Prime meeting time is upon the government contracting world right now with many organizations holding conferences, training sessions, and award shows.  Attending events in your market segment is vital to keeping up to date on information and contacts.  Here are three tips to help attendees get the most out of their event time.

1.  Plan Before You Go:  Making a list of government and industry contacts that you want to see and speak with before you go is vital.  Know why you want to meet these people, plan on what to say, and be ready to listen to what’s on their minds.  Reaching out to potential attendees before the event also makes sense.  Sometimes people you thought would be at the event will not. This could give you extra time to target new people.  Knowing what you want to achieve before you go increases the chances that you will return with new contacts and action items.

2.  Do Spend Time in Presentations and Training Sessions:  Networking is important, but making sure you stay up to date on critical government programs, shifting rules, and budgets are key to remaining competitive and assessing risk when pursuing certain projects.  Even if you think you already know a lot about the topic, it’s a good practice to sit in and listen as you never know what you might have missed or what you can learn from the questions others ask.

3.  After Hours Networking is Critical:  The event doesn’t end when the last session is over.  Make sure you know where attendees will gather afterwards to unwind from the day and hear about the experiences of others.  After-hours networking can be the most useful part of the day where you can meet people in a more informal atmosphere and have time to discuss issues of mutual interest.  Resist the urge to return to your room and catch up on emails unless there is truly something that just won’t wait.  Events can present attendees with long days, but every bit of the day is a time when something new can be learned and relationships created.