How to survive cyber security conference season

 

Conference season can fill you either with delight or dread. But love them or loathe them, conferences are an essential part of your career and business development, particularly in the cyber security industry where things can change so fast.

 

Between the sponsored talks that sound like sales pitches, the stilted conversations with ‘that’ IT supplier, the unhealthy food and sore feet, it’s tempting to stay behind the safety of your desk.

 

But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right amount of planning beforehand, you can start to enjoy conference season, and get enough out of it to benefit both you and your business.

 

Step one to surviving this tricky season is to choose wisely. Make the right decision, and you can reap the rewards, take them back to your company and impart wisdom on your colleagues. Make the wrong decision and you risk wasting hundreds of pounds and hours of your precious time.

 

Here are a few things to consider:

 

– What do you want to learn? – What are you hoping to get out of going to a conference? Does the one you’re looking at address these needs? Thinking about what insights you want to take back to your business or assessing the things that will help your personal development the most are strong places to start.​

 

– Will there be networking opportunities? – A conference isn’t just a place to sit watching talks; it’s a place to build contacts and swap business cards. Take a look at the speakers and hop on social media to see if anyone ‘big’ in the industry is already talking about attending. Knowing who you’re going to be rubbing shoulders with can be a big deciding factor. It’s also a great opportunity to reach out to existing suppliers, partners or clients and get some much-needed face time.​

 

– What do past attendees say? – There’s nothing like feedback from those who have been there, done that and got the bag of freebies. A quick Google or social media search of last year’s conference should bring up a goldmine. Find blog posts written by those who were there, reach out to attendees and speakers on social media or look for testimonials. Remember that no conference is going to be 100% perfect, but a general vibe is often enough to decide whether or not it is worth going this year.​

 

– Will there be an ROI? – While we don’t recommend making a decision about a conference based purely on budget, it’s important to not book a ticket just for the sake of it. Think about what you’re going to get back and how much it’s going to help your business in the long run.​

 

Knowing where you need to be and at what time can save you a great deal of stress on the day. Have a detailed itinerary of each day planned out, printed off and within reach at all times. Don’t forget to give extra copies to your colleagues so they know when they’ll be able to reach you and when to expect radio silence.

 

Figure out which talks and presentations you want to go to ahead of time, and reserve a ticket if necessary. Think back to your goals in step one – what are you hoping to learn? While it’s good to broaden your horizons and learn about new topics, going too far out of your comfort zone could mean you miss out on the opportunity to learn something valuable about your own area.

 

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Remember that these events are usually sponsored, and in return for their sponsorship, businesses are sometimes offered a speaking package. Avoid these talks if at all possible as they are usually not given by trained speakers, or are simply a thinly veiled sales pitch for their products or services.

 

Conference food is notoriously bad for you, and that’s if food is even put on for you at all. It’s tempting to rely on this cheap and easy fast food, but that’ll only leave you feeling tired, sluggish and probably a little guilty. So when you’re organising your day(s) – see step two above – make sure you plan in time to seek out proper sustenance.

 

 

Start by taking snacks into the conference with you. Nobody wants to be sat next to the person who opens a smelly packet of crisps and crunches their way through the entire talk. Instead, choose healthy options that are easy to store in your bag. These could be a bottle of water, grapes, a banana, or a protein or cereal bar. Water is, of course, essential to staying hydrated and alert, and the snacks will keep you going ‘til mealtimes without you having to worry about the calorie count.

 

Spend some time looking at restaurants and eateries outside the main conference area. Inside this radius you’ll usually have to contend with inflated coffee shop prices, fully booked venues or fast food takeaways. A short walk could be all it takes to reveal a hidden gem.

 

Yes, a conference is technically a work event but do you have to be all suited and booted?

 

Unless you know that formal attire is expected, aim for ‘smart casual’ or ‘business casual’. You want to be dressed to impress, but not so much that you look out of place or feel uncomfortable. Skirts, trousers, chinos and smart shirts will always go down well; they’re the best of both worlds. Leave the heels in your hotel room and opt for comfortable but smart shoes.

 

We understand the temptation to arrive just in time for the first speaker – especially if you’ve had a long trip – but remember that networking starts way before the talks do. It’s true that the early bird gets the worm; set yourself a goal to meet at least 10 new people, or 20 if you’re up for the challenge, before the conference is over.

 

Stepping into a conversation without invitation is one of those awkward things that can’t be helped at conferences, so don’t worry about approaching people, they were likely flying solo before that chat anyway. Look for those stood on their own, or in a two or three, and strike up a conversation – talking about the last talk you saw is a good enough starter for ten.

 

 

If you’ve ever attended a conference before then you’ll be well aware of the crowd that forms around a speaker as soon as they leave the stage. Again your goal here is to arrive early and beat the others to the punch. While the speaker may be scheduled to hold a meet-and-greet after their talk, chances are they’re already looking forward to getting out of there. Expect glazed eyes and a lot of nods even if they are paying close attention to you; they have just been talking for a good 45 minutes already.

 

Instead, find them before their speech starts. Engage them in a real conversation, talk to them and tell them how much you’re looking forward to hearing them speak. When you say goodbye, hand over your business card. You’re already standing out from everyone around you as the one who spoke beforehand and made the best first impression possible.

 

The post, or indeed pre, event party is a fantastic opportunity to network in an informal setting, and it’s not something to be missed out on. While you may be tired from a full day of talks or travelling, it’s well worth making the effort to attend as this is a place to make friends. And friends are always good to have in your little black book.

 

So now you’re here, how do you make the most of it?

 

First of all, keep your phone out of sight. It’s easy to bury yourself in a screen and put off talking to new people, but keeping your phone in a pocket or bag will encourage you to step out of your comfort zone.

 

 

But how do you approach people? It’s an art, certainly, and one that you can master. Banish that British awkwardness – what’s the worst that could happen? And saying “Hi” isn’t going to cut it. Instead, ask them if they saw ‘so and so’s’ talk and, if they did, did they enjoy it? What brings them to the conference? Closed questions – those that require only a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer – are your enemy. Keep things open and the conversation flowing.

 

Don’t be afraid to move on if things have started to slow. A good line to have ready is “Well, I’ve kept you for too long”, or let them know you’ve spotted a friend or colleague elsewhere. Shake their hand, be friendly, swap business cards and wish them well for the rest of the conference.

 

 

 

Conference season doesn’t have to be bad. It doesn’t have to be the time that you dread all year round; it can actually be fun, interesting and incredibly useful to your business. All it takes is a little planning and preparation to make sure you end up at the right one, with the right speakers and the right networking opportunities. Of course, there’ll be some talks that are hit and miss, but as long as you leave feeling like you’ve learned something, then it can’t have been all bad.

 

 

 

Need a little more advice on how to get the most out of your conference attendance? Check out this handy guide, complete with case studies.