How to leverage professional conferences to build your network and increase your influence (Episode: 232)

<p style="font-weight:400;">SHOW NOTES </p> <p style="font-weight:400;">Title: “How to leverage professional conferences to build your network and increase your influence” — Episode: 232</p> <p style="font-weight:400;">Ever attend a professional conference or networking event and feel like you haven’t gotten your money’s worth? Or maybe you’re skeptical of the value in the first place? </p> <p style="font-weight:400;">Building your network and investing in different types of relationships is critical for building and sustaining your influence, and certainly for growing your business and professional credibility. Professional conferences and networking events can be incredibly valuable tools to help you achieve this, but there are a few best practices that can help you maximize your investment of time and money. </p> <p style="font-weight:400;">This week, I’m doing a deep dive into the topic and sharing some great tips and advice — some crowdsourced and some of my own. These tips align with the three key areas — story, investment, and intention — that we need to build and sustain influence in our lives and careers. </p> <p style="font-weight:400;">KEY TOPICS:</p> <ul style="font-weight:400;"><li style="font-weight:400;">How can “story” impact the way you approach a professional conference or networking event? </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Why investments of time and money in professional conferences can help you grow your network and make it more sustainable  </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">What it means to engage with “intentional persistence”</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Two types of networks: “bonding capital” and “bridging capital” and why they both matter</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">The types of planning should you do before the conference or event</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Why reach out to potential new contacts in advance?</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">How to make sure attending with a buddy or colleague increases your connection potential v. discouraging it</li> <li style="fo