Struggling with Conferences and Small Talk? Four Simple Tips to Make Conferences Manageable!

For many, conferences, trade fairs, and events are synonymous with days and hours of small talk, often with people you have never met before. For the extroverted person, it can be a welcome break from the usual work routine, and meeting new people becomes rewarding and inspiring. For others, conferences can instead be something they dread, and be experienced as tiring and even draining. Abstaining from participating is however rarely an option, since conferences, trade fairs, or events are often part of one's job responsibilities and something one therefore needs to learn to handle. Does that mean it is an impossible task to take on? Not at all -- here are a few simple tips on how to make the conference or event manageable for those who would rather not attend.

Be Curious

An important part of a conference or event is meeting people. For many introverted people, however, it is not the meeting with strangers that is the challenge, but rather the small talk. A good first tip is to always assume that there is something interesting about everyone. Think about what you can learn from a person you meet, and what you can give in return. If you are going to a networking mixer, for example, prepare a couple of questions that you feel comfortable with, and that work for every new encounter. They can be both business-related or more personal -- the important thing is that you think of a few questions in advance, so you do not have to come up with them on the spot. Listen attentively and show that you are interested in knowing more. Use open questions such as how, who, what, when, and why. Confirm (e.g. "that sounds fascinating!") and ask to know more (e.g. "how did that come about?").

Set Goals

Set a goal for the conference and how many people you should talk to during each occasion. Ask yourself what is important about the conference or trade fair, and what would constitute a successful conference for you? Is it that you managed to network with some specific people you really wanted to meet, or perhaps that you met 10 completely new contacts? Without specific goals, it is easy to feel that you mingled or networked an entire evening or event, but did not get anything done. Be purposeful, and be satisfied when you have achieved your goal.

Face Your Fears

For many, the mere thought of public speaking can be terrifying. But being a speaker at a conference is a fantastic opportunity to spread your message, market your company -- and even yourself!

If you agree that the advantages of speaking are greater than the discomfort it creates in the form of fear, then you should read on.

First and foremost, it is important to remember that the fear of public speaking, to large or small audiences, known or unknown, is relatively common -- lots of people around the world feel exactly like you. But more important than being aware that you are not alone is actually overcoming the fear. Speaking in public in one way or another is something you are guaranteed to have to do again, whether in your professional role or privately, and therefore something that may be worth trying to get better at, and thereby feel less discomfort about. And if you know that it is something that will also be required of you in your professional role going forward, it may well be worth the money to take a course or get help from someone skilled in rhetoric. Learning more about what makes you uncomfortable is a good step towards becoming a more confident speaker. And what you practise, you often become good at, so just like everything else -- practise, practise, practise.

Making an Exit

When you have achieved your goal for the event or conference and finished networking, it is time to make a so-called exit. If you intend to leave earlier than scheduled, it can be good to think an extra moment about how you leave in a graceful way.

Keep it short and simple, e.g. "I'm heading off for tonight, but really looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning."

Another good tip can be to "invite in and hand over." How do you do that?

Keep an eye out for a colleague or new business acquaintance. Invite the person into your current conversation, introduce your colleague or acquaintance and explain why they should talk to each other, and then hand over: "I need to move on, but great to meet you Mr A and Ms B." It takes a bit of practice before it feels completely natural, but it is a good and smooth way to make an exit, because it means you do not have to leave anyone alone.

Good luck!