5 Great Reasons To Attend Industry Conferences and Reseller Summits

Aug 1, 2022
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Content marketing strategist for B2B tech companies. Her work has been featured on G2's Learning Hub, Human Resources Today, and over 500 business websites. She enjoys playing bluegrass mandolin, hiking in Utah's red rock backcountry and sailing her catamaran in the San Francisco Bay area. Connect with me on LinkedIn

Industry conferences were a staple of professional life in the BC era (before COVID). Last year, after widespread cancellations during 2020, scaled-back virtual events reappeared. This year, live conferences are back as well as virtual events on specialized platforms that make a standard Zoom meeting seem archaic in comparison.

As you plan next year’s budget, are you wondering whether these events provide enough value to justify the cost of attendance, travel and impact on productivity?

We believe the answer is an unequivocal yes! Industry conferences bring significant ROI. If you are a reseller, it’s especially important to attend your reseller summits because they have actionable content tailored to your business and job role.

5 Great Reasons To Attend Industry Conferences

1. Network

To grow your business, you continually need to forge new relationships. And the beauty of an industry conference is that other attendees and presenters are there to do the same thing. It’s certainly a lot easier than trying to attract new clients or partners with cold outreach. Many professionals believe personal interaction is even more valuable now because it’s becoming increasingly rare.

Meeting with industry peers face-to-face (in person or virtually) is a natural way to interact with people in your space. You could meet new customers, service providers or integration partners. Even meeting competitors is valuable. Take advantage of official networking events as well as chat rooms (at virtual conferences) and breakout sessions.

2. Learn

Knowledge is power–and tapping the insight and expertise of thought leaders and influencers in your industry gives you perspective that you can’t get with a Google search. Presentations by experts in your job role can be especially helpful. Bring your questions to Q and A sessions. Attend hands-on workshops to learn skills specific to your job role.

If several people from your company attend an event, divide and conquer to cover as many sessions as possible. You can present to each other after the event and discuss what each team member has learned. Moreover, you can invite team members that didn’t attend to these after-conference discussions.

3. Build Team Unity

Many organization are looking for ways to strengthen team unity after two years of remote and hybrid working. Consider that some employees hired in 2020 and 2021 haven’t met all of their coworkers in person. A three-day conference in an interesting city can do more for your team than a year’s worth of monthly team-building activities. You experience new facets of your colleagues’ personalities when you travel, dine, learn and party together. Employees with strong work relationships are also less likely to quit. Furthermore, a commitment to professional development can become a pillar of a great company culture.

4. Increase Brand Visibility

It takes a sustained, comprehensive approach to establish brand identity. As mentioned previously, a personal introduction and normal human conversation is powerful in this digital world. If your team becomes a fixture at the most popular conferences in your industry, you can’t help but benefit from the visibility. Prospects are more likely to buy and current customers are more likely to buy again from brands they know and trust. Plus, frequently attending industry events boosts your SME cred. Consider sponsoring events that attract your target customer. In addition, build social media content around the events you attend or sponsor.

5. Earn Certification Credits

If you have a professional certification or license, you may need continuing education to keep it current. Industry conferences that offer CE credits can be the easiest way to re-certify, especially if you learn best from live instruction. Some event sponsors record sessions for future reference and study.

In conclusion

At Swipeclock, we have a vibrant community of reselling partners and are excited for our annual Summit on October 6 and 7. If you are interested in becoming a Swipeclock partner, visit Swipeclock Partner Program.

 

Liz Strikwerda

Learn More about being a Swipeclock Partner

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