Ultimate Guide: 10 Ways to Get More Out of Attending Conferences
I’m a conference junkie – I admit it. Over the years, attending conferences has been such a rich source of learning and development I just can’t help myself. Whether you’re a seasoned conference goer or a first-timer, I felt it would be useful to share my top tips for getting the most out of your next conference.
Feel free to add your own tips in the comments.
Before the Conference
1. Plan Ahead
Put time aside at least a week before the conference to review the schedule and decide what you really want to achieve from attending. What are you hoping to walk away with? Who do you want to meet? Which sessions you want to attend? Download the conference app ahead of schedule and get organised.
2. Choose a Theme
A theme helps me get focused at a conference. Initially, my preferred theme would always be for learning transfer and evaluation. I would select all available sessions on a certain topic and deep dive. This last conference, I chose to focus on an AI and analytics theme. By theming your conferences, you can really go deeper into a particular subject. But don’t just try and find sessions that will back up your point of view – learn from those you don’t agree with, or those who perhaps specialise in a completely different area.
And I always attend a couple of random sessions that aren’t anything to do with the theme, but just look and feel exciting. Stretching my thinking in this way challenges the way I work. I encourage you to go outside your own area of expertise and comfort zone.
During Conferences
3. Minimise “Work Time”
To get the most out of your conference, be fully “at” the conference. Make sure to minimise the time that you need to check in with work or be on your email during the breaks. Find a way to get your emails checked by someone else or put an out of office on so that people know that you’re at a conference and you won’t be able to get back to them immediately – that way you won’t be worrying constantly about what’s going on in the office. Gone are the days of staying away from your device, in pretty much any setting at all now, but keep non-conference activities to a minimum. (And don’t schedule work calls while you are at a conference – I get so immersed in conference activity I forget the time and have been known to be a no-show for meetings planned while away – ouch!)
4. Be Engaged
Is it just me or in recent years has it become all too easy to multitask even while in a conference session – I pick up my phone to take a photo of a slide or tweet a sound bite and before I know it I’m checking my email! The simple answer is – stop it!
Keep the conference hashtag to hand and follow that only while you are at the event.
To help myself focus I sit at the front of the room. As a speaker, it really helps to have the energy near the front of the room and it’s also much easier for me as an attendee to really immerse myself and gain from the session if I’m involved and invested. Make sure that you are really focused and commit that time to listen to the speaker and think about what they are sharing and how it can apply to you.
5. Connect with the Speakers
If it’s been a great session it’s always good to connect with the speakers. You can just go up and shake their hand and say “Thank you”. If you haven’t got a question, you could share what you took away from the session, or an “A-ha!” moment. The speaker will appreciate it and as they are likely to be the movers and shakers of the industry, there are a lot of opportunities to learn from them and possibly collaborate.
I remember the first time I went to ATD in 2008. I did a pre-conference workshop with Jack and Patty Phillips and I connected with them after their session. They were so generous with their time and sharing of ideas. I was entering the learning and development space, completely green with my new ideas and way of looking at things. They were welcoming and supportive, and who would have thought that, after 10 years, I have co-written a book with them both. You never know where a conference connection will take you.
6. Talk to Strangers
In the coffee breaks between sessions, stay off your phone and connect with people at the event Easier said than done, I know! Quite simply, talk to strangers. Even if you go with colleagues, don’t spend all your time with people you already know. Three weeks before I moved to Australia I was panicking at the realisation that I was leaving behind everyone near and dear to me and moving where I essentially knew only three people. I read a book to give me some skills in meeting people, called Networking: The Art of Making Friends, by Carole Stone. It is an absolute classic, and I still have it on my bookshelf now. Even if you are an introvert, do your best to speak to people and have a few key questions up your sleeve to kick the conversation off. Something like:
- Is this the first time you’ve been to this conference?
- How are you finding your conference experience so far?
- What’s been your biggest takeaway?
- What session did you just attend/what session are you attending next?
7. Be Comfortable
Make sure that you’re wearing comfortable clothes and shoes and have snacks and water on hand (again, especially if it’s a mega conference!). I laughed the other day because someone told me I was well-known for my scarves and wraps at conferences. It’s comfort ahead of style! Some rooms will be really cool and I don’t want to sit there freezing or have to leave because of the temperature. And shoes that you can stand in all day are a must.
Don’t be afraid to miss the odd session and regroup for your own sanity if your brain is feeling a bit fried – anyone that’s attended a 10,000+ conference knows it can be full-on. Self-care must be a priority when you are away from home, and it’s easy to lose the routine that sustains you. You’ll be out having fun, meeting, greeting and socialising – that’s all part of the conference scene – but keep an eye on what you need, too.
8. Capture the Learning while you’re in the Zone
This might sound obvious but keep track of your conference as you go. I keep notes of not only my learnings but have a running ‘to action’ list of people to follow up with when I return home.
- What are my key learnings/insights?
- Who did I sit next to at sessions?
- Who do I want to reach out to on my return?
- What do I need to research?
If there is not enough time, pencil in 30 minutes at the end of the day to jot everything down. By the end of the conference, you’ll be glad you did.
After the Conference
9. Connect with People
It’s really good to connect with people once you’ve met them at the conference or send them a quick email or message on LinkedIn. Plan time to do this immediately after the conference, ideally blocking a day (or at least an hour) out in your diary before returning to your desk. I’ve made the mistake many times, especially if it’s a local conference, that I don’t block out time to do my follow-ups immediately after the conference, and by the time a few days or weeks have passed, it’s really, really difficult to go back to it.
10. Reflect on your Learnings
And finally, I recommend you reflect on your key takeaways from the conference and of course, turn those conference learnings into action. I usually aim to share a quick vlog at the end of the conference with my immediate thoughts, like this one from Learning Technologies UK 2019 Conference.
But the more in-depth learning and application happens when I really reflect, digest and make a plan for putting into place what I have learnt. I’ve shared about how to do this before – it’s an oldie but a goodie.
See you at a conference soon!
Feature Image: Photo by The Climate Reality Project on Unsplash