10 Ways To Make Your Next Conference Better

March 6, 2008 · Comments

chrisbrogan

Before your next conference, consider these 10 simple things:

  1. Scour the web (technorati and Google Blogsearch) to see who’s coming, and reach out to people you want to see.
  2. Schedule meetings with people on day 1, as soon as you can, because time runs out.
  3. Drink more water than you normally do, and wear VERY comfortable shoes.
  4. Pack business cards. Tons of them. But get theirs, because then YOU can ensure a reply.
  5. Have a really simple, brief sentence to answer: “What do you do?” “What are you working on these days?” “What brings you to the conference?”
  6. Blog a VERY RECENT photo of yourself so that people know who they’re going to meet.
  7. Check Upcoming for related events and parties. Attend a few.
  8. Take some pictures of you and some folks you meet. Post them with links to the people, if you can find such.
  9. Never assume people are better than you, or that you’re somehow not good enough or important. You are. And if people don’t know you yet, go in like they know you reasonably well anyway.
  10. Don’t hide behind your laptop, BlackBerry, camera. Step out and be brave a few times. It WILL pay off.

Would you be willing to add YOUR advice to the comments? I know you’ve already thought of something I’m forgetting on this list. Help us out, okay?

The Social Media 100 is a project by Chris Brogan dedicated to writing 100 useful blog posts in a row about the tools, techniques, and strategies behind using social media for your business, your organization, or your own personal interests. Swing by [chrisbrogan.com] for more posts in the series, and if you have topic ideas, feel free to share them, as this is a group project, and your opinion matters.

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  • Aside from "don't show up tired", my new-favorite item came from a friend, in response to my query for similar info after my own top-top list in today's newsletter:

    "I can sometimes feel if I'm going into a situation where I feel I'm defending against some imaginary unwelcoming person/place/thing.

    It seems to be fairly easy to switch over to a feeling of trust that I am welcomed. And that attitude changes the whole atmosphere."

    Love that.

    Can't wait to see you...early!
  • Excellent tips. Having just completed 2 events in the past week, and making several new connections, I can say taking photos and giving links to others works great. There's your blog, facebook, flickr, and other places to share photos with those you met. Also a nice opportunity to tag those photos saying positive words about your new contacts.

    Besides drinking more water, I recommend bringing vitamin packs (like emergence) to help keep you healthy, and be sure to always have gum/mints handy.
  • I think you should ad LinkedIn as a way to find out who's coming and then appoint meetings.It's something you can easily achieve through their Q&A.
  • Pack some high protein snacks (yogurt, nuts, cheese) in your bag or purse. Networking burns lots of energy and you don't want to be hungry and grumpy, or distracted about what's for lunch.

    Don't have too many cocktails in the evenings, tempting as it might be. It will wreck your day if you have a headache.

    Stay in the moment and pay attention to what's going on around you. Don't worry about what people think about you - suck it up, and just get out there and yak with people.

    Follow up, follow up, follow up...follow up.

    And I think the most important tip for attending a conference...HAVE FUN.
  • Two things:

    1. Ask a lot of questions of other people.

    "What did you think when Joe Blow said X in his presentation?"

    Listen to what other conference attendees are talking about and prompt them. Even if you're on top of the topic of the conference, other people will have new perspectives, and questions are the way to draw those out and expand your own views.

    2. Schedule some down time. Don't go to EVERY SESSION AT THE CONFERENCE BECAUSE DAMMIT I'M GETTING MY MONEY'S WORTH. Find a hole in the schedule to just think about what you're hearing. Write some notes, blather into your audio recorder, whatever works for you. Reflect.
  • 11. Wear a shirt that says "Free Hugs". That goes over well in any given situation, leper colonies excluded.
  • Don't sit with your friends at lunch, sit with people you don't know, it makes getting to know people easier sharing a meal.
  • In regard to business cards, take a cue from the orient and take time to look at the card when it's handed to you and, perhaps, comment about it. It shows respect and that you're paying attention. How many times have I given my business card to someone only to have them promptly stuff it in their pocket. Just think of the message that sends!

    I loved #9. Not being someone who's a "notable," I find myself taking a back seat in terms of introducing myself, etc. You've got one shot, so take it. Great advice Chris.
  • Smile at people.

    (See you there, Chris.)
  • Pat
    If you have a name tag, wear it. It helps people remember your name for people like me who are visual.
  • If you're a blogger or an org staffer, wear a t-shirt that says so, in big letters. Great way to promote your org or blog, and make it easier for people to find you.

    Best,
    Nancy
  • Chris will you have any time at sxsw to sit down with us for a drink or so?

    Craig
    www.vois.com
  • For the introverts among us, of which I am one -- make sure to have some downtime to re-energize. Unlike extroverts who get their energy from other people - introverts get their energy from downtime. Conferences are intense people experiences and introverts can get totally depleted. My suggestion: take time to recharge in whatever quiet ways that work for you - meditation, a bubble bath, and for sure ... a good nights sleep (ear plugs help to filter hotel and traffic noise).
  • Live blog from the conference.

    If you are taking notes, you might as well type them into your blog and publish them. With the blog posts you can find and reuse those note (unlike the paper notes gathering dust in your filing cabinet.)

    Listening to a presentation gives you little time to interact, so you might as well do it on line. Speakers will find your post and other conference go-ers will find your post.

    Just hit that publish button at the end and interact with people once the presentation is done.
  • abby
    If there's a speaker you want to meet, be in the room before the session starts and try to meet them then. Usually they will have a few minutes before the session starts and you have more or less free access to them. Make it short, sweet, and positive--everyone's nervous before they speak! Tell them how much you are looking forward to their session and ask if you can have a card to follow up on any questions you might have during the session. They'll be much more generous in advance. You don't want to be in that long line at the end of their session with a lot of other people.
  • Kat
    -call home and check in

    -let your partner know you appreciate them and miss them

    -take the time to let them share their happenings
    they might not be at a big busy conference but they still have things happening in their life that they might like to tell you about

    -try to do this out of the way of traffic
    there's nothing worse than having your partner call you and then get interrupted 10 times by people needing something from them. Make sure you can focus on the call.

    -say good night to one another every night. Even if it has to be in text or email due to time differences. It makes a difference.

    -------------
    otherwise you might not be attending many of these things
    or
    you won't have anyone to say good night to when you do

    -------------

    family matters.
  • ann
    All great advise! As somebody who goes to a lot of these things alone - I'll just reintegrate don't be afraid to go up and talk to people! You never know whose standing or sitting next to you and how you can help each other unless you say "Hi! I'm...."
  • Hey Chris, great top ten list! Letterman might be calling to hire you.

    As a person who attends conferences frequently, albeit not usually web/internet conferences, I can transfer these tips to other gatherings (I primarily attend scientific conferences - I'm a chemist).

    I want to add a corollary to #5. I think this is perhaps the most valuable of your excellent tips, and if I could ask this simple question and get a well articulated answer, I'd be a happy camper for sure. But, if I ask you this question (and here is the corollary), do not say "I'm an entrepreneur." If you stop there, I am going to shake my head, walk away, and probably get rid of your card unless it tells me more than that.
  • As usual your comments are pretty close or right on the nose. I appreciate this list and will be compiling my own now at interactivemedias.blogspot.com
  • This is great advice!

    To pick up on the subject of being confident - if you go in to an interaction without confidence you demonstrate to the person you're approaching that you perceive them to have a higher value than yourself.

    They will pick up on this and the subconscious reaction for them is to think "why should I spend time with someone of lower value than myself - I won't gain anything from it".

    Entering the interaction with confidence shows you have at least equal value and that you can therefore both learn from each other. You set yourself up for a mutually beneficial conversation.

    In fact, whether you believe you have value or not, everyone can always learn something off each other so every interaction should be a useful one.
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