Top Tips for Making the Most of Your First Conference

Excited to be heading to Seattle for Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) ICON conference tonight!

Going to ICON, or any conference, for the first time? Here are my tips for going to any conference and making the most of the experience:

✔️ What is your goal for the conference? Know what you want to get out of the experience. Unfortunately you can’t do everything and this will help you prioritize.

✔️ Make and know your schedule before hand. Choose the sessions you want to attend beforehand. This will alleviate a lot of stress and make sure you make the most of your schedule. It will also create time for some fun!

✔️ Go to the networking and fun events. As an introvert, I admit I struggle with this one. But building a community within your field is very important for your career and professional development.

✔️ Connect with people on LinkedIn. Many of the speakers and people you meet at conferences want to connect on LinkedIn. Take them up on their offer, especially speakers. I try to do this and enjoy continued learning from the speakers and my connections long after the conference is over.

✔️ Pace yourself. Conferences are great for cramming a lot of great information and experiences into a few short days. As a reminder, you can’t do everything and it may feel overwhelming. Remember to take care of yourself and pace yourself!

In the comments, share you conference going tips!