Our best ideas come from diverse thinking and learning. When we invest in conferences and networking events, we meet some interesting people who may help unstick a problem or strategy that you're stuck on. These memories and experiences can be indelible.
For example, I rarely get to see Robert Frost but I love seeing this picture as a reminder of the SES - Search Engine Strategies conference/networking event we attended in 2007 that I loved for a million reasons, not the least of which was that I got to do air guitar with my friend. The next time you think this icebreaker/game/networking frivolity is useless, think differently...and grab your air guitar.
You might find your next client or employer at a conference or networking event.
Creativity withers without challenges. Smart people challenge your ideas.
People you meet know things that you don't know. For example, my best friend and fellow marketer Claudette John has spent the last 24 years helping me understand that yes there is such a thing as rules for makeup, yes, dry shampoo has been around for a very long time and it's a great thing to use in between bubble baths (or showers if that's your thing;), yes spray-on sunscreen can include bronzer and not make you look like Don Johnson from Miami Vice and yes the best way to get more opportunities IS to raise your hand for them.
Some seemingly fun business or product ideas need to spend time with people. Is this Care Bear waffle iron delightful? Yes. Does the resulting waffle leave room for the squares to be soaked with maple syrup as they are intended, no. Then maybe this is a novelty item and not a waffle iron. And that's okay, but don't mistake fun ideas for revenue-generating ones. Your people will help you make better decisions.
I just celebrated my 1st anniversary with my husband Byron. Twenty years ago, he left a note on my car that read I had a beautiful smile and asked if he could take me to dinner. We went on three dates but then just remained friends. Then nearly 10 years ago, I moved to Portland, Oregon (I'm a native Oregonian but had spent most of my time in Prineville and Hood River, where I first met Byron). We were still friends on Facebook and he welcomed me back to Oregon after a short stint working back East. He is from Greeneville, Tennessee has big blue eyes, dimples, and a barely detectable but lovely Southern drawl. He is kind, funny, shy, and cares deeply about family. He met nearly every requirement outlined in an objectives, strategies, and tactics document that my previously mentioned friend Claudette had created for me 15 years earlier. This is what marketers do when they have big problems. We start with the goal and define the steps for getting there;) I also told my friend Rachel Heseltine that I still had a crush on him. I told her I was going to listen to Blues music and was thinking about asking him to go with me. I told her I didn't ask people out on dates and I think she said, "How is that working for you?" She mentioned some British wisdom about nothing ventured, nothing gained, and also to quit being a wussy. So I asked him out, We had an amazing time and we've been together for 10 years.
That's what I mean by the life-changing friendships you'll make when you invest your head and heart into your learning. Our professional and personal lives are far more interwoven than we sometimes recognize.
The years pass and you find yourself blessed with some of the most amazing people and connections. You might even decide they are worth knowing for longer than the duration of a conference
Note: A reference has been made to an '80s television series. Please use the internet to learn more. You may want to start on Reddit or TikTok instead of a Google SERP based on current trends:)
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