Pack the following items for your next business conference or seminar to ensure you are prepared, comfortable and productive.
Reusable water bottle
Hydration is important, especially when you are sitting and/or talking most of the day. Because you can’t be sure when or how much water will be offered, we recommend bringing a reusable water bottle with you to fill up whenever you need to.
Business cards
Chances are that you’re going to meet a lot of people at a conference. Be sure to bring plenty of business cards to pass out. Pro tip: take notes on the business cards you receive from others, noting who the person is and what you talked about, just in case you want to follow up.
Leisure clothes
You may find that you have some downtime while at a conference and you don’t want to be sitting around your hotel room in business clothing. Consider packing a pair of sweats and some tennis shoes to lounge in. Additionally, some conferences incorporate exercise classes or outdoor activities into the event schedule and you’ll want to be prepared in case you want to participate.
Charger/extended batteries
Perhaps you’ll want to use your laptop or tablet to take notes during conference sessions. Or, maybe you’ll want to use your phone to live Tweet or Facebook information from the event. Conference days can be somewhat long and you’ll want to be prepared with a charger and/or extended batteries for all of your devices.
Notebook and pen
Even if you prefer to take notes on one of your devices, you may not always be able to, especially if you find yourself in a situation where it may be considered rude or be a distraction to others. If that’s the case, you’ll want to be prepared with a good, old-fashioned notebook and pen. Pro tip: Always bring extra pens. Fellow conference goers always borrow them and they can get misplaced easily.
A watch
Sure you could pull your phone out to check the time, but it’s much more discreet and far less distracting to simply check a watch.
Comfortable shoes
Oftentimes conference sessions will roll into networking events that roll into dinner. Pack shoes that can be taken from day to night and most importantly, that are comfortable.
Sweater
Conference rooms are notoriously cold. Even if it’s nice outside, consider packing a sweater or a light jacket just in case you get chilly.
Snacks
You can never have too many snacks, especially during a jam-packed day of conference sessions and networking. Pack healthy and easy-to-eat choices such as granola bars, nuts and dried fruit.
Have you attended many business conferences? What’s on your must-have packing list?
See additional conference tips here.
