Rocking #INBOUND18 (Or “How To Prep For A Massive Conference”)

Chris Bryant
Sep 4, 2018 · 4 min read

As I prepare to head out the door to jump on the Boston T and roll up to the Boston Convention Center, I wanted to share some steps I’ve been taking to make sure I’m set for success at the humongous conference that is HubSpot’s Inbound 2018. Last year over 21,000 marketing and sales professionals from around the world attended. My conservative guess is well over 25,000 this year.

You spend not only money (on the event ticket, transportation, hotel, food, etc) on attending big conferences, but your precious time as well. For most, that means stepping away from their desk for a few days or a week to focus completely on taking it all in, learning, networking and overall becoming better at what you do. Make sure you get the most out of it by doing some work upfront before the doors even open. Here are my top 5 tips to prep for a huge conference like this.

  1. Get your LinkedIn profile up to snuff. You’ll be connecting with your peers, industry thought leaders and perhaps potential customers/clients. You want to make sure your LinkedIn profile is absolutely up-to-date with not only your current position and job responsibilities, but any big, relevant projects you’ve been working on that you’d like people to know about. Is your headshot in need of updating? If you’ll be at Inbound this year, LinkedIn will actually be providing free professional headshots (!!!). Bonus points if it’s the same as your social media profile picture, so people will know it’s really you when they find you on LinkedIn (assuming you’re also taking step #2, which is…)
  2. Get active with the event hashtag on Twitter! You HAVE a Twitter account, right? If not, get on that — if you use the platform correctly, you’ll be SHOCKED at the power it has to connect and build relationships with some truly awesome people. Find the official event hashtag (usually noted on the event website, otherwise you can check out the event’s Twitter account). Follow that hashtag, see who’s tweeting, and get in on the conversation! You can also temporarily note that you’re going in your Twitter bio (using the hashtag!). Identify key people you’d like to connect with, and who you also would like to be hearing from, and create then add them to a list (titled something like “[Event] top people!”). Feel free to make the list public so others can see it — as well as those who you’ve added to the list. This allows you to curate a feed of content from those who you’ve added to the list, even if they don’t use the event hashtag. I could go on for a LONG time about Twitter tips for events, but the biggest one is to jump on the event hashtag, use it for relevant tweets of your own, and be social by interacting with it from others.
  3. Know what you want to get out of it. Do you want to learn as much as you can about a certain topic? Are you looking to connect with your peers and make strong connections? Want to find some new customers? Most people have some or all of those items on their list, in different orders of priority. Be clear with yourself on what you want to walk away from the conference with, and position yourself to get it. If you’re looking for more customers, DO NOT run around and spam people, throwing out your sales pitch at every opportunity. That is exhausting for everyone involved, and while it might work for some people, it’s going to be a much more enjoyable experience if you’re just super valuable and friendly. Be yourself, be awesome, provide a ton of value and knowledge in your field with people you meet, and the customers will come. Certainly if someone seems interested in your services, go down that road. But being too aggressive is just… I don’t know. It’s just not my style, and I know most don’t appreciate it, either.
  4. Do your research. Take the time needed to review the entire event, read up on who’s speaking, what the sessions and talks are, and the timings. The larger the event, the more comprehensive their information tends to be. For example at Inbound, they have their own app that covers everything from the agenda, a detailed map of the convention center where it’s taking place, info on all amenities, and a whole lot more. If your event doesn’t have something that polished, check the event website and pour through every page. Make notes of what you can’t miss, especially if it’s a multiple track event (meaning there are several talks/workshops/sessions happening at the same time and you have to choose what to attend and what to skip). Check the speaker bios, if you can, and read up on them. Anyone in particular you want to make sure you meet and shake hands with? Anyone you can bring value to? Notice how I didn’t say, “Anyone you can pitch your services to?”?
  5. Bring all you need. If you’re big into social media like me, you’ll be posting on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and more throughout the event. Aside from the obvious cell phone chargers, also look into bringing a powerbank for tapping into in the likely event you’re not near an available wall outlet. Also be sure to stay hydrated, if that means grabbing a refillable water bottle (if the location has water fountains). You’ll want to bring some business cards for those who may not be up on the latest technology, but for everyone else, make sure you have the LinkedIn app on your phone. From here, you can SUPER easily provide the other person a QR code from LinkedIn that allows them to connect with you instantaneously. I’m pretty stoked about this feature, and am actually using it for the first time at Inbound.

By making sure all your bases are covered before you grab your event lanyard, you’ll be set up to maximize the impact of the days or the week that you’re investing.

Now get out there, get that prep done and have fun!

Chris Bryant

Written by

Creative Director & Principal of @EmpireStudiosNY. || Founder & Instructor @Studio12Academy || Filmmaker || Photographer || @Time Person of the Year, 2006.

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