Advisor Conference Tips: Industry Pros Share Their Best Advice for Getting the Most Out of Conferences
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We asked some of our favorite industry influencers and conference mainstays for their #1 advisor conference tips to help you get the most out of your time, energy and money.
Check out their answers below – then head over to Linkedin to join the conversation by adding your best tip!
Party Down
Tim Welsh – Principal, Nexus Strategy
Always attend the parties and receptions. Those are the best venues for networking, people are more social and after a few drinks much more approachable.
Dress Comfy
Torie Happe – Head of Partnerships, Holistiplan
Comfort is king (or queen in my case 😂). If you aren't a suit and jacket person don't try and wear that to an industry event. You want to be your true self and show people who you are. Rock those Js and blazers or company swag. You are pulling 12-plus-hour days – you want to be able to be comfortable all day walking to and from sessions, staying warm in those breezy main stage areas, and want to show off your flair while networking at the events.
Be Prepared
Lacey Schrum – Founder, Smart Kx
Do prep work – review the speakers, agenda and attendees before you attend the conference. Make a short list of who or what you must see to make the conference a success and actively seek out those sessions or people.
Pick 3 Takeaways
Kay Dee Cole – Founder & CEO, Clarity Wealth Development
At the end of the conference, spend some time compiling notes and decide on three takeaways you want to implement. (Also: Drink more water than coffee.)
...or Just Pick 1
Angie Herbers – Founder & CEO, Herbers & Company
Out of all the new ideas you gain, pick one that will impact your business the most and implement it. Many advisors get caught in conference innovation overload and fail to get any ideas implemented. If you pick one idea that resonated the most, taking action becomes much easier.
Stay On-site
Michelle Odom – Founder & CEO, Ellevate
Stay at the hotel where the conference is happening – some of the best networking is done at the after-parties. Don't limit your conversations to just your inner circle. One of the most rewarding networking benefits is introducing people across your network.
Make Sure It's Worth It
Corey Westphal – Founder & CEO, Mobile Assistant
Take action. Advisors who make the conscious decision prior to an industry event to not only discover something new that can help their practice, but to implement at least two technologies or processes, create a measurable ROI from the time and money invested in attending.
Stay Flexible
Johnny Sandquist – Founder & CEO, Three Crowns
Attending an event is an investment of not only your money, but more importantly, your time. So you absolutely want to go into a conference with a set agenda of sessions to attend and people to meet. But to paraphrase poet Robert Burns, the best laid plans often go awry, so keep yourself open to serendipitous moments. Bumping into people you didn’t expect to see is part of the event experience — don’t be so caught up in getting to the next session that you keep your head down and miss a connection that could be a difference-maker in your business.
Never Eat Alone
Cameron Carlow – CMO, Ellerbrock-Norris
Never waste a meal – and I’m not talking about free food (though I’m certainly not complaining about it). Be intentional about attending every group meal. Sit at tables with people who you don’t know. Ask other advisors what’s working at their firm. Get free advice from vendors around their area of expertise. Provide speakers with challenges at your firm and see how they’d overcome them.
For me, the real learning at conferences comes from people with boots on the ground who are finding solutions day in and day out. You can get a ton from main stage speakers and breakout sessions, but share a meal with someone and you get insights that directly apply to your firm.
Also: Always grab an extra free soda for your hotel room.
Know Your 'Why'
Kimberly Papedis – President, Fusion Financial Partners
Have a plan! Every conference is an expense and should demand a ROI. Yet, we hear so many vendors attending that say, "It was nice, but we didn't get much traction." For vendors in the space, you can't just sit at a booth and hope to drive attendance. For all attendees, you should know your "why" for attending. Is it to network? Is it to drive demand to your product or service?
Respect the Reps
Matt Morris – CEO, EncorEstate Plans
Know the top 3 challenges in your firm that need solved and go willing to be vulnerable sharing them with everyone you meet. One surprise source that can be missed is vendor sponsors of the event. A default approach may be to not take them seriously as salespeople of their solution alone. Great reps have been in the industry for a long time and have talked with thousands of advisors about their challenges and how they have solved them beyond their own solution. They have a decent working knowledge of many topics outside of their category. One advisor can often only explain the solution that worked in the context of their firm, but your firm is likely different. Great reps from the vendor area can often point you in directions to find solutions to your challenges that other advisors may not. Ask a rep in the sponsor area how long they have been in financial services. If they have been around awhile, engage them with your challenges – even if their solution is not a fit for any of them.
Go with a Goal in Mind
Tina Powell – Chief Growth Officer, Intention.ly
One of the most effective strategies for financial advisors is to establish a clear objective prior to their arrival. This objective should directly tackle a specific business issue or concern. For instance, financial advisors might aim to enhance their LinkedIn presence to broaden their network, cultivate a loyal audience, and maintain a strong relevance in their field.
It's essential to determine what advisors want out of their time before they arrive so that they can focus on what's most important during the conference. Doing so, they'll be able to identify better which sessions will be most useful for achieving their goals. This will prevent wasting time on sessions that don't directly apply to their goals or objectives.
Don't Go At All
Manish Khatta – CEO & CIO, Potomac Fund Management
Don't waste your time at conferences. Stay home and go get clients.