12
HR
West
®
Y
ou’ve spent days wandering the
cavernous halls of a convention center,
trapped in windowless rooms, drinking
too much coffee and talking yourself hoarse. Does
anyone ever emerge from a conference as the
organizers intended, feeling recharged with new
ideas, contacts and energy?
New York City marketing executive Stefany
Stanley does. Among conference organizers she
is known as a savvy convention-goer, someone
with a strategy for rising above the dreary rounds
of networking and breakout sessions. Ms. Stanley
says she has gained valuable contacts, ideas and
insights from the 15 conferences she has attended
in the past five years.
Avoiding time-wasting traps takes planning, self-
discipline, skill—and for many, a lot of caffeine. The
biggest mistake most conference attendees make
is failing to plan ahead, set a personal agenda
and report back to colleagues on their results,
says David DuBois, president of the International
Association of Exhibitions and Events, a Dallas
trade group.
Ms. Stanley, 26, admits to some apprehension as
she prepares for 2
1
/
2
days at Content Marketing
World. This is a conference in Cleveland focused on
using content such as blogs and videos to replace
traditional advertising. Her employer, Sandra Arnold
Inc., or SAI, a creator and producer of corporate
events and exhibits, is spending $3,000 on her trip,
including a $2,000 pass to the meeting. Ms. Stanley,
By Sue Shellenbarger
Turn That
S
OUL-
C
RUSHING
Conference Into a
W
IN
How to Get More Out of a Conference
