Yardenah Ruas: Hi everyone, welcome and thank you for joining us today. I'm Yardenah Ruas from Panax, and I'm really excited to host today's discussion on how finance professionals can realize real ROI from attending conferences and industry events. As many of you know, finance leaders attend a lot of events throughout the year, such as treasury conferences, fintech events, and AI summits. One of the biggest questions we hear is how to make those events valuable, so today we are going to walk through a very practical framework for doing exactly that. Before we jump in, let me introduce our speakers. First, we have Ernie Humphrey, CEO of Treasury Webinars. Ernie, thanks very much for joining us here today.
Ernie Humphrey: Thank you very much, it's a pleasure to be here. I am really excited about this topic and I bring a unique perspective. I have attended many events, I have been an exhibitor, and I have been a consultant, so I am happy to bring my rounded experience and advice on this topic, which I have spoken on in the past. Thank you for hosting this, Panax; this is thought leadership all day, so I love the opportunity.
Yardenah Ruas: Very excited to have you with us, Ernie. We are also joined by Brian Rooney, a Senior Account Executive here at Panax. Brian, also happy to have you here.
Brian Rooney: Yes, equally excited as Ernie. I actually had a chance to meet Ernie at a conference last year, and here we come again. I joined Panax in the fall of last year and have had great experiences representing Panax at conferences, so I am excited to get into this topic.
Yardenah Ruas: Great, thank you. A few things we will do: we will record this event and you will also receive it. We have a Q&A button at the bottom, so please feel free to ask questions and we will answer them in the chat. You are welcome to follow Panax for more insights and content about the finance and treasury industry. Let's get started. Today we are going to talk about what to do before the event, how to get the most value during the event itself, and most importantly, what to do after the event to turn it into real insights and impact. Let's start with the most important stage: before the conference begins. One of the most important ideas here is that the most ROI from a conference is actually determined before you arrive. Ernie, let me start with you. When finance leaders are deciding whether to attend a conference, what is the most important question they should be asking themselves first?
Ernie Humphrey: I think the most important thing they need to get on their mind right away is why they are attending the conference, and to make sure they have a productive objective. You need to level-set there. Some of the common reasons folks attend conferences include professional certification credits, which is great, but shouldn't be your only objective. Gaining insights for ongoing or upcoming projects is extremely important, especially today with all that is going on in AI technologies. Staying on top of your game is also vital, which means learning and networking as much as possible. Building relationships not only with your peers but with solution vendors is important because they have valuable advice for you. Getting out of the office shouldn't be the only reason you are going to the conference. Business development is also key, so I will let Brian touch on that. Brian, what are your objectives when you go?
Brian Rooney: As an attendee, you have an opportunity to develop yourself to ultimately support the business. You need to align your objectives with the near-term and long-term goals of the business and figure out how to extract value from the event to bring back to your organization. You also have the opportunity to learn from peers who are in the same role facing similar obstacles, which is critical. Furthermore, you can attend multiple sessions to hear from specialists and speak with multiple vendors in the same day. It is almost like speed dating, where you get 15 to 20 minutes to get insights directly from vendors to refine who might be the best partners for you.
Yardenah Ruas: Do you guys have any insights on practical ways attendees can prepare before the event?
Ernie Humphrey: You have to organize your time and own your schedule. Research the event to figure out what you want to see and what you need to see, and identify the vendors you want to meet. Have an elevator pitch for networking and specific questions you want to ask vendors, rather than just taking swag from their booths. Prioritize your goals, get the vendor map, and control the conversation from your side so vendors don't just give you their standard pitch. Also, learn how to tactfully disengage from a conversation.
Brian Rooney: If you are a list person, make a checklist of things you want to accomplish and people you want to meet. Use that as your guide throughout the conference to ensure you are hitting everything you had planned. As Ernie mentioned, when speaking with vendors, know your current situation, the problem you are trying to solve, and how they can help you solve it.
Ernie Humphrey: I like to ask vendors what their value proposition is and if they are willing to share an example of a customer who may not have been happy initially, but whose issues they worked through. Relationships are built when you are not transaction-based.
Yardenah Ruas: How do we make sure we measure and get ROI from our purpose?
Ernie Humphrey: You have to hold yourself accountable. A good manager will expect you to come back and explain what you learned and how it can be used. Plan your actions by choosing sessions that give you continuing education credits as well as knowledge that aligns with upcoming projects. Look at the time slots to see which sessions are most relevant and try to connect with speakers, practitioners, or tech providers. If you are exploring potential solutions, try to book a custom demo where you maintain control of the meeting agenda. Also, try to visit vendor booths during session times when there is less traffic on the floor, rather than during busy breaks or lunchtimes. Set daily goals for making connections and earning credits. Go to every meal in the exhibit hall and sit with different people every day to expand your network.
Brian Rooney: Last year, I met a practitioner with a very clear business challenge on the first day of a conference. After a 15-minute conversation, she brought her leadership team over the next morning, giving us the chance to validate her goals and tailor a custom demo. Taking time during the event to set up success afterward is critical. Also, if you get time on the calendar with a vendor beforehand, they will set that time aside for you and prepare for the conversation, making it much more valuable.
Yardenah Ruas: Ernie, you are the networking professional, so during the conference, how can we get the most value from networking?
Ernie Humphrey: Time is your most valuable asset. Leave your ego at home, have some fun, and practice your networking elevator pitch. Overcome your fear of rejection and use the information on people's badges as conversation starters. Make LinkedIn connections on the spot instead of waiting. Lock off specific times for networking so you can do it with purpose. During sessions, put your phone away and pay attention. Take notes and make sure your questions get answered.
Brian Rooney: Connecting on LinkedIn immediately is important because emails get crowded, and LinkedIn provides an avenue to stay in touch for future events. Paying attention during sessions is crucial because other attendees might ask questions you haven't thought of, which can be very enlightening.
Yardenah Ruas: What happens after the event to ensure real ROI?
Ernie Humphrey: You must execute a post-event action plan. Create short-term and long-term metrics, and build a summary report detailing the ROI you received. You can even download your notes into an AI tool like ChatGPT to organize your thoughts. Ensure you make any pending LinkedIn connections before you get on the plane and identify mutually beneficial opportunities with the people you met. If you scheduled a custom demo with a vendor, own that demo by bringing a script so it truly meets your needs.
Brian Rooney: Getting to the airport early is a perfect opportunity to do a brain dump. Capture everything you learned, get it organized, and align it with the goals you set before the conference. Bring that back to your leadership to make the case for why attending created ROI for the business.
Yardenah Ruas: Could we summarize the framework we've just discussed today?
Ernie Humphrey: Before the event, plan. During the event, execute. After the event, make it happen by quantifying and reporting your ROI, then rinse and repeat for the next conference. Conferences are a unique opportunity to network and identify areas for business improvement.
Yardenah Ruas: We have some audience questions. How should attendees decide which events are actually worth their time and budget?
Ernie Humphrey: Look at your top priorities for both your job and your professional development. Connect with someone who has attended the event previously to get their perspective. You have to be able to make a business case to your boss about what you will get out of it.
Yardenah Ruas: What signals indicate an event will deliver real value versus just hype?
Brian Rooney: Learn from past events, network with former attendees, and research who is speaking to see if it pertains to what you want to accomplish.
Ernie Humphrey: Ask questions in LinkedIn groups to get direct information from past attendees. Review the schedule to ensure it meets your objectives, such as having relevant vendors or dedicated time for effective networking.
Yardenah Ruas: How do you avoid event fatigue while still getting maximum value?
Ernie Humphrey: If you are getting event fatigue as an attendee, you are not going to the right events. Practitioners usually don't have the luxury of event fatigue. However, vendors must stay energized and "switched on" while at their booths; if your energy isn't there, you won't get any ROI.
Yardenah Ruas: What's your system for turning event connections into long-term relationships?
Ernie Humphrey: For peer-to-peer relationships, connect on LinkedIn, pay attention to what they post, and engage with their content. For vendors, be clear about your expectations for choosing a solution and becoming a client. Always remember that everyone is human, so be patient if they don't respond right away, and try to do something helpful for them before they ask you.
Yardenah Ruas: What is the single biggest mistake finance leaders make when they attend industry conferences?
Ernie Humphrey: They don't prepare, and they don't hold themselves accountable to report back on what they learned.
Yardenah Ruas: Thanks everyone for joining us today, and thank you to our speakers. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Panax. If you are attending the Windy City event, look out for us at our booth. Thanks again, Ernie.
Ernie Humphrey: My pleasure, thank you. Have a great day.
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