Why You Should Attend a Conference Every Year

A few months back I spent a few days in a hotel in Washington, DC at a niche industry conference called the BPM & Case Management Global Summit.  Now for sure this is a narrow audience!  The conference was small, low frills, and low budget.  There were probably only 75 or so attendees, no big stage productions, no models at the booths running golf putting contests, no goodie bags with t-shirts and chachkies and U2 apparently wasn't available for the big concert at the end to wrap things up.  Just like minded individuals with a shared passion around a particular topic. Result... it was a GREAT use of time!

It got me to thinking how everyone who is serious about their business and career should attend AT LEAST one conference EVERY year.  

Conferences make you think.  It allows you to raise your head out of the weeds for a few days and see the broader picture.  You get to see how others are implementing products, or taking advantage of new methods, or dealing with new business challenges.  I always leave a conference with a few ideas that are worth bringing back to my colleagues to evaluate. 

Conferences are often where debates occur.  Debates on standards, new technologies, regulations, etc.  Understanding how your industry arrived at a collective decision or what the pros and cons are of a particular challenge will help you react with more information.

Conferences can help you identify what is real from what is pure marketing (and I mean no negativity to my Marketing colleagues).  Don't get me wrong, there will be plenty of marketing at your conference of choice.  However, there are also customers of those products that you can talk to, compare notes and gain insight.  At tech conferences, I've seen live demos occur between two people sitting on a floor in a hallway outside the lecture hall.  Those are real live demos, not polished pre-canned shows.  Peel back the shine and see how these technologies really work, from real users.

You'll be able to discuss topics with others that probably have the same questions you do.  Hopefully you will take home a few names and keep in touch as you both develop your ideas back at your respective companies.

Conferences are a great place to identify the thought leaders in your industry, or better yet, be recognized as one.  And these gathering spots are the absolute best places to gain access to experts in an approachable environment and interact with them.  You just saw them speak, and now you can just walk up and ask some follow-ups or intercept them at the after hours networking session.  Most speakers and experts are glad to carry on the discussion, that is why they are there.

You will never make a connection like you will at a conference, face to face.  The best conferences are a launching point for discussions that last far past the end of the conference.  And if you attend the same event year after year, you may even make some lifelong business friends.

Conferences can give you the energy that sparks new ideas you can funnel back into your business.

Great, send me to a conference!

Not so fast, conferences can be expensive!  I personally think it is healthy for a company to have a reasonable budget to send their staff to conferences and relevant events.  No, that does not mean your company should be paying for you to dress up as Spiderman and drop in on ComicCon.  But there is value getting people out of the office to interact with industry peers.  I have always supported funding conferences where I can for the staff members  I have led.  Sometimes to learn, sometimes to sell, and sometimes to present.  However, it should be recognized that it is a significant financial commitment to send team members to conferences.  Some conferences have high registration fees, require travel, and always involve lost productivity at work while you are away.  

So what if your company can not support a conference you believe is valuable?  You can try getting a speaking gig at a conference.  That might give your company some exposure that might just hit home and get your conference funded.  It also helps to choose conferences that do not require a long flight and overnight stay in an expensive city.  But if all else fails, and you value your career and your business, why not make the investment yourself?  After all, your career advancement is ultimately YOUR responsibility, not your company's.

[The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of my current employer.]