Earlier this week, Dave wrote an insightful blog on how to improve your presentation skills. There were several great tips that would help even the most experienced presenter to make improvements.
But, what if you do find yourself attending more presentations than you do actually giving them? It may surprise you, but there are best practices for getting the most out of situations where you’re on the receiving end of presentations.
For an owner or hiring manager, many of these receiving opportunities come at conferences. The real estate industry is not alone in its affinity from getting together under the auspices of the professional conference.
Besides being fun to attend, the sharing of information and the face-to-face networking has numerous benefits. There is no doubt conferences will continue to be an important business tool in years to come.
The downside of professional conferences is they often cost thousands of dollars to attend, and they are not of equal benefit to everyone attending. This is why a recent article by Siraj Datoo and Gideon Lichfield caught my eye. The article titled The Complete Guide to Getting Your Money’s Worth Out of Conferences, was originally published on QZ.com and list 13 insights on the topic. Here are the five I found most helpful:
"Arrive a day early so you’re not groggy.
An extra night in a hotel might seem indulgent, but it can pay for itself in the value you get out of the event. Arrive the day before a conference starts and work from the hotel that day. When everyone else at the opening reception is haggard from their flights, you’ll be fairly relaxed and in a better state to network.
Be careful where you put your nametag.
If you hang your name badge around your neck it can be hard for people, especially casual passers-by, to see. Instead, put it as high as you can on your chest and next to the shoulder of the arm you shake hands with—so for most people, on the right lapel. That puts it directly in people’s line of sight when you greet them.
Don’t go to many talks—talk to people instead.
There’s a reason why an increasing number of conferences are happy to live-stream their talks and panels: They know that’s not what people pay for. Big-name speakers may draw the crowds, but going to talks is like visiting an aquarium. You look at the fish and they are doing their shtick and you cannot interact with them.
Instead, spend time in the hallways. It’s the chance to meet lots of people with similar interests, and that’s the only thing that makes a conference an irreplaceable experience.
Don’t be shy, and don’t hover
If someone you want to talk to is standing alone, just walk up and say hello. The nametags at conferences ‘imply a social contract’ that people are open to discussion.
If your target is talking to someone else, get into his field of vision from some distance away and walk up to him calmly but confidently, looking straight at him. He will usually become aware of your approach before you get there. You then have a window to interrupt politely, introduce yourself, and either join in or agree to talk later. There’s nothing more irritating than having a conversation with someone else hovering on the edge.
Be helpful to organizers—you never know when it’ll come in handy.
Get to know the organizers and try to help them out, says Vardi. If you’re a constructive member of the community, you may be able to suggest other people to invite—and nothing builds capital with contacts like getting them invited to a conference they want to go to."
Hopefully, these ideas will help you make the most of your next conference. For more ideas, read the rest of the article on this topic. If you’re becoming proficient in the use of social media, there are some new aspects to attending conferences that may prove helpful as well.
Bottom line…a little planning, purposeful effort, and attention to detail will insure you’re getting a return on your conference investment.
Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.
