The Freelancer’s Guide To Making The Most Of A Conference

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Businesswoman raising hand to ask a question attending a conference.

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It’s easy to get “stuck in the weeds” as a freelancer or solopreneur, focusing on client work and the day-to-day running of the business. Networking and learning new skills will likely be lower on your priority list, but they’re still crucial to helping you and your business grow. Attending industry conferences is a great way to do this.

Here’s how to make the most of a conference and use it to your best advantage.

1. What To Do Before A Conference

Being prepared before a conference helps set you up for a successful day. You never know who you’re going to meet, or who will consequently search you up online.

Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

You’ll likely make new connections at the event, so a fleshed-out LinkedIn profile makes a great first impression if you connect with them on LinkedIn and they view your profile. At a minimum, ensure you have a professional profile photo, an on-brand cover photo, an engaging bio, and feature the freelance services you offer.

Don’t Forget Business Cards

It might be a digital world, but business cards still have value and can even help you stand out amongst those without one. Handing over a paper business card is easy. It doesn’t rely on Wi-Fi connections or others searching through social media to find your profile. It’s a “zero-click” touchpoint.

If you’re against the idea of a business card, you could offer a QR code that helps the person connect with you on LinkedIn, or take them to a dedicated landing page. Make it easy for the people you meet to learn more about you or contact you.

Pack A Conference Bag

The night before the conference, make sure to pack a bag with all the essentials. These might include your business cards, snacks (especially if it’s a long day), a water bottle, and your laptop (if needed). Lastly, don’t forget a notebook and pen for all the notes you’ll take—while many conferences supply these, you don’t want to be caught out if they don’t!

Set The “Out Of Office”

It’s important to soak up as much as possible at a conference. So, you’ll need to switch off from your day-to-day work and be fully present for the presentations. Even if it’s just for one day, let your clients know you’ll be at a conference and therefore unavailable, and make sure to turn on your out-of-office email.

2. What To Do During A Conference

Get Involved

One of the most important things to do at a conference is to get involved with the events of the day. If there are Q&A sessions, smaller workshops, roundtables, breakout rooms, or networking sessions, jump right into them. Ask questions, take notes, and capture photos when needed.

Get Social

It’s common for freelancers to work from home. But it’s also essential to get out of the comfort zone occasionally and get social with other people in your industry. So introduce yourself to other attendees at your table or seated around you.

If you’re shy about inserting yourself into a group of people, keep an eye out for other attendees who are by themselves. If you see someone sitting alone at lunch time, why not introduce yourself? You never know who might turn into a friend, client, collaborator, or even future business partner.

Real-Time Social Media Updates

If you’re at a conference, let your online audience know- especially on LinkedIn. Mixing real-time conference updates with thought leadership shows that you’re an active member of your industry and can help to grow your personal brand. You could create posts on how your day is going so far, any highlights or insights, your favorite thought-provoking questions, striking statistics that were presented, or even interesting people you’ve met.

3. What To Do After A Conference

Make The Most Of Your Notes

Don’t just hide away your notes, never to be seen again. Your notes are excellent sources of social media content and serve as helpful reminders from the big day. Now that you’ve had time to digest the entire event, you could share your experience, key takeaways, and favorite speakers. What did you learn? What are you going to implement in your business moving forward?

The Magic Is In The Follow-Up

If you haven’t already, send a LinkedIn request to the people you met at the conference. And if you had talked about meeting up for coffee or collaborating, make sure to follow-up and organize this. Doing this soon after the conference helps to keep the momentum while people are still motivated and energized from the day. Don’t let your new connections turn cold.

Take Massive Action

It’s easy to sit and listen to speakers at a conference, enjoying the insights and advice. It’s harder to take the insights and put them into action after the event has ended. So, afterward, create an action plan. For example, if you attended a digital marketing conference, what new digital marketing strategies will you implement to either grow your own business or your clients’?

Conferences are essential to a freelancer’s professional development, but they’re only as good as the energy and effort you’re willing to put in. Make sure you’re equipped to make the most of a conference before, during, and after, as this will help set you up for success long after the event has ended.