Photo by BrockPhoto.ca
by Danielle Andrews Sunkel
Tracey and I are self-proclaimed “Conference Junkies”. We speak at conferences, we attend conferences, we plan conferences. We attend wedding conferences, meeting conferences, travel conferences and event conferences (I feel like I’m channeling Forrest Gump here). We attend between 10-15 conferences per year, and this year we will be travelling as far as Spain to attend a conference. So when I say, “It is very important that Wedding Professionals attend conferences,” you know I truly believe that.
Conferences are set up for each and every industry, so that you can learn important business strategy and the latest trends from the best and most successful in those industries. In order to be a better professional, you need to learn from the successful professionals.
Reasons to attend conferences:
- learn best practices from successful professionals
- learn about trends in your industry
- network with your peers
- meet new vendors
- learn about new products available in your field
- learn tips to improve your business
- learn tips to improve your events
- reignite your enthusiasm
- get inspired
Costs
Conferences range in price from $50-2800, with the average conference costing about $495 and that does not include your transportation, accommodation and often times food. No doubt, you make an investment when you attend a conference, but you are investing in making your business better and more profitable.
Some conferences are better than others, but for the most part, you will always come away with something you can apply to your business. If you learn even one tip that books you 2 clients, then the conference has more than paid for itself and you’ve still made a profit.
Choosing the right Conference
You need to look at what the target of the conference is, what they will be teaching you and if it is applicable to YOUR particular business and area. Are the speakers interesting? I find that the most well-known speakers give the fewest usable tips, so choose a conference based on the content rather than the speaker.
The best conferences will outline what the take-aways from the presentations will be, and whether the session is geared towards novice, intermediate or advanced professionals.
Conferences we regularly attend
Some of these we speak at, some we just make sure to attend, BUT, just because it is on my list, does not mean it’s the best conference for YOU. Just like a wedding, conferences are personal to the person 😉 You are pretty certain to see us at: IdeaFest South Florida, Love Mexico, Engage!, Canadian Special Events Expo, The Special Event, Wedding MBA, ISES Live, to name but a few.
There is a conference for every wedding professional and even the most experienced person can learn a new thing or two. You really are doing a disservice to yourself and your clients if you are not attending at least one Industry conference each year.
What are your favourite conferences?
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