1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: Today's tip is about how to make conferences a better 4 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 1: use of your time. I've gone to a great many 5 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: conferences over the years, and when I was first doing so, 6 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: I would often get frustrated by the whole experience. I'd 7 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: spend a lot of time studying the conference booklet trying 8 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: to figure out which panels to attend. I'd finally choose 9 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: one that looked most helpful, and then it would be 10 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 1: how shall I put this boring. I might get one 11 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: or two insights sitting in a ninety minute session, and 12 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: that's better than nothing, But I couldn't help feeling like 13 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: I would have a higher rate of insights per minute 14 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: by skimming a book. And since I'm an introvert, reading 15 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: a book often feels more appealing than dealing with crowds. Plus, 16 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: reading a book is cheaper than flying somewhere and getting 17 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: a hotel room. But then at some point I realized 18 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: conferences aren't just about the panels. You need some content 19 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: to justify an event, which is good for me because 20 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: I now make my living giving speeches at conferences. I 21 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 1: also know that inviting people to be on panels is 22 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: a good way for conference organizers to make sure a 23 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: certain bigger name people in any given industry attend, But fundamentally, 24 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 1: the main point of a conference is to bring people together. 25 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: A conference gives you a chance to see people in 26 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:33,199 Speaker 1: person that you only know virtually, or to renew face 27 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: to face ties with people you don't see frequently. Real 28 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: relationships can be built with only occasional interaction, but that 29 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: occasional interaction is very important. The week this episode first airs, 30 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: I'll be attending the American Society of Journalists and Authors conference, 31 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: where I'll say hello to some people I haven't seen 32 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: in person in three or four years. But when we 33 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: do see each other, it will remind us of what 34 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: we like about each other. It will nudge us to 35 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: work together on things in the future. I'm excited just 36 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: thinking about the projects that might happen. If you recognize 37 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: that conferences are about strengthening relationships, then that gives you 38 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: permission to approach the whole thing differently. You don't race 39 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: out of a conversation in the hallway to get a 40 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: better seat for a panel, because most likely the conversation 41 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: is a better use of your time. But over years 42 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 1: of interviewing successful, well networked people, I've realized that the 43 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: real breakthrough and using conference time well comes from planning ahead. 44 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: It's great to bump into people in the hallway, but 45 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: it's even better to make sure you know you're going 46 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: to see the people that you want to see. So 47 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: before you go to a conference, study the list of attendees. 48 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: Some conferences published directories in a conference app, but if not, 49 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: you can do some detective work. Call your friends in 50 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: your industry and ask if they're going, Ask who else 51 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: from their organizations will be going. Post on industry discussion 52 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,679 Speaker 1: boards or Facebook groups that you're going, see who else 53 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: is too. Look through the list of presenters and sponsors 54 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,839 Speaker 1: and figure out who you've engaged with online or met tangentially, 55 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: figure out who you'd like to get to know better. 56 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: Then figure out how you can make this happen. One 57 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 1: option is to set up lots of coffee dates. You 58 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,920 Speaker 1: could park yourself in the convention center or hotel Starbucks 59 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: and set up coffee dates all day long if you wanted. 60 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: Feel free to schedule these close together, because unlike job interviews, 61 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: it's totally fine if they overlap. An overlap is actually 62 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: kind of nice because it allows you to introduce people 63 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: to each other, and the odds are good that if 64 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 1: you wish to know too people better, they'll probably like 65 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: each other as well. Of course, you might not know 66 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: some people well enough to set up individual coffee dates, 67 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: and some people don't like committing to certain times. They 68 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 1: want to leave themselves open to opportunity, and at a 69 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: conference that's understandable. So a good way to make it 70 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: get together more casual is to organize a happy hour 71 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: where people can come and go. You and one or 72 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: two other people commit to being at a venue during 73 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: an early night of the conference, maybe even the night 74 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: before it starts, so you can get a jump on things. 75 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: Then you all invite people to swing by. Some will come, 76 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: and you'll get to know them better. You'll find out 77 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: what they're working on and what they hope to get 78 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: out of the conference. You'll have friendly faces to keep 79 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 1: looking out for during the entire event. Some people you 80 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: invite won't be able to come, of course, but organizing 81 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: an event gives you a reason to reach out to 82 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: them if you do bump into them later at the event. 83 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 1: You'll have the feeling of knowing each other virtually. Your 84 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: face to face meeting is almost like a second connection. 85 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: In any case, if you've organized a happy hour where 86 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:44,720 Speaker 1: you're pretty sure five people you really want to get 87 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: to know better will drop by, and you've set up 88 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: four coffee dates, you won't worry about whether any given 89 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 1: panel is a good use of your time or not. 90 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: You already know the conference will strengthen your relationships. Anything 91 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 1: you learn in a panel, it's just a little bit extra, 92 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: much like that free water bottle you snag from the 93 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 1: exhibit hall. So today, think about any upcoming conferences or 94 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: professional development events. You're going to think about who you 95 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 1: could plan to get together with, figure out how you'll 96 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:20,160 Speaker 1: make it happen. And if you've got a strategy for 97 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 1: making good use of your time at conferences, please let 98 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: me know. As always, you can email me at Before 99 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:30,479 Speaker 1: Breakfast podcast at i heeart media dot com. In the meantime, 100 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,599 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 101 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:42,039 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 102 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: hear from you. 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