By attending a conference virtually,   I saved money in more than one way.  First, attending via the Internet saved me the travel money.  Second, I became aware of an industry trend that has changed how I spend the business money and my time.

In March there was a conference that I was interested in, but my only option was to attend the conference virtually.  I would be able to hear some sessions as they happened, and I could listen later to any sessions that I missed.  One session that I was able to listen to “live” has proven to be vital. 

Since I was attending via the Internet, I missed the personal contact and especially the discussions between sessions.  Apparently this particular session caused a lot of controversy, and even anger.  When the conference reconvened, a later session was being changed to answer more questions.  I realized that I could hear that one live, and I’m glad that I did. 

I decided that I needed to know more about this topic and signed on for more information.  This meant webinars over a period of several months, and another conference in August.  I checked the calendar to make sure that I could physically attend the conference.  Through the webinars and the conference I obtained a better understanding of the trend.

In October I was able to physically attend a third conference in my industry.  During one session, one sentence was spoken that explained the original controversy.  Had I not attended the first conference virtually, this sentence would not have meant much.  Now it changes how I spend my time and money.  I now have a clearer understanding of the impact of cloud computing. 

The virtual conference experience also let me pay more attention to information from other contact tools.  My Outlook has become a great tool for checking who I know that may be impacted by a trend or company change.  LinkedIn discussion group notices are telling me about input others are seeking.  Facebook is allowing me to keep up with the actions of others.  Blogs provide me with detailed information on a thought or action.

I have also realized that I am using the “old media” to get more details.  The Internet is great for getting one-minute news info, but I like the longer interviews and in-depth topic reporting on some TV networks, and in some of the newspapers and magazines.    

With the industry changes, and in this economy, multiple information sources are an asset.  Each source is like a piece of a picture.  If just one piece is missing, the picture may give a different impression.  I am thankful to have the virtual conference as one more piece of the puzzle.

Andrew Nevens
InnerTag
407-949-0106
andrew@innertag.com
www.innertag.com