Learn from the best: entrepreneurs make the most of conferences and seminars.

• Author: Campbell, Carolyn
• Position: EntrepreneurEdge - Conference news

Dave Crenshaw, president of Invaluable, Inc., and author of the book Multitasking Is a Myth, recalls attending conferences with entrepreneurial speakers throughout his career. "I was privileged to learn from experts such as Larry H. Miller, who shared his perspective about entrepreneurship. Much of the philosophy I use now comes from people like Larry, who share their experiences in a live, personal setting."

Personal Connections

Attending conferences and seminars both deepens your knowledge base and provides opportunities for meeting key industry leaders.

Once an enthusiastic attendee, Crenshaw has gone full circle and is now a frequent presenter for entrepreneurial groups. Crenshaw feels that the opportunity to get in front of a group of people and speak to them live is a great way to teach, motivate and inspire. "I do online training and webinars as well, but I find that the level of connection with the audience and the level of commitment from audience members when attending is much, much higher when it is live than over the internet. A big part of it is the opportunity to make a personal connection as I, the presenter, shake their hands, talk to them and look them in the eye. It's a completely different experience from learning online. My feeling is that if someone wants to learn a new perspective or new principles, they should go to a live conference if they can."

Derek Miner, co-founder of OrangeSoda, an Internet marketing company, attends a conference at least monthly. "The opportunity to make face-to-face personal connections really can't be replicated online, even with social networking tools," he says. "And post-event communication work is often more important than the event itself."

When attending conferences, seminars or workshops, T. Craig Bott, Grow Ventures president and CEO, suggests honing a 15-second business introduction that is intriguing and compelling. "Knowledge is the exchanged commodity in networking. You are seeking information to move your business along. Your opening statement is the hook that immediately qualifies the person you are considering networking with as to whether an information exchange will be helpful to both of you."

Plan for Success

Execs who feel too busy to attend conferences are missing vital opportunities to connect with and learn from experts in their industry. The key is to attend conferences that are most valuable to the company and follow simple strategies to make the most of your...