Professional conferences and webinars are great opportunities to position yourself as a thought leader.
Offering value-added, educational content to your network during and after a conference is a strategic way to enhance your professional stature, which, in turn, can open other professional doors (such as article writing, speaking engagements etc).
Why not publish a post or article just like I’m doing here?
This was one of the early keys for my own personal branding success.
Here are a few ideas using a strong headline language which helps to draw in your reader.
- Top takeaways from X conference
- What I learned about X
- How to X
If you are lacking inspiration, search on Twitter or LinkedIn under the conference’s hashtag to incorporate some insights into your article from industry experts.
Make sure to tag the individuals mentioned in the posts and from the sessions you cover to foster relationship building. No one dislikes being highlighted in an article!
You could also do a post-event survey of attendees on their favorite takeaway/insight from the conference, which you can turn into a story.
It’s all about being resourceful and thinking about your audience.
Pay it Forward
Write a synopsis of key takeaways from a recent event or webinar, include them in a PowerPoint presentation and then present them at a brown bag lunch session with your firm.
Sharing what you learned will also help to position you as a thought leader with your peers.
Follow Up
Following up not too soon and not too late with new contacts made is one of the most critical things to do after any conference or event.
Make sure to send LinkedIn connection requests to key contacts as well to follow their professional accounts on other social channels.
Continue to share insights and learnings after the conference and foster relationships with key contacts by having a strong social media presence. The conference hashtag will still be used after the conference and is searchable.
It’s a great way to 1) identify other legal marketers who provide/share great content and 2) make new/strengthen existing connections. Use other hashtags and keywords strategically to help your posts become more visible and searchable.
Be a Superconnector
If you made a contact at the conference who might benefit another contact, follow up and make the introduction.
You can be of tremendous value to your network (and build stronger relationships) by connecting people to each other.
They will appreciate you for introducing them, and you will strengthen your relationship to each of them in the process, which is a win-win for everyone, most importantly, you.
Seize the Opportunity
If certain speakers resonated with you or inspired you, take the opportunity to email them or send a personal note on LinkedIn, and tell them why.
This type of gesture is a great way to build relationships, add valuable contacts to your network and potentially even gain a mentor or two.
Genuine compliments are a great way to build stronger relationships with those individuals who you aspire to get to know better.
Say Thank You ASAP
If your employer paid for you to go to the event or gave you the opportunity to take time off to attend, say thank you immediately if you haven’t yet done so.
Be sure to offer your appreciation for the opportunity and reiterate the benefits of the experience. A sincere “thank you” is such a simple gesture that can go a long way.
Conclusion
One final note, if you think of every professional activity – such as attending a conference– as a way to build your own brand, you will more effectively maximize every opportunity you have to differentiate yourself.
If you need help with this, message me to learn how I can create a custom strategy for you.