the same for you. That’s also one way for you to network.

During the Conference: How to Actually Get the Most Value Out of Attending Conferences

• Live tweet using the conference hashtag if you feel comfortable doing so.
• Take detailed notes. Something I do which helps, is while taking notes, write how the information applies to me, and what areas of my life I can apply it.
• Invite people who you don't know to have lunch with you.
• During a break, sit in the lobby or common area for conference attendees. I met a lot of interesting people that way. And I even met a Facebook friend in real life.
• Connect with your new contacts on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook right away.
• Have meaningful conversations with speakers. Be remarkable. They could be your next joint venture partners.
• Tie what you're learning to what you know. If you see important connections between the information speakers share. Don't keep it to yourself. Share the information with the speakers.

Sometimes it's the boring things you do that can actually get the most value out of attending conferences. And it's going the extra mile.

After the Conference: How to Actually Get the Most Value Out of Attending Conferences

• Review your notes from the conference. Add your insights as well as other thoughts that come to you.
• Turn your notes into blog posts. It helps to cement the new information into your brain. If you don't have a blog, consider publishing your article on LinkedIn’s publishing platform or on Medium.
• If the information at the conference was outstanding – perhaps even game changing, write an e-book with your unique insights to sell on Amazon.
• Input information from business cards into your customer relationship management tool.
  • With smartphones, when you use an app such as Camcard, after you scan the card, the information goes into your contacts.
  • Do this while at the conference.
  • Use an app such as Helium to back up the data on your smartphone.
• Email your new contacts. Some of the people with whom you had a great rapport with at the conference will not respond to you when you reach out. Don’t let that bother you, it’s their loss.
• Apply what you learned at the conference at work. Others will take notice.
• Another way to get the most out of attending conferences that you may not have thought about is to send your notes with insights to people you want to keep in touch with. To get them involved, ask them what they would add to your notes.

Final Thoughts on How to Actually Get the Most Value Out of Attending Conferences

You're a small business owner. It's important to be thinking about how to grow your small business. If you don't have employees just yet, it's difficult when you have to go it alone. Conferences can help you to grow your business if you attend the right ones. When you carefully think about how to get the most of of attending conferences, you'll get a return on your investment. Conferences are often expensive, but they're worth your investment of time and money.

If you noticed, earlier on in this article, I mentioned that I wanted to attend Aspen Ideas Festival and Ideacity. Most women small business owners will not be attending those types of conferences. But they are vital to your business. You want to be that business owner, who generates good ideas after good idea to expand her business. Ideas conferences help you to create solutions that matter. They get your creative juices flowing.

In this article, I've answered the following questions:

• Why would you attend a conference?
• What are the benefits of attending a conference?
• What to bring with you to a conference?
• What are things to do before, during and after a conference?

The answers to these questions will help you to decide if you should attend that conference you've been thinking about. If money is tight, ask the conference organizers to allow you to volunteer in exchange for free entry to the conference.

Next Steps

Wondering what to do next, you can do all or some of:

1. Buy my new book, Leadership Reading: Spilling the Tea on How Top Leaders Read

2. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

3. Join the Art of Learning Membership Site

4. Download Unlock Your Genius Power Reading Tips Sheet

5. Buy me a cup of coffee!

If you want access to my Bookish Notes, please consider joining my membership site, the Art of Learning.

This post contains affiliate links and The Invisible Mentor® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support! First Published in May 2019