Software Business

Why Go to Software Industry Conferences?

We have already tackled the topic of attending conferences in Getting Ready to Participate at a Software Conference, but we focused there in the way participants should get prepared for this kind of events.

Conferences give you the opportunity to develop and broaden your work/business. After you have reached a certain point in doing your job, you feel like you could use some new ideas, new techniques that bring you a fresh breath and most of the times you find out ultimately, that there is so much else to learn about.

I definitely think it is a good decision to attend a conference, provided you are well aware about the themes that are going to be debated. Don't forget, most of the conferences are quite expensive - so make a good choice! This is also what Adam Lasnik, a search engine evangelist, advises in his article Why we attend conferences.

Target attendee

• Software developers

For software developers it is the best opportunity to promote a new product by actually signing up to a conference. You gain access to people's interest as far the software industry is concerned, the competitors and the clients get to know you better and vice versa. And then there are awards to be granted in most cases, which might bring you the desired publicity - an extra reason to participate.

Hiring a booth is worth considering, because there you can expose what you are actually selling. You can have fruitful conversations in a more intimate setting, while sipping a cup of coffee.

• Software users

Software users are the number one clients. They are the ones who have to be convinced about the effectiveness of a software product and the various selling prices must commensurate with their needs.

This heavy job of explaining falls on the developers' shoulders. This is when they get appreciated or on the contrary loose confidence. Either way, the software user/visitor, returns home with a much broader vision and knowledge about future techniques. Most clients appreciate it when they are treated well; little gifts such as pens, mugs, t-shirts, hats, bags and others tend to rub people in the right direction.

Getting acquainted / networking

I truly believe that this is the greatest benefit of all. You might have heard about x, y and z and you might be familiar with their work but you didn't have the opportunity to approach them until now. But, hey, this is your moment. The Q&A sessions are the best tools to "lighten up" your ideas, or simply ask things. And then there are people just like you, eager to bind with others - so isn't this the perfect way to exchange thoughts?

I bet, after 2 or 3 days spent at a conference, the response to "where am I heading now?" changes completely. Give it a go! If you are an employee you might as well get in contact with a future employer. A face-to-face conversation with people around you means a thousand times more than e-mailing or telephone conversations. As an advice, make sure you exchange your business cards.

An avalanche of information

There is a wide range of things you can get information about:

• The latest development of technology
• Finding new ways of managing your software projects and teams
• Real-world experiences of different organizations
• Career growth opportunities
• Competitors
• Skill levels
• New products
• Timely issues

Benefits on a professional scale

• You learn about the best agile development approaches in the industry today
• You will learn about the customers' needs and how to fulfill the requirements
• You can use the information about the latest tools and services in order to build a better software
• After attending some conferences you will be issued a certification of attendance
• Winning different awards - you can sign up for the Epsilon Award or for the Shareware Industry Awards this year!

Going on a trip - time off work

A conference involves traveling, and a few days off work. The perspective can change when you break off from your day-to-day pressures at the work location. A conference or a seminar brings over a revitalizing experience which can lead to gains when returning to work, even if you didn't learn anything new.

Promotions and discounts available

After attending a conference you may be lucky to make a bargain by buying any of the products presented. This is a unique opportunity for an important acquisition, which you might have had in mind for a longer time, at a cheaper price.

Accommodation, good meals, fun

The change of settings charges you with positive energy, you meet interesting people, the city can be very appealing to you and you might enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner with your newly acquired friends.

The after-parties are mostly welcome especially after a draining session of brainstorming during the day. And the view around the city and the architecture leaves you with a different impression - most likely a pleasant one - thanks to the carefully chosen places for the conference centers.

Now there are a lot of things every person likes about conferences; therefore, attempting to make a full list of benefits and likes agreed by everyone would be in vain. Rand Fishkin tries to make a list of 50 things he loves about conferences.

But what about you, what do you like about conferences?