| I'm compiling my post-conference to-do list on the way home so I don't lose the momentum, and I thought I'd share it with you.
1. Organize My Contacts: I jotted down the names and a few notes about everyone I met. It's messy (direct quote: that guy who DM'd me on Twitter who was at the table with Sandy), so I need to clean it up while my memory is fresh. Every conversation was valuable, and I want to turn them all into real connections. I'll do this today.
2. Personalize My Follow-Ups: I'll send a personalized follow-up email or LinkedIn message to each person I met mentioning something we discussed or a shared conference experience. If it makes sense to connect on social, I will. I'll get this done over the next two weeks.
3. Speaker Outreach: I want to send a special LinkedIn thank you to each speaker at the sessions I attended within the next two weeks. I'll also ask if they have additional resources or recommendations for learning about their session topic. It's another opportunity to grow my knowledge and a natural starting point for a conversation that could turn into a relationship. Don't assume your favorite speaker's inbox will be too full. (I spoke, and mine isn't!)
4. Catch Up on Missed Sessions: I had scheduling conflicts that made me miss some interesting panels. I'll watch my inbox for any replay information from the conference organizers. If none are available, I'll contact the speakers to see if they can send me a recommended resource. Another great way to connect!
5. Reflect on What I've Learned: I took lots of notes and don't want them to get lost in my Google Drive void. I'm putting links to all my notes in to-do tasks today, so I remember to schedule time to synthesize and implement the insights. I'll get that done over the next two weeks.
6. Set a Schedule for Follow-Ups: My conference outreach will probably result in some email/LinkedIn back-and-forth and possibly some meetings. I won't let those exchanges go cold! I'll make sure to follow up in a couple of months to see how they're doing or share something relevant.
7. Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep: I'm tired, y'all.
What's your take on conferences? Do you like them or hate them? What's the best one you've ever been to? Do you have a Thing you always do before, during, or after to make the most of them?
I'd love to hear your recommendations.
Talk soon,
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