I am getting excited for American Translators Associations annual conference at the end of October and I hope to see some of you there. It is two months away but it is high time to start planning for it. Here are some tips on what to do to get the most out of a conference you are attending.
Before the conference:
- Make professional looking business cards so you can exchange them with all the people you meet.
- Polish up your resume and print out at least 50 ex to bring with you to the conference
- Contact the people you know and see if they will be attending so you can plan to meet
- Contact a few people that you would like to get to know better and suggest a meeting during the conference
- Explore the conference schedule to see which sessions you cannot miss. Be selective and strategic about planning your schedule!
- Plan questions you would like to ask the people you want to get to know better, or potential clients
- For the ATA conference: see the insider tips provided by the Colorado Translators Association for great tips on exploring Denver and eating well.
At the conference:
- NETWORK!!! Engage others in conversation and ask for their business card
- Schedule time to meet with people you would like to speak to
- Take advantage of social events and breaks
- Attend valuable sessions and workshops (duh!)
- Distribute business cards and resumes to valuable colleagues and prospects
- Jot down a few descriptive points on the back of the business cards you receive to make it easier to follow up
After the conference:
- Review you notes and documents from the conference. Make a to do list to take action on valuable information from the conference, people to contact, business tips etc.
- Follow up with people within 1-2 weeks after the conference
Do you have any useful tips on how to make the most of a conference? Please share!
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Me, too! I am quite excited about my 6th conference in a row. Can’t wait to see my friends and colleagues.
A tip I have during the conference is to jot down a quick note on the back of the business card after you have met a person. This will help you remember who they are (do this after the person has left): you can write down hair color, height, interest, clothes, things you have in common, etc. This trick has served me very well.
Also, get lots of sleep before the conference, as you won’t get much during the event. And don’t forget to visit the expo, especially the massage station and InTrans Book Service (Freek has excellent dictionaries).
And most importantly: decide which sessions you would like to attend ahead of time using the preliminary program or the online schedule.
See you there!