After you are finished on stage, the hard part is done. If you’re like me, you’ll be suddenly exhausted. Have a drink, take a breath. If you’re up for it, there are a few ways you can really extract the most value from your conference experience.
As soon as you can after finishing, make some quick notes about what went well and what could be improved. You think you’ll remember later, but those first impressions slip away. If the conference makes a recording, you can also re-watch it later for an audience perspective.
Generally (and especially at customer service conferences!) people will be polite and kind. Which is delightful, but won’t necessarily teach you how to improve. When you’re feeling up to it. ask the conference organiser and/or attendees if there was anything that would have made your talk more helpful for them.
When people have questions or comments in person, of course you will thank them. Don’t forget to check your social mentions and the conference hashtag, in case people have left feedback or questions there. People have given their time up to listen to you!
Often the people you’ll talk to at a conference could use help not just from your directly, but from others in your field. Suggesting two people connect, and offering to facilitate that connection, is one of the best ways to be helpful to your peers.
It’s always valuable to understand who your topic really interests, and to be able to learn from those people later on. LinkedIn, email, or social channels are good ways to keep in touch with the people most relevant and interested.
At the end of your talk, and in conversations afterwards, let people know how they can get more information on your topic. You might have a URL on your site, or suggest a newsletter or social account they could follow.