Fail to prepare, prepare to fail

Conferences can be exhausting as well as exhilarating. The right attire and tools can keep you at the top of your game and make forever lasting impressions.

Conferences can be jam packed full of influential and inspiring content you can take back to the office. It’s easy to feel the high of an interesting conference, bursting with ideas to implement later, but if you can’t remember them. What good are they?

Thus said, here is a list of must-have items for your next conference.

Business Cards:

Conferences are full of opportunities you don’t want to miss out on so make sure you have plenty of business card with you! Writing your contact details down on a coffee stained newsletter couldn’t look any more unprofessional.

Pen and Paper:

It’s an oldie but a goody. I’ll be the first to admit that my handwriting is terrible, but I always prefer to jot down my notes quickly during speaker sessions.  This makes it easy to remember key insights and strategies at a later date. The act of writing helps you clarify your thoughts, remember things better and reach your goals more surely.

The Right Attire

Whether you’re attending a conference to network or develop your skill-set, you want to look your best standing in front of  potential employers, future business partners or employees. Looking the part will not only give good first impressions but give you the confidence to deliver your amazing personality.

I can potentially chat with hundreds of people who can easily forget who I am at conferences.  I attend for networking opportunities with a little trick up my sleeve. I always wear a bow tie, it’s not only a conversation starter but people will easily remember me!

30-Second Pitch

People are going to ask you what you do. Make sure you have a clear and concise 30-second pitch that communicates who you are and more importantly, what you are looking for. Most people say what they do, but very few say what they are looking for.

Conversation Starters

Sometimes conference chitchat can be painful and speaking with well-established business people can be daunting. After the standard, “What do you do?” and “Where are you from?” questions, an awkward silence typically ensues. Come prepared with conversation starters to slip in to keep the conversation going. My favorites are related to the content: “Get any good info in the sessions today?” or “Are you excited about any of the keynotes coming up?”

External Phone Charger

No one likes to run out of battery, be prepared and make sure your phone is always good to go. There may be key information and images you will want to share with the other delegates on here and your mobile also acts as a safety net when you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or lonely