7 Steps to take when gearing up for a conference

By Lara Kulpa • September 27, 2008

I really tried to get way too much accomplished prior to attending the Blog World Expo 2008 conference in Las Vegas last week. I was in the process of upgrading the business, changing the name, offering more to potential clients, and get the new company website up. It was a LOT to take on in a very short period of time.

Looking back, I keep wondering if I should have kept the old business site up to date, handed out the old cards, and gone on from there. I met so many people that I directed to this site prior to it’s completion that I wonder if they’re out there thinking, “What the hell is this chick about?”

No matter what your industry, it’s quite likely that you won’t be the only person you know at a conference. At BWE there were probably close to two dozen associates, clients, and “coworkers” of mine I was going to meet up with there, and then of course they were going to introduce me to others I’ve yet to meet. That’s when the business cards came out. I twitched with every one because this site wasn’t finished, and I tried to explain that while this is a new brand for me, I’m not new to the industry at all. (I’ve got over 7 active years in the field and like most, over 12 years of “hobby” in it.)

So here’s a guideline of what I did in preparation of the trip, but learn from me, and start on this list as soon as you know you’re attending (rather than a week before the event)!

Make a list of tasks and prioritize them. Despite feeling like I was taking on too much in my situation, making the list really helped a lot. I crossed things off when I completed them and left still feeling somewhat accomplished. It was a really good feeling to leave with 90% of my list completed.
Refill your business card holder. Okay, so you’re going to be bringing a lot more cards with you than your holder can carry, but make sure you have a good solid stack of them to take along. I had mine tucked into every pocket, my bag, and even some in my badge holder. I didn’t have time to order mine ahead, but I made a batch of about 150 of them to take with me. The rest are on order from VistaPrint right now. (You can get some really great deals there, including free cards if you’re a new customer!)
Make sure your website or blog is up to date. This one might take a little more finesse if you’ve got a static website that hasn’t been updated or re-designed in a while. I’ve had clients come to me for a “freshening up” with a fairly tight deadline, so it can be done. If you’re blogging, get some stuff up about the upcoming event, and if you haven’t blogged for a while, get a good backlog of posts up there. (This is one of the items on my list that didn’t quite make it, and I regret it.)
Do some research on the city you’re going to. Obviously in Vegas there was TONS to do during off-conference hours. I’d never been before, so everything I did was exciting, and was often planned by others in my social circle. But even if it’s a city you’ve been to before, there may be some new stuff or other events going on since you were there last, so check it out and see if you can make some tentative plans. I wound up going to see a show and watching the fountains at the Bellagio over drinks with a client one night… way cool!
Queue up your inner salesperson. No, I don’t mean you should have some rehearsed, repetitive “line”, but make sure you put your best foot forward and wear a smile, know what you’re looking to explain about your business to new contacts, and make the most of that 15 seconds you’re going to have to introduce yourself.
Pack your bags and leave lots of room. Checking up on the city will help you decide the type of clothing to pack, but keep your load light. You’re going to come home with “stuff” and you’ll need the room in your bags. Be it conference materials, schwag (coffee mugs, stickers, binders, etc. all labeled with exhibitor logos), or gifts for the kids, you’re going to bring stuff home with you, guaranteed.
Be early for your flight, take off, and have fun! All pretty self-explanatory, but it boils down to triple checking your travel arrangements, making sure you have all your financial stuff organized and in order, your documents and receipts for things like airfare and hotel rooms, and so on. Nothing can ruin the fun of an opportunity like this more than losing your identification or spilling coffee on your boarding pass!