Find the right conference to achieve your goals

Conferences can be a great way to develop personally and professionally

Not only are you surrounded by like-minded individuals with similar career goals, you’re also presented with great opportunities to stay on top of developments in your field and network with other professionals. Speaking to people who are in the same boat as you may be beneficial, as they can give you the advice to help you move forward with your business venture. From figuring out ways to increase your instagram followers, creating a marketing plan, to even finding ways of how you can reach potential clients, events like these may be worthwhile when it comes to developing professionally.

But when you factor in expenses – travel, food, lodging, registration fees and time off from work – it can be a HUGE investment.

If you want that investment to pay off, you need to choose the right event. Here’s some advice for doing just that:

• Start by making a list of important business goals you want to accomplish this year. Do you want to master social media? Work on your presentation or prospecting skills? Learn Excel or other programs to help you get – and stay – organized? When you have done this, you may want to have a look for a type of corporate software to help track your journey to these goals so you know what needs to be done to achieve them. But before you can start thinking about this, you actually need to come up with some goals. Once you know what you hope to get out of a conference, you can start looking for opportunities that meet your needs.
• Ask friends or colleagues for recommendations. Find out which events they found most useful. Sometimes, they can recommend a speaker or other professionals in your field who have information that’s particularly relevant to your needs.
• See what conferences or events your company offers. Most provide annual opportunities to network and share ideas and best practices, but some companies offer training tailor-made to their workforce. For example, Scentsy offers training opportunities for Consultants at every level in their business:
  • World Tour is a one-day training opportunity to gain ideas and inspiration, no matter your title. It takes place in dozens of locations worldwide and has great information for all Consultants.
  • Scentsy Family Reunion is our annual gathering where Consultants and home office staff from around the globe meet and exchange ideas. You’ll see new products for the first time, gain recognition for your achievements, hear from world-class speakers and be inspired by Heidi and Orville themselves!
  • Director Boot Camp is an opportunity reserved for new Directors, and helps them learn how to successfully run their business and manage their team. This three-day, small-group event is held every spring and fall at Scentsy’s home office in Meridian, Idaho.
  • Star Director Summit Approach is designed for Star Directors who have mastered basic leadership skills and are striving to reach SuperStar Director. It’s held each fall at our home office.
  • SuperStar Director Summit, also held each fall at our home office, gives SuperStar Directors an opportunity to share ideas and provide valuable insight into the company’s strategy. Equal parts recognition, celebration and information, this event is reserved for Consultants who have achieved our highest title.
  • Leadership, held every January, gives Directors, Star Directors and SuperStar Directors advanced leadership skills. This event typically features training and presentations from world-class speakers and facilitators, as well as breakouts from the home office and your fellow Consultants.
• If there’s no conference that meets your goals or your budget, look for professional groups in your area that meet regularly, or consider starting your own group using meetup.com.

Share your best advice for choosing training events or conferences in the comments below!