The MobileTECH 2018 quickly approaching, we have pulled together a number of tips to get the most of our attending this event. Attending an event can be an expensive investment, especially when you take into consideration the time involved, so it is always important to plan ahead and make it count. These tips will be just as relevant when attending other events as well.
At the conference:
- Plan to be at the conference early so you can begin networking with the other attendees before the presentations begin.
- Exchange business cards with key contacts so you can follow up leads that you may establish during the event.
- Force yourself to switch off the mobile phone – both during the presentations and in the breaks, where possible.
- Ask questions of the speakers – both formally during the conference – and informally during the breaks – to answer any queries you may have. Share your ideas and experiences with other attendees.
- Listen. When listening to a presentation, listen for content – not just entertainment value.
- Take notes. Most presentations will be available for download after the event. Don’t listen for notes but listen for ideas, quotes, questions and actions that you can take. When you hear an idea worth recording, do it right away.
- Before leaving the conference, write down three key ideas or concepts that you have learnt or leads that you’ll follow up when getting back to the workplace. Alongside these, ensure you set a time for completion – days rather than weeks – otherwise the idea will be lost.
After the conference:
- Act on the three key ideas that you have noted.
- Follow up immediately on any leads or contacts made at the conference.
- Organise a short presentation for other interested staff that were unable to attend the conference. Ensure the information is circulated within the company.
“DON’T JUST ATTEND A CONFERENCE, WRING IT OUT FOR ALL IT’S WORTH”