How to get the most value from Events

As part of my orientation plan for 2018, I set a goal to attend more events this year. In the past months, I have worked towards my goal by attending 14 diverse events. Also, I started sharing some of my learnings on my Events blog posts.
After sharing my insights, I got questions about how I find, why I attend and the value I get from these events. I am excited to share my knowledge on how I select, prepare, participate in and wrap-up events. I get great value from events, and I want you to get value too.
 
Phase 1: Selecting an event
It is essential to spend time selecting events. I would encourage you to be very intentional about the events you attend as you are investing your valuable time and resources.
What is your objective?
Be clear on what you want to get from an event before you attend it. Some reasons I attend events include networking, meeting new people, sharing my ideas, learning something new, discovering trends in my industry as well as expanding my perspective.
What type of events are you interested in?
Know the topic areas that interest you and where you need growth. My focus areas are primarily women in leadership, women in tech, professional development, career advancement, entrepreneurship, social media, client acquisition and financial empowerment.
What events are coming up in your area?
Start your search on popular platforms for upcoming events that match your objectives and interest areas. Platforms I use regularly include ticket websites such as Eventbrite, company websites, networking websites like meetup and other sources.
What is your selection criteria?
It is crucial to have simple criteria that help you select events wisely. Personally, I recommend the following selection criteria.

• Topics - Is this an area that interests you? Should you be interested in this topic?
• Speakers - Are they people you know? Are they known experts in their field?
• Price - How much are you willing to pay for an event to make it valuable?
  

 
Phase 2: Preparing for an event
Personally, I have discovered that I get the most value from an event when I prepare before I attend it. The time spent on preparing for events differs depending on my investment. Some activities I recommend you do in preparation for events include:

• Research event description, topics, and agenda.
• Check out speakers on LinkedIn and their work.
  
• Invite friends to accompany you or look for people in your network who might be interested in attending.
• Outline 3-5 objectives for the event.
  

 
Phase 3: Participating in the event
You are prepared and want to get value from the event now let's discuss things to do at the event.

• Ask questions and contribute - Be an active participant.
  
• Network - meet people, exchange business cards, add people on LinkedIn.
  
• Take notes - you want to be able to refer to your learnings at a later stage.
• Share on social media - this is new, and I am on a learning journey.
  

 
Phase 4: Wrapping up after the event
As a project manager, I have learned that it is essential to spend time reflecting and wrapping up an event afterwards. My learnings are amplified when I do the following after the events I attend:

• Check if event met your objectives.
  
• Summarize learnings and next steps.
  
• Share your experience with friends or colleagues - I recently started sharing in my Events blog posts.
  
• Plan your next event.

 
Call to action

• Find an event in your area of interest around you and attend.
• Apply my tips and adapt accordingly.
• Please share your experience with me.