3 Tips for Having A Great Conference Experience
Be a Great Conference Attendee in 2016
Some people love attending conferences. They thrive on traveling to different cities, meeting like-minded people and even participating in “icebreaker” games (if you find these awkward, we don’t blame you!).
On the other hand, some people find them intimidating. Depending on the subject matter, conferences can feel like an information overload. But with plenty of conferences filling up the calendar for 2016, there are lots of opportunities to expand your knowledge. If you plan on attending an upcoming conference or event, consider these tips to make the most of your experience:
- Network with peers and experts alike. Conferences are a great opportunity to meet industry experts. However, don’t forget about your peers, as well! Be open to introducing yourself to others, especially by attending the “optional” events like happy hours, breakfasts, etc. This is an easy way to expand your professional network, and you’ll never know what you can learn!
- Challenge yourself to learn something new. Will a speaker be covering a subject that will supplement your day-to-day responsibilities? A hot topic that you want to know more about? You know what’s relevant, but have a strategy to learn as much as possible while you have the chance.
- Go home with a list of action items. When the event is over, you may be ready for a nap. However, you still have things to do! During sessions, start a list of takeaways that you can bring back with you. Whether it’s research, follow-up, or proposing a new policy, brainstorm ways to put your new skills into practice.
Here at Banker’s Toolbox, we’ve spent the last several months preparing for our user group conference (known as BUG), happening April 27th – 29th in Austin. We’ll be welcoming Banker’s Toolbox users from all over the country as well as speakers from the U.S. Military, the CIA and more. We’re certainly planning for ways to make it a great experience for our attendees. We know they’ll find it valuable, as well.
Although sometimes exhausting, conferences are a great opportunity to share your resources, expand your skills and create actionable items for success. No matter which ones you’re attending in 2016, don’t be intimidated. And maybe we’ll see you there!
