Conferences and Meetings: Networking Meccas
The biggest difference between trade shows and conferences is that you almost always pay to attend conferences. The primary reasons for attending conferences include hearing experts speak, picking their brains, sharing your ideas, and networking—and that costs money.
Conferences are excellent places to get to know the people behind the products. Socializing is encouraged, and the atmosphere is calmer than at trade shows. There is no pressure to buy. There is no pressure to sell. The object is to make friends, brainstorm, and exchange ideas. Participants can increase their know how and know who at the same time.
Many conferences offer simultaneous resource fairs. Many trade fairs have conferences or seminars scheduled.
Several methods are available for finding conferences:
◆ Ask a manufacturer or distributor in your field of invention. Many larger manufacturers have training departments that can provide helpful information.
◆ Contact the trade association that covers your field of invention. Go online and search for the Encyclopedia of Associations. It covers more than 159,000 nonprofit membership organizations. Or search on Google or Bing.
◆ Ask department heads and professors at nearby universities where your field of interest is taught. Universities, particularly those teaching engineering and kindred technical fields, will have a current schedule of conferences on hand.
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