Top 10 Reasons Attending Events and Conferences is Good for Business

It can be a tough call deciding on going to an offline marketing seminar or conference.  There is an investment of time as well as a financial commitment to consider.  If you do go to an event of like-minded individuals it can have a positive impact on your business if you are looking for it.  Truth is, other than sitting in sessions, some people aren’t sure what they can be doing to grow their business while at an event.  This post covers the top 10 reasons to invest in an offline event. Having these in mind before the event will make it worthwhile, especially after the event.

Top 10 Reasons Attending Events and Conferences is Good for Business

10-Get Out of the Office

Who doesn’t want to get out of the office from time to time?  Living only in a digital cave has its perks, but getting out of the office can be good for you, your co-workers, loved ones, and yes, for business. Recently I attended an event in my own city, it was held in an area of town I had never visited, it was awesome area of town, and I would have missed out had I not gone to the event.

9-Minimized Distractions

Whether attending a session and learning, or talking with other attendees or presenters, it’s very difficult (and impolite) to multi-task. In contrast webinar attendees can still handle email, skype, instant message, inbound faxes, and phone calls which fragments thinking and hinders meaningful productivity.

8-Face to Face Always Trumps Digital Encounters

Good, better, best.  It is good to connect over email, it is better to connect on the phone, but the best way to connect is face to face, and always will be.  People are not avatars.

7-Meet Industry Leaders

If you aren’t a leader in your industry, one way to become one is to meet those who are.  At events I attend they are often encouraged to be available to attendees to chat and answer questions. Pull out your camera and take a photo with them, ask them some questions.

6-Learn Current Strategies That Are Working

At events people tend to loosen up and will often share from their portfolio of ideas, like strategies that are performing, or bombed. Another event I attended, I learned of an outdated business strategy that many marketers are still employing, skipping this failed approach allowed my business to leapfrog the competition.

5-Being Around Like-Minded People is Inspirational

4-Make Connections for Others

I met someone recently who has a very unique market they are going after, I happened to know someone that has a passion for the same market with many years of experience, yet it was clear they would not be competitors.  They hit it off right away, and I stepped aside.  Making connections is not only helpful for the connected, but is also fun for the facilitator.

3-Build Your Rolodex

It’s important to build a rolodex, an active rolodex with a purpose.  This can be the most valuable asset to any business.  Consider the ideas presented here on how to build it.

2-Opportunity for Partnerships

This is huge. Meeting like minded people not only inspires (point 5), but it creates an opportunity to build partnerships and joint venture opportunities.  I recently attended Ken McArthur’s JV Alert Live event, and walked away with several joint venture connections, and several others in the works.  Joint ventures and partnerships can have a dramatic impact on your business.

1-The Best Ideas Come When You Least Expect It

The human mind is an amazing organ.  It is always working, even though we may not be “working”.  Some of the best strategic ideas came while I was either in the shower, mowing the lawn, or running errands. Events provide a sort of down time that can tills the soil of brilliance. As John Reese said well, the money is not in the doing, but in the strategy.

How have events impacted your business?  What are some of your reasons for attending (or not attending) and event? Chime in below.
Photo Credit: ChrisL_AK