On 21 and 22 April 2010, Management Pocketbooks will be on stand 571 at Olympia, for the annual CIPD HRD Conference and Exhibition.
We hope to see you there. If you are coming to this one or going to another; whether you are attending an exhibition, an exhibition and conference, or are exhibiting, here are our top tips for making the best of your networking and learning opportunities.
Tip 1: Use your time effectively
Exhibitions and conferences are exhausting and time consuming. Your reason for going may be pleasure but for most of us, it is business. So make sure you plan to capitalise on business opportunities.
- Research who will be there. Are there any of your clients, suppliers or prospects? If there are, check where they will be and go prepared.
- If you can do so, arrange to meet people at the exhibition. You’ll both be there and both be in need of a cuppa from time to time.
- Tour the exhibition hall systematically. Talk to people on stands that interest you – regardless of whether you sense a business opportunity. Let random connections create unexpected opportunities from time to time.
- Allow time to stop and have a break. You’ll need it and it will give you the time for an unexpected conversation.
- Schedule any conference events into your organiser to ensure you don’t miss them.
Tip 2: Practise the art of influence
A simple way to be more influential is to be seen as an expert. To speak with real authority, find something specific you can really specialise in. Ironically, the narrower your specialism, the more you will be seen as an expert. Try it:
- ‘I specialise in training’
- ‘I specialise in leadership training’
- ‘I specialise in leadership of change training’
- ‘I specialise in leadership of change training for SMEs’
- ‘I specialise in leadership of change training for high tech SMEs’
While we are on the subject of authority; remember to dress the part. Rightly or wrongly, we judge each other by the clothes we wear. Dress to impress – let your clothes reinforce your authority; not undermine it. And don’t forget a big stack of business cards – not just for the fishbowl competitions: for doing business too.
Tip 3: Make your exhibit count
Make sure you let people know in advance that you will be there, and where you will be (we’ll be on stand 571). On your stand, it makes good sense to appoint someone to co-ordinate your activities and also direct good practice. For example:
- Take an interest in the people who take an interest in your stand. Playing it cool and chatting nonchalantly with your colleagues will not impress and may intimidate.
- Ask people question when they come onto your stand. If you bombard them with your pitch, you have a one in a thousand chance of saying the right thing. Questions will help you figure out what they want to know about.
- Don’t use your mobile on the stand. If you need to make or take a call, step away from the stand.
- Don’t put your freebies and brochures on the edge of the stand. If a delegate is just ‘stamp collecting’ then the give-away has no value to them or you. If they really want what you have, making them ask will give you a chance to engage with them.
Tip 4: Get the most from the Conference
Three colleagues went to a conference.
- Chris thought it was just as expected: all either familiar ideas or irrelevant rubbish
- Vic thought it was just as expected: all the talks were interesting and everything was brilliant
- Sam thought it was just as expected: a lot of the speakers had one or two real nuggets to take away and think about, with a few surprising insights from unexpected places
Who got the most from the conference?
So here’s the deal
Plan your time, prepare your personal pitch, use your stand well, and tune your radar for unexpected nuggets of insight and opportunity
The Essential Conference-goers Management Pocketbook Collection
There is no Conference-goer’s Pocketbook or Exhibitor’s Pocketbook – yet. So in the meantime, take a look at the following Pocketbooks to prepare yourself:
- The Influencing Pocketbook
- The Networking Pocketbook
- The Negotiator’s Pocketbook
- The Customer Service Pocketbook
- The Learner’s Pocketbook
If you don’t own any of these, you can buy them at a £1 discount on stand 571 and, if you buy five Pocketbooks you can get one free. How about:
