[Slideshow] Conferences: A Zombie Survival Guide

Conferences can be deadly, but don’t let the stress of planning for monster crowds keep you from attending. Use this visual survival guide to attack your next real estate conference head-on.

Plan Your Strike
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Book early: Being ahead of the rush ensures you’ll be happier and more conveniently located during your stay. Staying in the venue’s hotel keeps you close, but those rooms go quickly. Contact organizers directly about possible early-bird deals and specials.
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Have a clear set of goals: Plan ahead what you’re looking to learn and customize what’s available for your success.
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Keep track of your battery life: Bring charge cords with you to keep important event information one click away.

Get Chummy and Load Up
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Introduce yourself: Build social conversations first, starting with casual topics rather than jumping into business ventures. This allows you the time to decide if creating a business relationship with this contact is advantageous.
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“Most obstacles melt away when we make up our minds to walk boldly through them.”

— ORISON SWETT MARDEN

Be the sponge: Use time wisely to absorb and track every bit of information you collect. Setting aside time each day to organize your notes will save you from frustrating memory loss, especially when you need to recap information to coworkers (see below).

Don’t Stop Until You’re Full
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Gather resources: You’ll be expected to impart knowledge from the conference to your team. Make sure you bring back material for them and in a format everyone can understand, like a PowerPoint or written summary.
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Connect with contacts, ASAP: Follow up promptly after the conference with all those great new contacts you made to further develop relationships into something tangible.
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Share your feedback: Complaining to your peers at the conference won’t enact the changes you want. Feedback is pure gold for convention organizers. Share your thoughts on your experience for future improvements.
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