What To Do After Attending A Business Conference
If you’re smart and want to get ahead in business, you’ll attend at least one or two business conferences per year. You should choose to attend conferences that are most related to your area of business (unless you’re wanting to branch out in a different direction).
At the conference you’ll learn about new techniques and make a few new contacts. Which will be beneficial in the future. But what should you do after the conference is over and you’re back at work?
Well, that’s where this article comes in, keep reading because in this article we’ll give you all the information you need to get the most out of your time at a business conference.
Why Go To Business Conferences?
Before we get into what you should do after attending a business conference, let’s make the case for attending in the first place. There will be some of you reading this who’ll be thinking “I don’t see the point of attending a business conference”, or you feel that you don’t have the time.
If that’s you, we suggest that you think again because you could seriously transform your career if you attend the right conference.
The Benefits Of Attending A Business Conference
There are several benefits to be gained by attending a business conference which include;
- Learning new industry related techniques & skills
There are usually workshops, seminars and presentations at conferences to help you learn new skills. - Expanding your professional network
All the great and the good in your business will attend a conference which gives you the chance to expand your network with like minded professionals. - Learning new insights from industry leaders
Conferences attract industry leaders as speakers, which means you can get direct knowledge from the real experts in person. - Keeping abreast of all new business related rules or laws
There could be new laws and regulations pertaining to your business that you’re not aware of. Business conferences are a mine of information to keep you ahead of the curve. - Staying updated on the latest trends
The business world never stands still and if you want to improve your business, you need to get on board with the newest innovations and trends. A business conference is the best place to learn all of the latest trends and innovations.
Whether you’re just starting out in the business or are a seasoned professional, the benefits of attending a conference are really significant.
So, What Should You Do Once You Get Back From The Conference?
When you return from a business conference, you’ll be full of new information that can help your business. The trouble is, that often, as soon as you get back to work, there are literally hundreds of problems that need sorting out. Which means those new ideas and innovations often get forgotten.
Ideally you will have taken notes while at the conference on the most interesting and helpful talks and conversations that you had.
Here are a few tricks to make sure you and your business benefit from your time at the conference.
Reflect On Your Personal Growth
Attending a business conference isn’t just about what you can bring back to your company, it’s also about your own professional development. Take some time to reflect on what you learnt personally.
Did a speaker change the way you think about a problem? Did you hear about a new tool or method that could streamline your workflow? Reflection will help solidify what you learnt and identify areas you’d like to explore further.
Writing your thoughts in a journal or writing a blog post for LinkedIn about your experience can also help you to clearly see your key takeaways and establish you as a thought leader in your field.
Implement What You’ve Learnt
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of new ideas and insights. Instead of trying to change everything at once, choose one or two key takeaways and focus on implementing those first.
Whether it’s trying a new software solution, a new management technique, or tweaking your sales process, start small and evaluate the results before moving on to the next idea. This keeps things manageable and ensures that change is both effective and sustainable.
Follow Up On Speaker Content Or Resources
Many conferences provide recordings, slides, or additional reading material after the event. Make sure you access these resources and share them with relevant team members. You could even create a shared drive or internal resource hub for future reference.
Also, consider following your favourite speakers on LinkedIn or Twitter, they often continue to share valuable insights long after the conference has ended.
Write A Short Internal Report
While you might hold a knowledge sharing session, writing a concise internal report or summary email can help to formalise your learnings. It doesn’t need to be long, just a few bullet points outlining;
- Key sessions you attended
- Most important takeaways
- Links to resources or slides
- Any immediate actions you recommend
This not only reinforces your learnings but also demonstrates the value of attending the conference to management, which is useful if you’d like to attend future events.
Share Your Key Takeaways & Insights
The main information you should share on your return from the conference is the insights and keynotes from the workshops and speakers you attended. This can include technological advances, industry trends, and the opinions of the expert speakers.
You should summarise this information so that your team is aware of any major innovations or changes in business techniques. This can help them to stay ahead of any industry related changes. It can also lead to new ideas and strategies in your company related to the information you have just shared.
You should also discuss with your team any new contacts you made to see if any of them has any knowledge that might be useful either to your company or the contact’s company.
Get In Touch With New Connections
Conferences are great places to make new connections with other movers and shakers in your industry. Whether you’re looking for collaborators, investors, mentors or just new ideas for your business, you can make plenty of new contacts at business conferences.
Once you return to work, you should review all of the contacts you made and after around 24 to 48 hours of the end of the conference, you should reach out with a brief email or LinkedIn message along the lines of;
Hi [their name]
It was great to meet you at the [conference/event]
I would like to learn more about what we were talking about. Would you like to meet for a coffee/zoom?
Best regards [your name].
Organise A Knowledge Sharing Session
A great way to dissect all of the information you picked up at the conference is to organise a knowledge sharing session. You can either do a presentation or hold an informal discussion to encourage in house collaboration and continuous learning.
This will help to increase the collective learning of your team and help with improved decision making among your team.
Future Planning
Conferences almost always provide ideas for the future of your industry and offer predictions on how the industry will adapt. Sharing this information with your team will help your company to adapt to any anticipated changes that might affect your business.
By incorporating strategies that relate to future trends and predictions you can plan strategically and keep a competitive edge. You’ll also be able to prepare for future changes and be open to any new opportunities.
Boost Team Morale & Add Enthusiasm
In our experience, you will come away from a business conference full of enthusiasm. If you can convey that enthusiasm to your team, you will significantly boost team morale.
You should share any positive experiences and exciting new developments as this will get your team more motivated to work with a more positive attitude. This will lead to increased work output and an increasingly motivated work environment.
Consider Whether The Conference Was Worth It
After a week or two, it’s useful to assess whether attending the conference was worth your time and money. Ask yourself the following;
- Did I make valuable contacts?
- Did I learn something that could positively impact the business?
- Was the content relevant to our current goals?
If the answer is yes, you’ll know it’s a worthwhile investment for the future. If not, you might want to look at other conferences that might offer more targeted value.
It’s Not All Over Once The Conference Ends
Going to a conference is just the beginning. The real value comes from what you do afterwards, how you apply what you’ve learnt, the connections you nurture, and the enthusiasm you bring back to your team.
By taking the time to reflect, share insights, follow up with new contacts, and plan ahead, you ensure that your time away from the office wasn’t just a break from routine, but a genuine step forward for you and your business. Make it count, and you’ll soon find that each conference leaves a lasting impact far beyond the closing keynote speech.
SEE ALSO: What To Eat & Drink At A Business Conference (To Stay Energised & Focused)
Frequently Asked Questions
You should attend business conferences to learn new industry skills, gain insights from experts, expand your professional network, and stay updated on trends and regulations.
The first thing you should do when you return from a conference is share your key takeaways and insights with your team to spread knowledge and spark new ideas.
You should follow up with new contacts within 24 to 48 hours after the conference, while the conversation is still fresh.