Why Attend a Conference? 5 Reasons Why You Should

In today’s virtual landscape, why go to a conference? It costs money, and we’re all so busy - who has the time? Everything is available online, and we can get all the information we need without ever leaving the office, so why attend a conference? 

If you are an avid Twitter follower, and constantly read the latest studies, articles, and discoveries, you’ll always have the latest innovations at your fingertips. Unfortunately, many of us are too busy to dedicate enough time to this endeavor. This is where conferences are so valuable. New ideas are debated and vetted by your business communities, and the best bubble to the top. At conferences, you can sample the newest tips, solutions, and hacks; delicious innovations that can shake up your office, highlight new directions, and help you find unexpected solutions.

At conferences, you have a great opportunity to talk face-to-face with your peers, mentors, and teachers. What other situation gives such a rich resource of ideas, knowledge, and experiences? The lively exchanges and debates can not only provide unexpected solutions, but also surprising new ways of looking at tasks and challenges.

The best conferences give you the opportunity to expand your community, to meet people who inspire and challenge you--people with whom you can build collaborative relationships that will enrich your work. The community that you connect with at conferences is an invaluable resource that dramatically enhances your knowledge base. Conferences give you a community of experts, from unique backgrounds, with whom you can explore and discover solutions that alone you may not find. As an individual, or as an organization, it’s not always easy to break out and find a new perspective. A community of outside advice can stimulate and redirect your thinking and give unexpected insights.

When you attend an event, especially in a different city, you break our daily routines. Everything is new and exciting, the food, the weather, the people. You’ve broken out of the office, you’re in a new space, and this shakes you up and wakes up your mind. Your brain is alert and primed for new experiences—the perfect state in which to absorb and be inspired by new ideas, ideas that spark innovations at work. New perspectives are priceless!

Away from the challenges that rule your working life, you have the space to think bigger, to think more creatively, and to have fun! It’s hard to be inspired every day, but at a conference you’re meeting new people, you’re in a new place, and your mind is full of exciting new ideas and solutions. Conferences are designed to inspire you, to jolt you out of the day-to-day, and to renew your passion for your work. We all need this from time to time.