Nothing replaces a face-to-face interaction. Nothing.
Something that we hear often from people wanting to attend Hero Conf, is that they don’t know how to justify the costs to their boss or make a convincing argument on why they should be attending a conference. They really want to go, they know it’s going to help them in their role, but they don’t know how to explain that to someone else.
If this is you, we’ve got your back. Because we run our own conference, and because we still have to make our own cases for going to conferences too, we understand how hard it can be to make a justifiable argument for a something that costs you upwards of $2,000 (including hotel and travel) and we’ve got a couple of tips for you.
So here’s the big headline you can tell your boss. Even with all the ease the digital age adds to our everyday jobs, nothing replaces the value of a face-to-face interaction, particularly with people that can help you do your job better.
I even have a quote form the Harvard Business Review you can use:
“Skipping conferences is problematic because you’re missing out on the benefits of networking. Today, probably even more than ever before, networks are a key form of social capital for achieving goals in both your professional and personal lives.” – Francesca Gino
Tandon Family Professor, Business Administration, Harvard Business School
When you attend a conference, you are surrounded by people that do what you do. Whether its PPC, like Hero Conf, or SEO or Content Marketing or Email Marketing, you are where your tribe is. You have a group of people that can share in your successes and relate to your frustrations. It’s such an awesome way to get tips and strategies that will make you a rock star in your role and impact the bottom line for your company. Between the sessions and the networking, there’s a ton of value to be gained from attending a conference.
No matter how many people you tweet at, email for questions and feedback, or online events you attend, you just can’t get the organic conversation going that you can when you are face-to-face with someone. And let’s be honest – we’re all a little more tuned into a live conversation happening in person than we are in that email thread that’s now 10 emails deep…. 🙂
I love this story in particular that our President, Jeff Allen, shared about a quick interaction with Brad Geddes:
“Beyond the keynotes and breakouts, I remember some of the 5-minute conversations I have during breaks and networking events all the way back to the first Hero Conf in Indianapolis. Brad Geddes was in the lunch line with me and asked if I thought he should ditch his planned presentation and do a live demo of his weighted quality score report. The answer was an easy yes and the world has been better for it.”
Taking the time, without distractions from client work or your daily tasks, to just focus on learning and the unplanned interactions are what make live events so valuable.
Along with that big headline, here’s some other things you need to do too:
- Lay out the details, including conference dates, location, and costs
- Clearly state how the conference aligns with the priorities of your department
- Explain who will be there, both in speakers and attendees
- State what sessions you plan to attend
Need an Example? Download this Justify Your Trip Letter
And last but not least, if you are trying to convince your boss to send you to Hero Conf, then we have a page set up just for you. It goes through how Hero Conf is different and lays out all the details you need to push to make your case. Visit the Justify Your Trip page for all the information.
