We’re right in the thick of conference season. 

And as a social impact leader who is at least curious about building your visibility and your thought leadership, you know conferences are a great place to take those online relationships into the real world and be face to face to talk about all the things you can do together. And, to meet new friends, mentors, and learn a bunch too.  Personally, I’m looking forward to 2 gatherings this month: the Communications Network in Kansas City and the Orange County Grantmakers Summit here in my neck of the woods. 

But to maximize the impact of these events, the work should start before you arrive and continue long after you leave. LinkedIn can help you not only prepare effectively for a conference but also maintain and strengthen the connections you make afterward. So in this episode, we’ll explore how to leverage LinkedIn to help your reputation precede you in terms of relationship building at these places, and to turn those brief conference encounters into ongoing connections that can drive your mission forward.

Highlights from the podcast episode: 

Before the conference: Using LinkedIn to build and reconnect with your target audience

Let’s start with the before. So, I used to plan big fundraising events in my nonprofit job and some of my friends would think,  oh you’ve got to be so stressed out when the moment comes, but honestly by the time I showed up to the banquet hall or whatever it was just time to surrender and get into it, because all the preparation had been done ahead of time. 

Conferences are a little different, because you don’t know who you’re going to meet and you want to leave space for those magic connections in the moment, and the new besties you meet in the bathroom or the hallway, for sure. But also, preparation is key. By the time you show up to the conference hotel, there’s a couple things it would be good for you to do.   

Review the list of attendees

About 2-3 weeks before the conference, take some time to review the event’s attendee list, speaker lineup, and sponsors. These days, a lot of conferences use Whova or another app to connect people before the event, or schedule meet-ups, or add the sessions you want to attend to your calendar, and just get the excitement up before people get there. 

Go through and see who’s attending. Some conferences are massive, with thousands and thousands of people, and you’re only going to be able to do so much. But especially for smaller, intimate conferences, this is a great way to start the relationship building early, or to discover that someone you’ve been online friends with is going to be there, and you can finally meet up! Or, a previous client, an old board member, just someone you want to reconnect with. 

Research and connect with attendees on LinkedIn

For those who you don’t know but have an intriguing title, or social impact work that intersects with yours – like in climate, or racial justice, or mental health, or a certain kind of business connection, or maybe they work at an organization you’ve been wanting to partner with, don’t be afraid to search for them on LinkedIn and send a personalized connection request. 

Keep it simple: mention that you’ll be attending the same conference, find a point of mutual connectivity from their profile, and maybe ask them a question like what they’re most looking forward to at this conference, or if they’ve ever been to that city before, or if it’s their first time at the event, or really, just whatever. This sets the stage for warmer interactions once you’re at the event.

I KNOW you’re busy with client work or projects or whatever you’re doing, and it’s easy to kick this work down the road until all of a sudden, oh crap, you’re flying to the event. But if you could set aside just a little bit of time, it does make a big difference in your experience and your ability to kind of just connect, immediately. Because people do remember you in person, if you make a real, human connection online. 

Reconnect with local colleagues and friends through LinkedIn

Some other things you can do is to use the LinkedIn search feature to find out – or really just to remember – if you have any colleagues or friends who live in that city. You probably do. So many people have moved over the last couple of years and really, we all do so much online that I don’t even know exactly where some of my people live. So, you can take a look at your first degree connections on LinkedIn, and filter it down by geography – select the city or region you’re traveling to, and you might be surprised and excited by who shows up! If so, reach out and see if they want to get together while you’re in town. 

Use the tag feature on LinkedIn to share your thoughts

And then, consider posting on LinkedIn about the upcoming conference, like a few days before you go or on your way there.  Share why you’re excited about the event and maybe why you decided to go, what you hope to learn, and who you’re looking forward to meeting. Tag the event conveners, which probably have an organizational LinkedIn page, and then if they’re relevant, tag anyone else you’re excited to see there or that you know is going. It’s helpful when tagging other people, I think, to do it with people that you have some level of relationship with so it doesn’t show up or come off as spammy, but there is an advantage both from an algorithm perspective and just letting people know you’re excited to be with them. 

Determine your goals for the conference

And finally, I want you to really sit and think about what it is that you WANT out of this experience. Are you looking for specific guests for your podcast or upcoming webinar series? Are you breaking into a new market or creating a new service in 2025, and want to meet 3 of your new ideal clients so you can do some market research with them? Are you trying to meet the conference conveners so you can potentially speak at this event next year? Are you just trying to learn something new and use it as a pure professional development opportunity? Uncle Iroh says, “It’s time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions: Who are you, and what do you want?” Instead of just going through the motions, really think about what you want out of these events. 

Oh and ok I know I said finally but there is actually one more thing, which is to schedule time when you get back, like a couple hours, to save time on your calendar to actually follow up with the people you met. If you’re like me, if it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t happen so go ahead and just block that time off now. 

During the conference: Staying connected with LinkedIn’s mobile app

Now, let’s move on to during the conference. The event is in full swing, and you’re surrounded by potential new besties, or at least new business colleagues who can support your mission. LinkedIn’s mobile app is great, so if you haven’t downloaded it yet, here’s your nudge to do so. So, I have business cards but I rarely give them out. Instead, I prefer to connect with people on LinkedIn on the spot. And, I usually mention where we met, or include a key point from your conversation in the request note to make it more memorable.

Share a recap of the event

Also, you’re probably already taking notes from all the great sessions you’re attending for your own purposes. Consider doing a recap, either one for the entire conference or better yet, one at the end of each day, to share your key takeaways. This gives you more opportunities to interact with other attendees.  Now, on a platform like Instagram or what used to be Twitter, people sometimes live-tweet or post multiple times in a day and I wouldn’t do that on LinkedIn. 

Two reasons for that — posting more than once per day actually reduces your reach. And maybe more important, who has time for that? I like the once per day recap because it gives me a chance to sort of pore through my notes in my hotel room, and reflect on what I learned and just appreciate the day, like a ritual to process the day. Any more than that, and I think it kinda takes you out of the moment, which is better spent connecting with the people in front of you! 

Use selective hashtags for visibility

Oh – and don’t forget to use the event hashtag to increase your visibility among the conference crowd. Most conferences have one, probably printed on your program or on the presentation slides.  

After the conference: Fostering new relationships through LinkedIn

Finally, let’s talk about after the conference. This is where the magic happens. The event might be over, but the relationships are just beginning. Within a week of the conference, try to follow up with the people you are really excited about having met. Connect with them on LinkedIn so they can stay in touch with your work over time, and vice versa, and if you already have a next step in mind, reach out with a message or an email. Reference something specific you discussed, and suggest a way to keep the conversation going, whether it’s a virtual coffee, a potential collaboration, or just sharing an ask and an offer.

Share key takeaways and insights

Also, consider writing a LinkedIn post or article summarizing key takeaways from the conference. Tag the speakers, new connections, and use the event hashtag to extend the conversation. This positions you as someone who not only attends events but also reflects on and applies what you’ve learned.

Revisit your initial goals for the conference

And then finally, think about the goals you set for yourself before going to the event. Did you meet them? Did a new, different, or better goal come up for you while you were there? Take some time to take stock of your participation and also, think about if you want to attend next year or not. If you do, maybe that conference has an early bird rate you can take advantage of. 

So there you have it—how to leverage LinkedIn before, during, and after a conference to maximize your efforts. If you have a genuine connection or interaction at an event with someone, LinkedIn is a powerful tool to stay in touch with those people. 

And, you know, I probably missed some things, so I would love to know – what did I miss? How do you use LinkedIn to prepare for, maximize during, or follow up after a conference? Reach out and let me know, and if it’s something I missed during this episode, I’d love to share about it as a post –  obviously giving you the credit!  OK, talk to you next time! 

Resources from this episode:

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Other Campfire Circle podcast episodes I recommend:

Episode 1: Turning Conversations Into Cash with Quinn Conyers

Episode 47: LinkedIn’s Algorithm … What you Should Know

Episode 53: 10 Copy Coaching Tips for Engaging LinkedIn Content

Connect with Tania Bhattacharyya:

LinkedIn: Tania Bhattacharyya