Ashton Tweed has created the first Executive Talent Bank for the Life Sciences.

Networking Tips: 6 Tips for Making the Most of Professional Conferences

Professional conferences provide some of the best opportunities for networking. In last month’s Networking Tips, we discussed how public speaking venues – such as those found at professional conferences and local meetings – are a great way to position yourself as an expert in the field. But even if you’re not presenting or exhibiting at a conference or local meeting, you’ll find that they’re excellent places to meet, mingle, and build relationships with industry “movers and shakers.” Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you plan ahead for upcoming life sciences conferences:

1. Do your research before the conference to find out who’s attending, including friends and colleagues, speakers and exhibitors. Search for the conference in the events section in LinkedIn, for example, to see if anyone in your network is attending and make plans to connect at the conference.
2. Some of the best networking opportunities happen outside of conference hours. So in addition to making meal plans with colleagues, for instance, also try to attend some of the company-sponsored events. Arrive early and stay late, especially at the smaller meetings. Many people attend primarily for networking opportunities and use the time before and after the sessions for this purpose.
3. When attending panel discussions, be prepared to participate by asking a question or making a comment. This will help increase your visibility and demonstrate your industry expertise.
4. Keep up with what’s new in the industry by taking some time to visit the conference exhibits.
5. Be sure to take plenty of business cards to exchange. Plus, check out and download the latest mobile applications that can help you keep track of the contact information of the new people you meet.
6. Follow up promptly with the people you meet – whether it’s via email, a phone call, or social networks such as LinkedIn. Remember, the purpose of meeting people at these session is to get a subsequent meeting with them. Typically, these subsequent meetings probably would never happen if it were not for the “warm” introduction you get at the networking session.

Click here for information about local upcoming events that provide outstanding networking opportunities for life sciences professionals.