Why conference

Done poorly So, with digital conference season upon us, we thought it timely to share our hit-list of '5 reasons to attend a conference in your field'. So it goes without saying that large-scale events are the perfect opportunity to expand your network and find potential new leads, mentors, and collaborators.

One of the great things about a conference is the wide array of forms in which knowledge is can be offered. Usually, workshops are focused on one specific issue, are run by experts, and build on best practices, so the learnings are proven and targeted. Panel Discussions Panel Discussions are another fantastic form of targeted learning. The best panel discussions pull presenters together from different schools of thought, or who represent different stakeholders on a particular topic - think practitioner vs expert.

Every conference session you attend is an opportunity to have your questions answered by experts. At a breakout session, you may find yourself sitting next to your next customer or mentor.

Apps that make us faster, less prone to costly mistakes, or give us some other sort of edge. Or consider why so many businesses have meetings off site. Sitting in the same chair, in the same office or cubicle, or in the same coffee house, can keep us from fresh thinking and new ideas. Going hand-in-hand with the previous reason, live events force you to break out of your comfort zone.

While there are those among us who are born networkers, for many of us live events, and other people can be a challenge. But breaking out of our comfort zones is just the type of action we need to take to break out of old ways of thinking that have got us in a rut in our businesses. The problem with the web is we believe that everything is at our fingertips. And maybe it is. A well run conference will help curate new ideas to help us improve our approach.

I remember watching someone create a Facebook app in front of me at a session just to show what was possible. About the Author: Kayleigh Weaver. I write educational content to help organizations create measurable impact in their communities and reach their peak performance. Send me your story ideas at kayleigh clearimpact. Related Posts. Measurable Equity Virtual Conference.

Jody urquhart October 16, at am - Reply. Roopesh May 11, at am - Reply. The right events provide you with the opportunity to be in the same room as the types of people that you really need to get in your contacts book, including potential customers, employers, mentors, industry peers, partners, investors, journalists, the list goes on and on. Depending on the type of event, these will come from all over the world and with hugely differing backgrounds.

When you think about it, how else would you get yourself in front of this network of people, especially in such a short time period? The Internet is great for many things, and yes webinars are seeing something of a resurgence, but there is absolutely no substitute for being able to meet people who can provide value to your business or development. It would take weeks, and copious amounts of travelling to achieve the same result. Public speaking is a much sought after skill as well of course, but the only way to master this is through continual practice and experience.

Confident businesswomen handshaking while standing in corridor of an auditorium. There is so much to learn at conferences. Events can be hugely inspiring and informative, and can even completely reshape your thinking towards a certain subject or change the way you look at your product vision and roadmap.