Preparing for a Business Conference

Preparing for a Business Conference

I am going to a conference later this month. I am very excited. I want to get as much out of this event as possible, so I am planning ahead. I won’t be traveling far, so I am not looking at filling the inevitable downtime in airports and train stations.

I do want to pack right. I’ll be doing a lot of walking, so comfortable shoes are a must. I’ll be representing my company and my profession, so professional clothing is the right choice. I’ll be sitting still in conference rooms throughout the day, so carrying a sweater or jacket is a good idea. I’ll be relaxing with my colleagues at the bar later in the evening, so some casual clothes might be nice.

I’ll be meeting lots of new people and I will want to keep in touch, so I’ll need business cards. I’ll be learning things “on the fly”, so carrying some form of note-taking device, be it pen and paper or tablet is a must. I’ll want to stay in contact with my local peeps, so I’ll be using a contact list from my smartphone.

But the most important thing I am doing to prepare for this educational conference is to identify and write down my goals.

They may change while I am there (actually, I am sure that they will expand), but I know that if I don’t take the time to identify my conference goals, I’ll walk away having missed something important. I want to get the most out of the experience as possible, so I am planning ahead.

I am making a list of friends that I want to catch up with and people I want to meet. I am working on a list of things that I want to learn for personal growth and business development. I want to come away with new, untapped leadership skills.

I will be looking to learn about the newest organizing products and services on the market today. I’ll be connecting with vendors who can offer me and my clients new solutions to our productivity challenges.

Lastly, I want to totally surprise myself and come away with several things that I didn’t even think of before attending this conference. I think I’ll do that! When attending a conference, it’s all in the planning!