What is That Next Conference Going to Do For Your Freelancing?

I like going to conferences — especially those that are out of town. I like the excuse to travel, to meet new people and to hear interesting talks. But without an employer willing to spring for a ticket, transportation, room and board, I have to make sure that I can justify the expense. That means taking a good long look at just what I — and, by extension, my freelancing — get out of the conferences I attend.

The Interaction

Freelancing can be a lonely occupation. Conferences provide us with opportunities to get out and actually talk to people in person. Of course, it isn’t worth paying for the novelty of talking to other people. If that’s the only upside to attending a conference, it’s probably worth your while to pick only free or inexpensive events to attend.

On the other hand, interaction can go far beyond just getting to talk to people. Hopefully, by choosing a conference relevant to the work you do as a freelancer, many of the other attendees will have an interest in hiring someone with your services or otherwise help you make money in the long run. That sort of networking doesn’t look any different from just talking to people on the surface, but it can be a big factor in whether a particular conference is worth your time and money.

The Education

If you work with any kind of technology, you need a way to stay up to date with new developments. A conference can provide a packaged educational experience that will get you up to speed fast. Not all conferences provide an educational update focused on technology, of course — some focus on business practices, niche markets and other topics that may or may not be time-sensitive.

How educational a conference is can come down to how much effort you put into it, though. It’s not a question of whether someone’s looking over your shoulder: freelancers can make the most of listening to great speakers, participating in workshops and asking questions, while employees who have to report back to a boss on what they learned can spend an entire conference in the hotel bar. Instead, it’s a question of knowing what you need to get out of a conference before you even buy a ticket. That information can make a world of difference in how you listen to the information being presented.

The Credentials

If you’re willing to put in extra effort, you can get more out of a conference than a learning experience and new business contacts. Even better, the methods that can land you a discount or even a free ticket are among the ways you can really make the most of a conference: by speaking or volunteering. The experience of helping to create an event can be more than just a simple volunteer project. It can help you develop and demonstrate leadership skills that some clients don’t otherwise attribute to someone who works entirely on his or her own. And if you offer to do work related to your specialty (like designing a conference website or writing some copy), you may even walk away with a portfolio piece.

Speaking can also be useful, if you can get on the schedule for a conference you want to attend. You an build up your credentials as an expert in a specific area by getting up on stage. Both of these options require you to put time into a conference, as well as makes it necessary to pick a conference that needs your help. But getting a few credentials, as well as access to a conference can be very useful.