Yes you are investing in learning new skills but there’s so much more you can get out of attending a live workshop and be in the room with like minded people. The opportunities to GENERATE business from attending a workshop are amazing. There is no reason why attending a live workshop shouldn’t repay itself in multiples in very short space of time.

In fact, I believe in this concept so much that I have come to expect that each workshop I attend pays for itself within weeks and then creates a strong return on investment for years to come.

Here are my five favourite ways to ensure attending a live workshop pays off for me:

1. Quality contacts for potential clients and JV partners

Before attending any kind of seminar or workshop I set an intent for meeting a certain number of clients or joint venture partners (or both). I get very clear about what kind of relationships I want to build way BEFORE I enter the room. Once I am there, I simply relax, enjoy the people I’m with, make an effort to get to know them and seek out those people that I believe could be a good fit. This is a strategy that has paid off big time for me over the years. I don’t meet a lot of people at events but I create a few high quality relationships.

2. Get noticed by speaking up

One of the best ways to build your profile during an event is to actively engage in conversations and in asking questions during open mic or Q&A times. Stand up, ask a question or make a comment that adds to the conversation and your status in the room automatically lifts. People know who you are and will be more likely to come to YOU wanting to talk to you. Believe it or not, this is a great one for the shy networker.

3. Introduce yourself to the speaker

One of the best relationships you can build at live events is with the speaker. Where there’s an opportunity (while being respectful towards their need for a break) introduce yourself, ask a question and seek out a photo opportunity. Being photographed with a high profile speaker and publishing it in your ezine raises your profile just by association.

4. Give a testimonial

I am not kidding when I say that I have generated many thousands of dollars in business from providing testimonials to seminar leaders whose event I attended and enjoyed. Clients found me through testimonials on my colleague’s website, got curious, checked out my website and became subscribers and then eventually clients. It’s a great business building strategy. And remember, your business relies on client testimonials too, so do what you’d like your clients to do and give testimonials, it’s good karma and will pay off.

5. Make a commitment to implement

I know you will leave the workshop with best intentions to implement at least some of the strategies you learned. Usually, from a good quality workshop you will take at least three strategies/skills away that will really have a great impact on your business/professional results. Most people despite all good intentions, don’t follow through with the implementation. Don’t be one of them. I suggest you consciously reserve time in your diary straight after the workshop to plan out how you will implement what you learned and set the wheels in motion on DAY ONE.

Doing these five things will really make an impact on how much value you get from attending a workshop. I know that for me it’s a vital part of doing business. I love attending workshops as I know they always pay off for me. Plus it’s hugely enjoyable to be reenergized in a room full of like minded enthusiastic people.