The next time you’re sitting in a conference hall, half-listening to a speaker and stifling a yawn while wondering whether your stomach can handle one more cup of coffee, take a look around. Try to spot the participants who aren’t suffering from the same conference burnout you’re experiencing.

What’s their secret?

According to conference planners and seasoned participants, they probably came to the event with a game plan. That’s something many participants don’t bother developing, says Brian Gordon, director of education at Toronto-based Oliver Notes and Seminars, which provides financial industry exam preparation and sales training.

Gordon, who also teaches financial marketing courses at Centennial College in Toronto, says that advisors can be too laissez-faire about participating in conferences and seminars. “They feel that [conferences are] more of a burden than an opportunity,” he says.

But that’s a mistake. At the very least, seminars and conferences can be the ultimate networking resource. In fact, he says, during his 11 years as a broker he scooped up more than a few clients and key contacts through conference and seminar participation.

“Here’s a roomful of people who have been gathered together who have some common interests,” he says. “And here’s the opportunity for you to make a good impression.”

Here are some tips to getting the most bang for your seminar/conference buck.

> Know thyself: Every advisor needs to plan how much time and money he or she has to devote to business development through seminars and conferences each year, says Caroline Spivak, director of communications and media relations for Advocis. Spivak, who helps plan the industry association’s annual conference, recommends advisors map out which events best serve their unique needs.
They should pay attention to what each event offers, while taking into account their own learning preferences. For example, some advisors do well with smaller groups, while others thrive in large seminar settings, she says: “Everyone has a different learning style.”

> Have a game plan: Don’t walk into a conference or seminar without knowing exactly what you want coming out of it, says Gordon. If it’s purely a networking opportunity, then be prepared to introduce yourself to people. If you’re looking to improve your business through product knowledge or development, then choose topics that interest you — and recognize that these may be very different from the ones that interest your colleagues.

> Set goals: Commit to following through on some of the ideas you’ve picked up at the conference or seminar and revisit these goals until you have achieved them. If you wish to expand your centres of influence, promise yourself that you’ll meet 10 new people or introduce yourself to three mentors you’ve long admired. There may not be any opportunity to have a meaningful discussion at the conference, but it does open the door for follow-up meetings.

> Get involved: “Don’t be there just to be a sponge,” says Spivak. “Participate, challenge, ask
questions.”

Gordon used to spend the evening before a conference coming up with a list of questions for each of the sessions in which he planned to participate. Preparing like this ensures a question is clear, concise and topical — particularly important when trying to make a good impression. Don’t forget to introduce yourself briefly before asking the question, he says.

> Business cards: “Every pocket should be full of business cards,” says Gordon. You may not have the opportunity to have a meaningful discussion with someone. But at least if you’ve exchanged cards, it’s easy to follow up.

> Evaluate: Give yourself a few days to allow the information and contacts you’ve gleaned to percolate, says Spivak. But don’t take too much time. “Studies prove that if you don’t act on something within three days, chances are you’re not going to,” she says. “You owe it to yourself to have some action or next step coming out of a session.”

> Follow up: Dropping a line to a few key people lets them know what you do and that you’re open to meeting them again. Gordon has followed this rule religiously and his efforts have paid off on many occasions.
One panel leader, for example, ended up becoming a client simply because he sent her a note afterward saying he enjoyed her presentation. While e-mails are certainly fast — and can offset the chance that you won’t let this task slide — letters have far more impact. IE