We love these tips for during & after conferences by #NCCWSL2013 attendee Christine at Beyoutiful Hope! Read the full blog here.
Top 10 Things to Do at a Conference
1. Step outside of your comfort zone and introduce yourself to random people. The more people you speak with, the higher change you will find more people who you have much in common with! You may want to start with introducing yourself, followed by an inquiry on their research/interests. Following this, ask to exchange information (even Facebook and Twitter when appropriate). If they have their phones with them, you may want to prompt them to add you in that very moment.
2. Keep your business cards on hand. If you have a lanyard with a plastic slip with your name on a paper, keep YOUR business cards on the other side of the lanyard. *Genius tip I learned last summer at a research conference*
3. Do not stay with the group you came with. If you came with friends, they already are your friends… go off and make new ones! If you want your future to open, you have to build your yellow brick road to get there!
4. Thank people around you for what they do. Appreciation is not only kind, but let’s face it… it feels great to be recognized. Making someone feel special will increase your change of being remembered.
5. Have a confident handshake. Nasty handshakes make for a bad beginning to a could-have-been better conversation.
6. Bring water and mints. If you talk a lot, you will want to stay hydrated and energized. As for the mints, you never know when your breath will decide to start smelling bad.
7. Set a goal for how many business cards you want to exchange per workshop/speaker series. Quantity isn’t always better than quality, but if you are a good networker, you can do both.
8. Tell a story.