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Kayla Hart

More than 250 million people attend conferences annually in the US alone, according to the Global Conference Alliance. Industry events are powerful opportunities to build new relationships, learn from industry experts, and elevate your professional presence.Even if you’re a seasoned conference attendee, this three-step guide will help you show up with intention, connect with confidence, and follow up with purpose. Let’s get you ready for conference season!1. PrepareA strong start begins before you arrive. Approaching the days and weeks before the event with intention can turn a routine experience into a career-defining one. How can you prepare? Set goals. Ask yourself, "What do I want to walk away with?” Maybe it’s new industry contacts, potential sales leads, or innovative ideas. Write down a few goals to guide how you spend your time.Do your research. Research the speakers, sessions, and even the attendee list if available. Identify people or companies to connect with, and follow them on LinkedIn before the conference. A conversation starter like “I’ve been following your work and…” sets you apart. Polish your introduction. Your introduction doesn’t have to be scripted, but it should be concise and delivered with confidence. In 30 seconds, you should be able to share who you are and what you do. With any extra time, get creative with what else you decide to include. If you need some ideas, here are a few to consider:What excites you about your work?Your goal or focus for the eventA current priority in your roleEnsure that your LinkedIn profile and any other professional platforms you share are up to date and reflect your current role and interests.2. EngageWhen the conference starts, you’ll be surrounded by activity and information. The goal is to stay intentional, not just busy.Schedule intentionally. Don’t overload your schedule trying to be everywhere at once. Prioritize sessions that align with your goals, and leave room for spontaneous conversations—some of the most valuable moments happen in the hallways, at lunch, or between sessions. Start conversations with impact. Thoughtful questions spark better conversations than a resume rundown. While it’s easy to fall back on “What do you do?”, it’s not always the most engaging conversation starter. Instead, try asking:“What’s been the highlight of your work lately?”“Which session are you looking forward to the most?”“How did you get into this line of work?”Write it down. Many conferences offer handouts and speaker notes, but don’t underestimate the value of taking your own. You probably won’t revisit every deck, so get in the habit of jotting down highlights—key takeaways, ideas for your team, names of people you met, and standout conversations—to make the most of your learning.3. Follow UpThe conference may end, but your impact doesn’t. The post-conference period is when the seeds you planted start to grow.Reach out soon. You’ll meet a lot of people, and so will everyone else. Follow up within 48 to 72 hours while the conversations are still fresh. Send a short, personalized message that reminds them who you are, references your chat, and suggests how you’d like to stay connected.Add value. When you follow up, add a personal touch. Send an article, book, or event recommendation related to your conversation (this is where your notes will come in handy). Small gestures like this show that you were engaged and worth staying connected with.Reflect. Before diving back into work, ask yourself:What did I learn?Who or what stood out?What will I do differently next time?Capture your thoughts to retain the value of this conference and show up even better for the next one!Showing Up Is Just the Start Conferences are what you make them. With the right mindset and a little intention, you can walk away with more than a name tag and swag bag, like valuable takeaways and meaningful connections!For additional preparation before your next event, check out our curated learning path designed to get you conference-ready.

Your 3-Step Guide to Owning Conference Season: Prepare, Engage, and Follow Up

Over the past month I had a transformative learning experience—and “transformative” is not a term I use lightly. I am building a new business, and applied to SheEO, an incubator specifically for women-led startups. I was accepted, along with 10 other women, for the month-long program. There was an angel fund for the ventures available, and other than that, we had very little information to go on. The first day we filed into the room to find a circle of pillows on the floor. “OK, I get it, they’re trying to create a ‘feminine’ space,’” I thought to myself. We sat down with our game faces on, ready to talk business—to pitch, to talk revenue streams.What happened next shook me. The incubator founders, Vicki, Kaela, and Abby, told us their stories. Not a reiteration of their LinkedIn bios, but how their personal struggles and dreams shaped them and influenced their lives as entrepreneurs. The impact of their sincerity on the room was palpable.That day we did not talk business at all. Instead, we delved deep into who we are and what we want. Through their alarming authenticity, these women had created an instant trust that allowed me to look firmly in the mirror and start to share my reflection with the group. This is not something I’ve done in a business context. Ever.The program eventually refocused on business, to talk of pitches, raising capital, building the right team, and so on. But everything I learned from then on was grasped through a different lens. I constantly challenged myself with self-reflection. Was I staying true to my values and personal goals? Which of my strengths and internal barriers were affecting my outcomes? I have made leaps and bounds in evolving my business as a result.I started wondering if this kind of experience could be replicated without the group meeting face to face. Could a technology-based experience result in this kind of transformative learning? Even considering the broad range of methodologies that comprise learning tech, I’m not sure that it could—considering the strong emotional, physical, and interpersonal exchange of that first day.Perhaps there is a different line of questions, though. Given the power of authenticity, how can we ensure it is brought forward at the right times in our technology-based learning solutions? How do we make a personal connection with each participant when we’re running a virtual classroom? How do we stimulate honest dialogue online when participants know their contribution could be permanently visible? How do we make sure that our real, unedited selves break through the layer of technology that mediates our interactions?I am sure such authentic learning tech experiences exist, but we lack the roadmap for how best to create them. More important, we are still uncertain about how to harness their power.

Get Real: How Do We Bring Authenticity to Learning Tech?

September 2024 - TD Magazine

Prime employees to excel in times of persistent change.

Kayla Hart

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