6 Tips to Get the Most out of Attending Meetups and Conferences

1. Use the Hashtag

• When you attend an event, be sure to use the official hashtag to connect with people on both Twitter and Instagram. It’s a great way to make new friends and you can use it to connect with speakers and event coordinators as well. It’s best to start using the hashtag to connect with others before the event.

• If you’re not sure what the official event hashtag is, reach out to the event organizers and ask. People make up their own and you’ll easily get caught up in others, not knowing which is the official.

• Tag people and companies when you mention them as a way to be seen and heard.

2. Create an event within an event

• Ask the coordinator if it’s okay and plan a live meet up with your community while at the conference. When planning for conferences, check to see if members of your community will be attending too.

• Create Twitter and Facebook polls to see who will be in attendance at the same conference as you.

3. Create a Twitter List

• Make a list of people who are attending the event that you want to meet or connect with, including the speakers. Once you’ve made a list, it’s easy to track everyone after the event by following the list.

• You can make a private and public list. Some events may already have a Twitter List of speakers that you can subscribe to and follow.

4. Attend Remotely

• Even if you can’t attend big events, follow the hashtag and interact with those who are there. It is a great way to keep up with the knowledge and connect with people, all while staying in your pajamas! It a powerful way to get the best benefit from a conference you can’t attend. Spend time monitoring the hashtag and you’ll make amazing connections as if you’re there.

5. Get Connected on LinkedIn

• Use the new QR code feature on LinkedIn to follow speakers and attendees with your phone by adding people’s codes. It cuts down on business cards and makes it easy to connect with them on LinkedIn after the conference.

6. Follow up

• Following up is so important and so few people do it. Be the person that follows up and do it as soon as possible after the event.

• Create a draft in your email to follow up after the event. Gmail has a feature called canned responses that you can set up and keep on hand to use after the event. Just add some personalized text to the top of each one and the general message can remain the same.

• Take a selfie with people during the conference and add it to the follow-up email you send to them. That will immediately jog their memory. You can also send them a personalized video.

• If it’s useful to have a follow-up chat, share your availability to meet with your connections.

Tools, apps, and links mentioned:

• Social Media Marketing World
• SMMW Virtual Ticket
• Using a LinkedIn QR Code to Connect with Members
• #TwitterSmarter Podcast: Tweeting Your Way Through a Conference with Madalyn Sklar [Episode 37]
• Gmail Canned Responses
• Buc-ee’s
• Doodle
• Calend.ly
• Bonjoro