The Boss Lady’s Guide to Conferences & Networking Events

Attending conferences and rubbing shoulders with peers and experts in our field is one of the most powerful ways to give our careers a boost. Just about every industry has trade shows, events and gatherings that are beneficial to prioritize.

Whether you’re self-employed or work for a large company, investing the time, effort and money to go to a conference can be a huge game changer for your business. One of the main reasons why business travel is such a booming industry is people traveling to trade events, and that’s because it’s so valuable.

Right now we’re in an interesting time for industry events, with many of them taking place in-person, or even as hybrid events which are in-person, but also have a virtual aspect. This means there are more opportunities than ever to network with the best and brightest in your field.

With that in mind we’ve compiled a handy guide for anyone who wants to start attending conferences.

How to Prepare for a Conference

There are people who have become savvy when it comes to attending conferences and networking events. This did not happen by accident. It happened because they were intentional about learning and improving themselves professionally. It’s important to have the same intentions so that you too can get a lot out of your attendance.

 

• Many of these people attend a set number of events each year, and they plan ahead for them. In order to do the same, do your research on the best events to attend in your industry, find out how much they cost, who will be there and most importantly, what you stand to learn at that event.

 

• Once you know where you want to go, it’s time to solidify your plans. Before you start setting up for the trip on your own, consider investing in corporate travel solutions (like those from AMEX Global Business Travel) so that all the stressful details like flights and where to stay are taken care of. When your travel arrangements are sorted out by the experts, you free up time for the most important thing – getting yourself ready for the conference.

 

• The final preparation step has to do with polishing yourself up so you’re fully ready to network. The main thing you have to perfect is your elevator pitch. This is about being able to express what you do and who you help in a compelling and succinct way. Spend time refining that one or two sentence statement that swiftly appeals to people.

 

• This is something you’re going to be asked a lot, and if you learn how to answer in a way that sparks curiosity, you will have better conversations and even create more opportunities for yourself.

The Benefits of Attending Conferences

Build Up Your Profile

One of the most important aspects of our careers in today’s world is having a profile and a reputation around your expertise. It’s why we spend time crafting LinkedIn profiles that showcase what we’re good at. Attending a conference gives us the opportunity to represent that career profile in-person.

We can become known for the value that we bring to the table. Whether you’re a writer or a scientist, you want to become known as one of the top talents in your field, and being at industry events having conversations and networking will achieve that for you.

Develop Strategic Partnerships

Relationships are the driving forces of some of the biggest successes in careers and business, and conferences give us a chance to develop mutually beneficial ones.

Strategic partnerships are relationships of mutual benefit. While you may not necessarily make money off those relationships, building a rapport with the right people can open up opportunities for mastermind groups, mentoring, and even things like podcast interviews. There’s even value in being the one making the introductions and connecting people.

These are all things that will boost your profile and make you someone worth knowing and having a conversation with.

Be in an Environment to Learn

One of the most powerful ways to come up with great business ideas is to be in a learning environment and be exposed to different perspectives and strategies. When we attend a conference, we are away from our daily work routine, and that opens our minds up to be a lot more creative.

At conferences we get time to pause and really think deeply, which sparks a part of our brain we don’t often use when we’re busy with work. We get to activate our brain to learn more effectively. You can bet you’ll learn at least one thing that will spark your creativity, and give you something to implement when you’re back home.