Event leaders’ top 4 tips on getting the most out of your next business conference

Executives from SXSW, Brand Innovators, The Business Show, and The Drum share their best tips for conference attendees

Planes, trains, buses and cars descend on a single locale. Well-dressed professionals swarm towards a convention center, their badges bouncing against their pressed, button-up shirts. Branded merch, food-trucks, vendors and signage assail your senses.

Game face on, coffee in hand, we have all participated in the business ritual of formalized networking. The business conference.

According to Gartner, businesses spend an average of 10-20% of their marketing dollars on events, making the pressure to see an ROI a must. That spend looks to increase in 2023 as a survey of 670 event marketers in 2022 revealed that 85% plan to increase their budgets.

To ensure you make that ROI, I asked event organizers at SXSW, Brand Innovators, The Drum, and The Business Show to share their secrets for getting the most out of your next conference. Welcome to the guide for better business conferencing.

1. Plan meetings, panels, and networking ahead

Research and planning beforehand is the key to a successful conference.

“My least favorite thing about a conference is arriving and not knowing where anything is or being unaware of the speakers in attendance,” says Angie Wyatt, managing director of The B2B Business Show, a global trade show with teams in the US, UK and Singapore. Feeling lost and overwhelmed never leads to the best experience, according to Wyatt.

Lynn Lester, managing director of events at The Drum, a marketing publication that hosts a series of events, has similar advice. “Sometimes it can feel overwhelming when there is so much going on – paralysis of choice. My advice would be to check out the schedule before you go so you have a rough plan and don’t feel lost, but keep an open mind as often when you get there, something else might draw you in.”

Planning ahead by laying out the panels, attendees you want to meet, and events you want to attend beforehand is a crucial step for extracting the most value. You can’t hit everything. A roadmap of the must-hit moments was a key theme from our research.

Planning also ensures you meet the right people, preaches Marc Sternberg, the CEO and founder of Brand Innovators, a professional network of marketing executives. “Plan your work, work your plan,” says Sternberg. “Prior to attending, scrub down the guest list and identify 10-12 people that you would like to meet. Research their LinkedIn profiles and find some common ground so that you have a good ice-breaker when you meet in person. This could be the college or university that they attended or a mutual friend. This will immediately ingratiate you to that person. And, you will make an awesome first impression.”

For consummate sales professionals, the right connection can deliver them to their next big deal. For the eager learner or creative, the right panel can spark their next big idea. For the job hunter, the right conversation can lead to their next job. The only common denominator is plan ahead.

2. Talk to anyone and everyone

Across the board, conference organizers encourage attendees to bring their most social selves.

Hugh Forrest, co-president and chief programming officer at SXSW, says, “SXSW and other similar conferences are a great place for industry professionals to absorb incredible content about current and future trends. But they are even better as a platform to network, network, network. Don't be shy about introducing yourself to anyone and everyone.”

That sentiment was echoed by Wyatt from The B2B show, “be ready and willing to socialize. Chat with everyone and generally just be open to conversation. One of the most highly regarded aspects of our event are the networking opportunities on offer. Having so many like-minded business and marketing professionals in one place is not always a common occurrence.”

Cold opening and flagrant introductions don’t come naturally to everyone. For the nervous networkers, look for individuals who are standing alone, recommends Lester. Everyone’s there for the same reason so try to focus on the positive, what you can learn, and recognize that you deserve to be there.

Sternberg advises that you ‘gamify’ an event by giving yourself a goal of 10 to 20 connections before you go. “Conferences are extremely efficient in terms of networking and lead gen. You also have access to so many folks that you would never have the opportunity to meet in person. Think of it like going on a first-date and you will never be bored.”

You are at the conference for a reason and deserve to be there. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself. Everyone is there for the exact same reason - to learn, mingle, and make connections.

3. Little things matter

Conferences are taxing. Long-hours, late-nights, constant walking, and social exhaustion. Our interviewed organizers cautioned us to not forget to take care of the little things.

We summarized the little things below:

• Travel can be exhausting. Make sure you are fresh by flying in a bit early
• Wear comfortable shoes, you’ll be walking a lot
• Remember to eat. Take snacks in case the onsite offerings disappoint
• Don’t drink too much - this goes for coffee and booze
• Sign-up to parties or events beforehand (see plan ahead above), some events require additional steps
• Try to stay close to the venue to attend more and cut down on travel
• Reference the agenda, showguide, or app often for updates. New panels or opportunities can emerge
• Take notes on panels or workshops so you can report back learnings to colleagues
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions in sessions. Someone probably has the same one
• If you find yourself in a line, talk to the people in front or behind you to pass the time
• Take pictures of presentations or important info for later
• Leave room for serendipity and new encounters
• Don’t get sucked into your laptop or phone
• Be present and enjoy the ride

4. Proving event ROI

Your ability to attend events requires that you prove their effectiveness.

Forrest advises to make a game plan for in-person meet ups instead of hoping you’ll run into a prospect. “SXSW is famous for serendipitous encounters. That said, I always advise attendees to spend some time creating a game plan on what they want to learn and who they want to meet. Much better to have a game plan (and ditch it when serendipity happens) - as opposed to waiting for serendipity and being disappointed when it doesn't happen immediately.”

Attendees of events should attempt to hit conversation quotas. “Try to have at least a dozen meaningful conversations at every event you participate at. Engage with each person and exchange contact information.” Interviewees said LinkedIn QR codes, collecting draft emails, and business cards will all do the trick. Plan to leave with at least a handful of new contacts.

Along with planning out your prospecting, post-conference follow-ups remain crucial for event ROI. “Follow up with them the following morning,” recommends Sternberg. “Twelve new prospects should generate eight-to-10 meetings, four-to-six RFPs and net one or two new customers. Rinse and repeat and you will always have a strong pipeline of prospects.”

To ensure you can continue to expand your network and your own professional career, make it a point to demonstrate the value of an event back to your company. If an event isn’t worthwhile, state that too. “Only you can determine what is the most rewarding use of your time,” says Wyatt.

For professionals looking to meet new people, generate ideas, form relationships, and close new business, the business conference remains one of the best uses of your professional time.

By planning ahead, fearlessly networking, remembering the small things, and proving ROI, business leaders will reap the most value from their event marketing budgets.