October #13--Before You Forget! Seven Things to Note After Attending a Conference

After returning from Blogalicious 2011, I started thinking about everything that I had absorbed and ideas that were starting to bubble up in my brain. I had notepads and word files and business cards and it all needed to be consolidated in one place before I could forget it all. I made a list of the categories of information I needed to capture and jumped right into organizing and documenting it all.

        ✓        Notable Quotes/Tips--These are all the little tidbits that I picked up in the general sessions, breakout sessions or side conversations. This is a list of things that others are doing or engaging in. Even if there are actions or philosophies that I wouldn’t follow, I still note them for inspiration potential.

        ✓        People to Follow/Comment to--These are all the presenters and attendees who I received business cards from during the conference. The best way to continue to gain inspiration over the coming months/years is to follow the web presence of these people. Not to mention, following them and providing comments/feedback could prompt them to follow me in return.

        ✓        People to Contact Directly--These are direct contacts that I need to make on a more personal basis. If someone suggested I contact them for writing or product review opportunities, they are noted here and become a priority on my to-do list.

        ✓        References--During many of the presentations and conversations, there were so many times when someone said “Oh, you should check this out.” This is the list for those items. These are longer-term items/resources to research and/or follow.

        ✓        Ideas Inspired--There is nothing better for inspiring ideas in you than to listen to people who themselves have done interesting things. These could be direct recommendations or unique spins to what I heard.

        ✓        Next Steps--Reviewing the ideas and resources and quotes/tips will lead to some solid, tangible steps of what I need to do next. This is the section for that. This is not a wish list, but an action list. I will take it one step further and actually put target dates to these steps.

        ✓        Refinements--Maybe the tips/information I received prompted me to think more conceptually about things I am already doing. Making refinements to existing endeavors can take a little more thought and planning. These should be noted and considered here.

Attending a great conference is just the beginning. Make you first “Next Step” taking a little time to complete your conference recap notes.