With a busy schedule and clients to serve it is sometimes easy to make a decision not to attend live events and conferences as they can be seen as a drain on your resources.

However attending live events both as a speaker and as an attendee are a great way not only to learn more about your area of expertise, access market and competitor trends but also to connect and attract more clients and joint venture partners.

So here are some 10 keys to leverage your attendance at live events:

1. BE PREPARED – before you attend the event, review who might be speaking or attending the event that you would like to make contact with. Consider sending them an email prior to the event and express an interest in meeting up at the conference or event.
2. DRESS FOR SUCCESS – make sure that you know the dress code for the event so that you can dress appropriately. There is nothing more uneasy than being at an event and feeling uncomfortable in what you are wearing. If unsure it is better to be more formal than casual.
3. BE ON TIME – arriving a little early is a great way to make sure that you have time to meet the event organisers. They are likely to be busy so you might even want to offer your assistance. Event organisers are a great resource to help you connect to other people you plan to meet.
4. MIX AND MINGLE – many people attend events with other people they know. Be sure that you do not stay with the people you came with. One of the powerful aspects of attending live events is not just to learn from the speakers but to meet other attendees.
5. COLLECT CARDS – always, always remember to take your business cards with you to the event. You goal however is to connect to others and be sure to get their business card. Then you have their contact details so you can follow up with them after the event. But do not leave your marketing materials around the conference room or coffee dock as that is considered blatant advertising.
6. TAKE NOTES – from time to time you may find some of the content not as relevant to your needs. But who else could benefit from the information being shared. Could you create a summary of the key points and share them with your clients or network contacts. They are sure to thank you for sharing valuable information from an event they were not able to attend.
7. LUNCHTIME LINKING – a great place to connect with people is over the lunch break. Do not be afraid to join a table of people you do not know. Be engaging but do not commandeer the conversation.
8. SPEAK TO THE SPEAKERS – just because someone is on the platform speaking does not mean that they are setting themselves apart from the crowd. You can be sure that they would welcome connecting with you – perhaps even for you just to say how much you enjoyed their presentation. I have built up long term friendships and found new joint venture partners through connecting with speakers at conferences.
9. BE ALCOHOL AWARE – many events may start or end with a drinks reception as a great way to connect people. Do however be aware of what and how much you are drinking. You want to make sure that people remember you the next day for the right reasons!
10. FOLLOW UP – make sure that you plan time in your calendar before you leave for the event to put what you have learnt into action and to follow up with the people you met at the event. That way you will realise a return on your investment of attending the live event.

YOUR BIZ GROWTH ACTION STEPS:

• Review what live events are taking place that would be relevant for you to attend either to build your network or to enhance your expertise in your field. Plan to attend one live event in the next 90 days.
• Take note of the 10 steps above – perhaps even copy the 10 steps into your calendar as a reminder of 10 actions you can take to ensure you leverage the power of attending your next live event.

NOTE: If you enjoyed this article, you may be interested in accessing more articles about branding and business development strategies to grow your practice. If so you can register to join our weekly newsletter and weekly no-cost workshops at Biz Growth Live.

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©Krishna De, Oneocean Ltd 2007. All rights reserved. Reprinted from ‘Biz Growth News’ (http://www.bizgrowthnews.com), a Oneocean Ltd publication for leaders in professional services practices, featuring inspiration, strategies and tips to build your brand, attract your ideal clients and enjoy greater success with less stress.  Subscribe today at http://www.bizgrowthlive.com .

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