RULE #13: TAKE NOTES!

"HE LISTENS WELL WHO TAKES NOTES."

- DANTE ALIGHIEIRI

No one loves this part, but taking notes is essential, even if you find it boring or tedious. Write down information you hear from speakers, and the highlights of conversations with people you meet. There's so much going on at a big event; it's easy to lose track of the massive amounts of information you take in over the course of a day, not to mention multiple days. Jotting things down will help you remember everything.

After the conference is over, you'll be using these notes to follow-up with people in a number of ways. An easy way to continue to provide value is to send your notes to all of the attendees. You'll continue to help other people, and they'll certainly remember you. Keeping track of your conversations will prevent you from forgetting anything, and you'll be able to add a personalized touch to all of your follow-ups.

Good notes make follow-up easy, and it will be easier for you to connect people when the opportunity comes. You might go back to these notes, realize you know someone in your network who can help the person you've just met, and make an introduction. You'll find connecting one person with another in your network is beneficial for everyone involved. Conferences put those opportunities on steroids if you take advantage of them. Make a promise to yourself to take notes so you don't miss out on a chance to help yourself or someone else later on.