I Hate Conferences
I wasted time, and now doth time waste me - William Shakespeare
In a previous life, I spent many hours trolling networking events looking for the right person. It took a while to dial these activities in to get the results I sought. Once I realized how to prepare and follow up, the insta-networking became smoother and more profitable.
As a BD professional in tech, conferences present a similar conundrum.
First off, there are whole teams at other companies focused on conferences. They float from one to another with attendance being their only metric of success.
They swap stories about the right shoes and socks to wear so it’s easier to stand in the booth all day. They look forward to free happy hours. And they make no sales. Don’t follow their lead.
Another obstacle comes in the form of the organizations running the conferences. The event is their product. The attendees are their customers. The potential for business resulting from attendance is the narrative they spin. Don’t fall for their spiel.
Conferences can gather a large number of attendees. There’s a potential to make connections in a concentrated period. This can’t be left to serendipity.
Smaller, more focused networking events or industry-specific meetups offer more meaningful engagement with potential clients or partners. These settings can facilitate deeper conversations relevant to BD goals. Even better, skip to the one-on-one meetings immediately.
If you do have to go to conferences, a game plan is critical. Learn to prepare. Develop a list of who you need to meet with. Reach out to these potential customers in advance. Have clear follow-up steps for every contact. Review how the conference outcomes and determine if the time and money invested justifies going again next year.
The better the plan, the better the result.