I am very excited. Guess which event I chose to go to ….

I am off to Fabienne Fredrickson’s Mindset Retreat in Florida with several hundred other entrepreneurs, (mostly women), looking to make connections; with each other at the event and with themselves through her work.

I first came across Fabienne almost a year ago and very much appreciate her message and the success she has achieved.  We are lucky to work with some of her clients, as she recommends getting help to grow your business; which is exactly what we do. So we are a great fit.

So how do you choose which events to attend?  Especially in the fall as there are so many options and experts out there.  Many of them spreading worthwhile messages that help entrepreneurs take their business to the level they desire.  How do you decide who gets your hard earned money?  Some things to consider when making the big decision:

  1. Budget: These events should be treated as an investment rather than an expense, however the price tag should be within your budget.  Calculate the ROI in attending and work your way toward the $10,000 events.  Starting small and local is a great option.
  2. Networking:  Who attends these events?  If the room is filled with your ideal clients  that may be reason enough to hop in the car or on the plane and make some connections.  Ensure the event provides networking opportunities and take advantage of all of the casual events, they are ideal to get to know prospects in a relaxed atmosphere.
  3. Content:  The main reason people attend an event (other than a trade show) is to learn.  Taking a break from every day work life and learning something new from someone who has extensive knowledge on a subject that will grow your business is an excellent reason to attend.

Upon your return home, check if there is a social networking group for attendees of the event and be sure to join and remain active.  These are a great way to ensure you actually implement all that you learned and to further develop any possible business relationships you developed during your time at the event.

I plan on making a list on the plane of my goals for this event and sending them to my colleagues to ensure I stay focused once I have returned.

If you are attending, I would love to hear from you and connect while we are there.  Maybe head to the cocktail party on Sunday night together.  Another great thing about these events….you get to have some fun!!

Kristen Babrociak

Director of Growth Operations

DemGen Inc.