How To Convince Your Boss To Send You To A Conference

Are you dying to attend a conference are not sure how to convince your manager to let you go? Help is here!

Remember that the cost of attending a conference is considerable. They include conference registration fees, travel costs, hotel and time-away-from-work costs. It is likely your managers want some serious justification for you to attend a conference.

Here are some things you can prepare for your leadership to help convince them you should attend a conference or event:

Get a detailed convention program and outline the sessions you plan to attend and how they will benefit your work. Be specific... (i.e- If i learn more about social media i will be able to use it more effectively in my marketing efforts)

Find out what Continuing Professional Development Credits will be granted for attending the conference sessions

If necessary, have a plan for who will cover for you at work while you are at the conference

Research the conference speakers, motivational keynote speaker or other industry guest speakers.

Have specific questions lined up relevant to their speech topic and your work or industry.

Find out what other industry competitors are attending the event to prove it is a must attend event. Suggest to your manager that Networking with these competitors will be invaluable.

Get a list of specific vendors whose products would be beneficial to your job, jot down questions you have about their products or services and present this to your manager. Visiting with a vendor can be like interviewing a high priced consultant for free!

Tweet about the conference speakers, agenda, venue

Offer to share a room to reduce hotel expenses

Have specific follow up objectives and things you plan to implement after the conference

Have a plan to share what you have learned. Who will you tell? How will you communicate? ( ie- at the next staff meeting you will spend 10 minutes speaking about new industry trends presented at the conference or Write an article for your newsletter, offer to write a blog)

Justify the cost of the conference by comparing it to other educational courses and offerings. Almost any alternative will prove to be more time consuming and expensive.

Visit the motivational keynote speakers website, read and comment on their blog ( we love this) and start some conversation before the event

If you are prepared and organized your enthusiasm will show through. Your manager will send you packing to attend the next great convention.