You attended the conference. Now you’re bursting with enthusiasm and the new ideas. The problem is that most of those ideas never make it past the airport.
You come home energized, armed with notes, photos of slides and a notebook full of AH-HAs! Then reality lands like a big orange DETOUR sign. Emails have piled up. Your calendar gets clogged with meetings to catch up on things that were postponed while you were OOO.
A few months later, someone asks, “What was your biggest takeaway?” and you’re struggling to remember.
If you’re going to invest the time and money to attend a conference, make sure you get more than air miles and some questionable swag out of the experience.
Here are four things to do when the conference is over so you actually benefit from what you learned.
1) Pick one idea to implement (or test)
The biggest mistake people make after a conference is trying to do too much. You don’t need to implement 10 new ideas. Attempting that is a good way to implement nothing. Instead:
- Review your notes within a week of returning.
- Identify the one or two ideas with the greatest potential.
- Ask, “What’s the smallest way we could test this?”
- Create a simple action plan with a clear owner and deadline.
Not every idea deserves a full rollout. Some deserve a pilot. Some merit a conversation. Some have to be discarded. The goal is to strategically choose what can realistically help you move your brand forward.
Give each idea you’re considering a grade. Prioritize based on which ideas will help you reach the goals in your marketing plan.
Alignment is essential. Don’t just chase a new idea or tactic because it’s trendy.
2) Share what you learned
Your conference registration shouldn’t benefit only one person. Find a way to transfer knowledge to your team while the ideas are still fresh. While you’re showing what you learned, you can also ignite team enthusiasm to help you implement new ideas.
Consider:
- A 30-minute lunch-and-learn with teammates.
- A presentation at your next staff meeting.
- A short article for your company intranet.
Don’t simply report what happened. Explain why it matters. This helps you assimilate the information better for yourself while also bringing in your teammates.
Your team doesn’t need a play-by-play. They need the insights, trends and actionable ideas that can help them do their jobs better.
3) Create a system to stay on track
Good intentions—well, we know what road those pave.
If an idea is worth pursuing, it deserves a place in your planning process. Try:
- Adding action items to your project management system.
- Scheduling follow-up meetings before the momentum slows.
- Setting 30-, 60- and 90-day checkpoints.
- Tracking progress alongside other organizational priorities.
The conference may be over, but implementation is where the rubber meets the road. Without a system, even the best ideas get buried under the urgent.
4) Build accountability into the process
Most people leave a conference excited. Their challenge is maintaining that energy and follow-through once they’re back in the office.
- Assign an owner to every action item. (You can’t do it all alone.)
- Set specific deadlines.
- Include updates in regular team meetings.
- Always establish how you'll measure results. Then measure them.
The simple question, “What happened with that idea?” can be surprisingly powerful. What gets discussed gets attention. What gets measured gets improved.
The Bottom Line
Attending a conference is easy. Doing something with what you learned is harder.
Implementation is what separates the champs from the wannabes.
The organizations that gain the most value from conferences aren’t necessarily the ones that attend the most events. They’re the ones that consistently turn ideas into action.
For more on brand strategy for leader, see our blog: 20 Questions to ask when you need strategy instead of tactics20 Questions to ask when you need strategy instead of tactics.
MB Piland is a marketing agency helping clients with brand strategy, branding and employer brand development. Want to talk about strengthening your brand? Call Martha direct at 785.969.6203 or
Photo credit: Tanja Tepavac on Unsplash.
