Why Do You Attend Conferences?

by Allen Stern on September 30th, 2007

With conference season upon us, I thought it would be interesting to understand more about why you attend conferences? Here is why I attend conferences.

Content

Typically the most important part of any conference is the content. At some conferences the content is very deep and technical, and at others the content is light and informative. As a former accountant, I can tell you that most accounting conferences are as technical as you can get. Suits and ties, FASB and GAAP was the course for me back in the mid-90s. Today conferences such as SXSW bring together panel discussions at a lighter pace and create a more social atmosphere. The perfect mix for me is about 60% panel/educational sessions and 40% keynote/"star" discussions. I also try to attend several conferences outside my norm so that I can gain new perspectives about a topic.

When I look at all of the conferences I have attended in the last two years, my favorite from a content perspective is Future of Web Apps produced by Carson Systems. An excellent mix of session content and keynote discussions. A close second would be SXSW.

And yes Rafe, the goodie bags (swag) count. I miss the days of a 30lb bag of crap. I miss the pens, the squishy balls, the letter openers, etc. From what I remember, PhotoshopWorld ‘99 had the heaviest bag of crap.

Networking

The other 50% of a conference (sometimes more!) is the networking. I call this "card collection" and it’s key to building your brand and growing your business. Whether a Web developer/designer, interactive marketing analyst, Web strategist or press, this face time with all of the other segments is critical to expansion. My goal is to obtain as many business cards as I can and meet as many people as I can. One key I have found that works is to personally follow-up with each person you meet. It’s hard to remember everyone you meet, but the personal follow-up can bring you back to the front after the other party is back home and has returned to normal life.

My favorite networking spot this year was SXSW. The environment lends itself well to networking as you move from one area of the convention center to another – the hallway chats lead to networking.

Upcoming

In the coming week, I will provide a value-to-fee list for each conference I have attended over the past two years so you can use it as a reference guide as you decide where to spend your conference dollars. We will also look at the tools and resources available to track, monitor and find conferences in your industry sector.