Conferences and events can be found locally and nationally and they all have their place, however, not all are created equal. Different events or conferences require different costs in both time and money to attend. Before attending, it’s important to understand your goal of attending the event. It’s important to find or create the situations needed to achieve your desired outcome. There are five main reasons to attend an event.
Knowledge
The overarching goal of an event is often education and networking. The speakers at the events will teach attendees about the topic at hand and it’s a great place to ask questions and meet real people learning the same thing. It is especially helpful to be able to talk with the speaker or other attendees and get their feedback as well, instead of listening to a podcast or reading a book at home.
Relationships
Networking and building relationships are the most important part of attending an event. If your goal is to meet key people who have accomplished something you want to replicate and build a relationship with them, then that’s where your focus should be. However, if the goal is to be a knowledge sponge and build a base network, then talking with various people may be the best option. Regardless of your goal, it is critical to get everyone’s contact info that you speak with. A lasting relationship comes from the follow-up. After the initial conversation, it’s time to follow up afterward and take the relationship further. It is at this point that friends, colleagues, mentors, and apprenticeships are made.
Experience
Attending events requires time, money, and energy no matter where it is. Larger events require more of all of these and therefore there is a credibility factor in being at larger events. The cost of the ticket, airfare, lodging, and most of all, time, proves that someone is committed to the topic at hand. This is not to say that local meetups are not as powerful, however, the level of commitment is lower because the barrier to entry is lower.
The value of going to events both large and small is difficult to measure beforehand, however, every time I go to an event, or host a meetup, I find myself shocked at something I learned or a person I met that I did not expect. There is no way to predict the value of the events, however, it is undoubtedly extremely powerful.
Mastermind Effect
There is something special called the mastermind effect that happens at events, especially larger events. When a combination of like-minded people and high energy are in the same room, magic happens. There is a positive energy of learning, growing, and expansion that is an accelerator at these events. The mastermind effect is incredibly powerful and a great motivator.
Give back
Giving back to others at an event comes in different ways. Giving back can be teaching someone about a hard lesson that you recently learned or simply connecting two people that have similar goals. Giving back by either being a speaker or simply chatting to one another is one of the most fulfilling and fun parts of being at an event.
Attending local events and conferences is instrumental in growth. The benefits of learning, building relationships, gaining experience, and giving back, all while being propelled by the mastermind effect far outweigh the cost of time and money.
If you’re looking for a local event in Pennsylvania, please join the Multifamily Mastery Meetup hosted by Volcan Capital, or feel free to ask us about other events and meetups that we're attending.
Comments