Conferences are great aren’t they?… several days out of the office, long flight, hopefully to an exotic location, and all on an expense account. No real accountability, except perhaps either notes taken or feedback provided back to teams the week after. Paid-for vacation, perk of the job, or a form of bonus?
Well that certainly is how many people view conferences.
And yet there can be so much value gained from the investment in attending the right conferences. How so?
First, let’s be clear about the sort of conference we are discussing here. Electronic trade shows are a such an example. The CES, MWC and IFAelectronics trade shows used to be the events where new trends were made and products were unveiled. But lately, some of the big manufacturers have shifted their strategies. Samsung, Sony, and Asus have all started to hold exclusive events of their own to ensure that the spotlight is on their products. Apple, of course, does the same thing.
I would suggest that there are three main reason for attending a conference;
- Networking or building and creating new relationships
- Building motivation for partner groups, such as dealers, franchisees or sales personnel. Hearing Steve Jobs talk, not only motivated and made Apple people proud of the company they worked for, but also enthused people in the entire industry.
- Learning about new products, services or ideas.
I would also suggest that the most important area is networking or building and creating new relationships.
Motivation and learning “what’s new” are important, but there are other ways getting such information.
So, if this is the most important area, why isn’t it approached with a lot more pre-planning and indeed evaluation of results? Probably because there is no methodology and it’s not the sexy part of the conference. “Anyway, I’ll build my relationships by drinking in the bar in the evenings!”
Well that certainly is one way to build relationships. And if it’s part of an overall plan, that’s fine! Too often it is not…it’s the only plan. And also too often, the emphasis is on the drinking as opposed to the relationships!
So, how can we do a better job than just turning up to the bar several times and hoping that we can build or improve our relationships?
I would maintain that with good preparation, a plan, and tools for measurement, that conference can mean more than visits to the bar and a feeling that I was seen and touched flesh of a number of people I know.
Targeting is essential. In the words of Yogi Berra, ” If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else”. So who is likely to be there? Who do you know well and need to know better? Who don’t you know well, but feel it would be good for both of you if you did?
I have often used the Relationship Mapping process, as discussed in one of my articles on my website, to help me literally ‘map’ out these things. It’s a way of getting your head around who are the players and who should I target to meet and what will I discuss with them.
Almost more important, is who shall I NOT waste time with. This could be for a couple of reasons. First, you may see that person regularly anyway, and thus, you potentially could waste their time. Second, you could be missing your own opportunities to spend time with people you don’t ordinarily have the opportunity to talk to.
It’s always easier to spend time with those we know and are comfortable with rather than pushing the envelope and building new relationships.
When I worked for the Coca-Cola Company on the McDonald’s business, I used to attend the McDonald’s Worldwide Convention, which was held every two years. They are massive. Between 15-16,000 people of the McDonald’s family gather there to see latest developments, learn about what’s going on, and have a good time.
Normally held in Orlando, all attendees are fed and watered, as well as motivated by various country events held by senior management. Beyond being motivated by senior management presentations, they are given exclusive access one evening to a chosen Disney Park area and entertained by a famous star, such as Rod Stewart or Elton John.
My first visit was mind boggling. Just the sheer mass and scale of the thing is unbelievable. You also realize very quickly how many or few people you know.
I used to draw up a list of people that I wanted my boss or senior management to meet and spend time with and those that I needed to get to know better. I had that with me during the day and checked it periodically so I would stay on target. I would then review it each evening and check where I was on the plan.
At the end of the conference, I would evaluate how well I had done. Plan and measure against plan!
So, is it really worth attending Conferences? It is worth taking time to evaluate how best to build those much needed relationships.
If you believe there is an opportunity to do this at the conference and there is a way to target and reach the people you want to….then go for it. But be realistic, because if not, then that $5,000 plus cost could better be used for traveling to meet those people, or inviting them and entertaining them at dinners or special events.