Should You Attend a Conference in 2015?

 

 

In 2013, I attended four conferences; three were in a different time zone.  In 2014, I attended one conference in my home state and two out of town conferences.  For 2015, I am planning to attend only one conference, and it is in another state.  Why did I go from four conferences in 2013 to one in 2015?  There are a number of reasons.  My experience should help you decide if attending a conference is a good idea for you in 2015.  For 2015 and beyond, I will consider these factors before I register for a conference:

Cost.  First, what is the cost of registration?  Can I afford it without using credit?  What is the cost of the hotel, airfare and meals?  Although the registration may be affordable, I must factor in the other costs.
Time.  How much time will I need to be away from home?  If the conference is in another time zone, how long will it take me to recover from jet lag?
Information. What will I learn?  Is the conference offering something that I can immediately integrate into my life or my business?
Connections.  Who is scheduled to speak?  Who is scheduled to attend?  Will I make the effort to network with the others who attend?
Use. Once I’ve returned from the conference, will I take the hours necessary to review the material that I learned and apply it?  Will I take the time to email the contacts that I made?
Long Term Value. Will the information presented have long term value for me?  Will I learn something at the conference that would take me months or years to learn on my own?

I spent thousands of dollars attending conferences in 2013 and 2014, and I did not fully consider the costs in advance.  Since I attended four conferences in three months in 2013, I did not take the time to review the information or follow up with the contacts.  Before I attended the conferences, I had a narrow, unrealistic view of the type of virtual businesses that I could start.  After hearing from experts who were doing exactly what I wanted to do, I was educated and encouraged.  Yes, I could have spent less money figuring all this out on my own, but I think it would have taken a few years to learn what I learned in those few months of attending conferences.

Conferences are an excellent way to gain knowledge, confidence and contacts.  If a conference is not an affordable option, consider a staycation.  Let’s say, you want to start an online business.  You don’t know where to start.  Contact a reference librarian at your school or public library.  Ask him to assist you with finding books, DVDs and websites that address the topic that interests you.  Check out the materials that relate to your business idea. Contact your local Small Business Development Center and ask for resources to help you get started.  Check into a moderately priced hotel for the weekend.  Spend your time that weekend reviewing the materials you’ve gathered and visiting websites.  Set up some files on your mobile device. Spend time just thinking about what you want to do and how you could do it.  Your brain is a powerful machine. Give it time and space to operate on your behalf.  While a staycation won’t give you the same information that attending a conference would, you will have spent a few days focusing on your business and studying resources.