How to prepare for industry conferences

If you are a medical affairs professional, engagement is one of the key pillars underpinning your role. There is no better place to engage like-minded bright, and influential healthcare professionals are a conference. Conferences are often one of the few times you can simultaneously meet all your key external stakeholders and opinion leaders in one place. Therefore, doing your research and preparing your contact information and objectives are crucial to preparing for attendance at a congress.

1. Congress Goals

Before you are either sent to a conference or sign up for one yourself, you need to understand what you would like to learn, how you would like to grow and who you would like to meet with professionally. When I have attended a conference, my key goals have always been:

• To practice my in-person conversational and presentation skills to an external audience

• To make progress on my engagement and insights with existing Key opinion leaders

• To reach new peers and expand my network

Your goals may also exclude

• Learning new skills and getting hands-on

• Participating in case studies

• Attending exhibiting opportunities

2. Understanding the importance of attendees and events  

The list of speaking and events schedule is usually available on the organiser's website before you attend a conference. Information about key influencers at the event will give you the heads-up to be ready to network. Some tips may include:

• Taking advantage of social media such as LinkedIn, for example, understanding which LinkedIn groups are connected to the event to get to know other attendees

• Reaching out via email to established thought leaders in your therapy area beforehand. Please do not be embarrassed to send a message letting them know the dates you will be there and how you are looking forward to meeting them.

3. Find Out About Networking Events

Most conferences have networking events, symposiums, and training sessions to get stuck into; finding out about these events alongside the main speeches and presentations is essential; these create the so-called water cooler conversations that could lead to critical insights and drive up your engagement.

4. Promotion and marketing 

People tend to squeal about the idea of self-promotion. However, it is just displaying and creating visibility to showcase the great work you are doing already. It is vital for your growth and the business to shout as loudly as possible about your attendance at the conference; this not only helps you drive engagement around the therapy area but also helps you become more visible to key stakeholders both within your company and outside your company.  

Some essential tips I use to promote myself at conferences

• Have an up-to-date business card

• Create a great social media platform, particularly on linked in

• Post about and around the conference and tag important stakeholders

• Create a strategy to debrief your colleagues about the key takeaways from the conference

• Dressing to impress, smart or smart casual, is the way to go.

Let me know what tips you do when preparing for a conference, until next time