Professional Development

Networking: Without a plan, the costs -- in time and money -- of participating in a convention, may not be worth it

Set goals before a conference

What needs to happen at a conference for a professional to justify the resources it takes to attend?

ALLISON GRAHAM

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Add up the price of admission, the travel costs and the time away from the office and it's a reasonable question.

Two weeks before the National Speaker's Association (NSA) annual convention in Phoenix, Arizona, I decided to attend.

As a member of the Canadian Association for Professional Speakers (CAPS), the opportunity to attend a convention hosted by our American counterparts was too tempting to ignore.

Preparation

My plan was to put all of the standard make-it-worthwhile theories to the test, then share the results in a series of columns exploring what to do before, during and after a convention.

Preparation is important to make an out-of-town conference effective. Set a small number of goals for your attendance. More than three objectives will be too difficult to achieve and will add too much pressure. Established goals will help you determine if the convention was a worthwhile investment and if you should return next year.

My three goals were:

Connect with one of the speakers whom I had been hoping to meet for four years. It was his book that inspired me to master the art of business networking and help others do the same. At the very least, I wanted an interview so I could share some of his networking philosophies. At most, I was hoping to start a business-mentorship relationship, which is common in the industry.

Learn one industry tip that will help me fill my calendar as I take my training and speaking career to the next level.

Observe and participate in the networking efforts at this conference to share some success principles that really work and some concepts that don't.

As part of your preparation, review the agenda and consider your goals. Which break-out sessions and main-stage speakers offer the best fit? Where are the obvious breaks that will give you some down time?

Are there activities outside of the conference that would add to your trip? Business travellers are notorious for going from the airport to the hotel, then back to the airport, thus missing the chance to enjoy the cultural experiences.

Next, make a list of people with whom you want to meet and reconnect. Are you a novice or a veteran of the conference? Are there clients or associates with whom you only communicate through technology? Let them know you'll be there and arrange to connect in person.

Arrange for a conference wing-person, someone who can be your networking buddy. Be sure this person is serious about making the conference worthwhile and doesn't expect to be joined at the hip.

Boost your return

Splitting up at dinner tables, going to different learning sessions and interacting with different people, then sharing lessons learned and contacts made can boost your return on investment significantly.

Doing all these things before leaving will maximize the overall experience. Heading into the airport knowing I'd followed all the guidelines made me feel fabulous. I was set to tackle my first NSA convention with confidence.

Next time, I'll let you know if and how the preparation was worthwhile.

-- Allison Graham is a business networking speaker and author of Business Cards to Business Relationships: Building the Ultimate Network. To submit your networking question or to contact Allison, visit her blog at lfpress.com or her website, www.elevatebiz.ca.