Do you attend conventions or conferences or trade shows to expand your network? I do and I love them! There are so many though, how do you determine which ones are right to attend and which are not? Sometimes it can be trial and error. Other times, you can be completely spot on in a room of your most perfect clients. I have found that reaching out to the organization that is hosting the conference and asking some questions like:
- How many attendees do you expect?
- What is the nature of most of the attendees business (are they coaches, speakers, contractors, etc.?)
- How many years have you done this event?
- How and where is the event being promoted?
- Are there vendors? If so, do you permit more than one booth per company to be represented?
- Is the event sponsored? If so, who are the sponsors?
When you attend the event itself, be sure you have a plan going in. I like to think of this in terms of the number of meaningful connections I intend to make at an event. For example, I am attending a conference next week in Orlando, Florida (it’s Suzanne Evans’ Be the Change event) and I am holding an intention to make at least 10 meaningful connections over the 4 days of the conference.