Conferences are an essential component of improving professional and business development. The goal is education, and when done well, it offers a unique professional experience for attendees. The creative juices flow, empowering ideas get shared, and great conversations happen.
Highlights of This Post
- What happens when innovation gets stuck in the trap of procrastination?
- Four strategies you can use to avoid this trap and move forward.
At the end of a conference, attendees are invigorated and excited about the challenge of acting on all they learned. The mindset leaving is that what they are about to accomplish post conference, is just short of world domination. I like to define this feeling as “Conference High” and as an exhibitor in many events, I have found it to be a pleasant and deceitful emotion.
This “High” can often be a powerful catalyst for business development. However, if it sits for too long, motivation slips away, and the “High” will die. The best thing to do is to learn how to manage your it so that post-conference, you can hit the ground running. Below are some tips for managing your “High,” but first it’s important to understand why not managing it harms everyone involved with a conference.
Who Suffers
For Attendees
Lack of Innovation = Slow decline. If you are not taking new ideas, acting on them and improving, you simply can’t expect to have genuine growth. Take it from a legend in the consumer show industry.
“If your show (or business) looks pretty much the same as it did 5 or 10 years ago, you’re missing opportunities and leaving money on the table” – Marc McIntosh CEO at Showcase Events Inc.
You Won’t be an Asset
If you are growing or trying to improve, chances are you are learning through that process. The quality of knowledge you have as an attendee is a conferences biggest asset because quality attendees are crucial to fostering an active learning environment. As consumers, we all put a lot of the responsibility on the people we buy from to deliver. If you spend money attending a conference, you should expect great things. However, you need to share the burden and become an active participant and add value to the event in the years to come.
Exhibitors & Conference
Retention drives growth. Like any business, conferences have to retain and add to their customer base (sponsors/exhibitors) every year. Sponsors/Exhibitors invest in conferences for three reasons:
- The possibility to sell to the attendees
- To learn about industry trends
- To get input from their customers
If they can not sell or learn is it likely that they will return year after year? Probably not. Being an active consumer improves the experience for everyone. If you are a show producer, how can you understand what your show attendees go through unless you put yourself in their shoes? It’s time to start leading by example.
Managing Your High
Develop an action plan
The sooner, the better, while all the information is fresh in your mind! Need tips on creating one? Click here.
Understand How It Will All Integrate
Realistically, how do the pieces fit together to accomplish your companies/events overall objectives?
Who Else Needs To Be Involved
Delegate, don’t be a hero. If you are considering a new product, look to the vendor to help you! They have likely done it 1,000 times and have a better perspective on how to make you successful.
Take A Chance
Implementing a new process or product might be scary and expensive, but it might be the best business decision you’ve ever made! How will you know unless you TRY?
If you had meaningful conversations or met leaders who inspired you, pick one or two ideas on which to focus and “git ‘er done!”
#gotothebag
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