Conferences are a great opportunity for small business owners to learn new skills and connect with other professionals in a similar industry. They can learn new trends and how to apply them in their own businesses once the conference is over. Plus, there are often opportunities to connect with vendors at trade shows. Conferences also provide an opportunity for you to network with other professionals and share ideas, which can be beneficial for your business. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most popular small business conferences and how you can use them to grow your company by learning from experts and other attendees.
INBOUND
The INBOUND conference is held annually in Boston, which makes it easy to attend since it’s right near an international airport. At this conference you can learn more about marketing, improving customer satisfaction, and even ways to improve your business management. The next conference is September 5-8, 2023 and this year will have both an in person and an online option.
Amazon Seller Conferences
If you’re an Amazon seller, you could benefit from one of many different Amazon seller conferences, and you could even learn more about becoming successful in your business. There are numerous Amazon seller conferences happening in 2023. You could check out Prosper Show, Amazon Accelerate, or Sellers Summit 2023. These are just a few of the multitude of Amazon conference options available.
LeadsCon
Businesses in the insurance, mortgage/lending, education, fintech, healthcare, and auto industries benefit from lead generation. LeadsCon is one of the leading conferences for small and mid-sized companies that need to generate leads regularly to thrive. If you want to attend, the conference will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV from March 13 – 15, 2023. It’s a great place to meet others in the same industry, learn better ways to generate and cultivate prospects, and more.
10X Growth Conference
The 10X Growth Conference is one of the best opportunities for entrepreneurs and business leaders to learn how to grow their businesses. There are over 80 speakers who provide valuable and actionable content for entrepreneurs and business owners to help them lead in their companies. It’s held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV from February 14-16, 2023. It’s a time to learn, network with others, and gain valuable marketing insights that you can apply to your business right away to 10X your business revenue. Â
Social Media Marketing World
Social Media Marketing World is a 3-day conference that takes place in San Diego, California on March 13-15, 2023. The event features speakers from all over the world discussing how to use social media marketing effectively. The audience at this conference is made up of entrepreneurs who want to learn more about social media marketing and how it can help their businesses grow online. As a professional marketer, this conference is essential when you need to learn about the changes to platforms, new algorithms, and trends that can help you help your clients succeed. You’ll learn about tools and techniques that help you build a more effective strategy for the long-term. Â
Networking Tips to Help You Navigate Conferences
When there are thousands of people in attendance at a conference it can be difficult to figure out whom to talk to and how to connect. It’s important to be friendly, but professional. Remember, you are the face of your business. There are sometimes parties and other networking events after hours at these conferences but be careful not to go overboard when you attend them. Your professional reputation matters.
When you meet people, you want to connect with more, feel free to invite them for coffee or meet up with a small group for dinner so you can further that connection. These networking events are great because people from many different backgrounds and industries can get together, share ideas, and so much more.
Another great tip is to be prepared. While yes, everything is going digital, there are still plenty of professionals who prefer a paper business card. So have an electronic card and a paper card available so you can give contact information to connections that you can help or who can help you.
Be ready with your elevator speech. Sometimes, you will literally be in an elevator with someone, and you have all of a minute or less to convey who you are and what you do to someone you’ve just met. Practice what you would tell people about you and your business or profession in a way that’s interesting and opens the door to important conversations.
