Thoughts on…conferences

"I'm nervous because I don't know what to expect"

"I'm an introvert and don't know if I'd be able to talk to people"

"I'm worried it will be too overwhelming to make it worthwhile"

These are only a few of the thoughts I had before attending my first ever voice over conference back in 2021.

I ripped off the bandaid, went anyway and have never looked back.

Since then, I have attended as many conferences and social events within my industry as possible.

I love them.
They can be exhausting and a bit daunting but there simply is nothing like connecting with people face to face, over a chat (or a drink).

Especially for us freelancers who tend to often work solo, they are opportunities to get out and speak to real people with bottom halves instead of torsos in little squares on our monitors.

After coming back from VO Atlanta, I had a few people ask me whether it was worth it.
Some of them echoed exactly the above sentiments, not sure if they would benefit from attending a conference of that size.

And yes, it can be overwhelming and intimidating.

So I have come up with 5 simple things I do when attending a conference that have helped me a lot. Maybe they will help you too.

👉 Find your people
If you're worried about going alone, ask someone to join you. Or find out if people you know are also going and latch onto them.
Doesn't mean you have to spend the whole event together but they can be an anchor to come back to if you start feeling lost.

👉 Don't try to talk to everyone
It's good to have a bit of a plan of the kind of people you want to talk to but don't stress about it. A few quality conversations are more valuable that loads of "box tick chats".

👉 Find out as much as you can in advance
Look at reports from previous years, talk to people who have been before so you know what you can expect and can plan accordingly.

👉 Attend the social events
Depending on the type of conference, the actual conference content can of course be incredibly valuable. But if you're there to network and meet people, make sure you stay for the evenings. The best conversations tend to happen at the bar. (Btw, don't worry if you don't drink. Sure it can get boozy but it doesn't have to be)

👉 Take breaks
This goes hand in hand with "Don't try to talk to everyone", you also don't need to DO everything. It's absolutely fine to take yourself away for a bit, go for a breather. These conferences tend to happen in hotels that can get stuffy. Go for a walk and get some fresh air every now and then.

Doing these simple little things has helped me massively with my social anxiety and tendency to get overwhelmed in busy environments.

One last thing to remember is:

❤️ Most people attending are probably just as nervous as you ❤️

I hope this was useful and maybe you'll now go and book tickets to that conference you've been hesitant to attend.
Do it.
It'll be worth it.