Most of us spend the majority of our time in our office, at our desk, chatting with the same coworkers and clients. Nothing is wrong with that, especially with the ever-growing trend of online events, webinars, and Facebook Live streaming capabilities, it’s possible to consume content anywhere and at any time! That’s pretty cool.

But there’s something to be said about attending events in person and being there live to network face-to-face. I’ve been involved in the AMA for about four years and I’ve loved every minute of it, mostly because I get to attend a wide variety of events and ways to consume content… in person. Here are my top five reasons why attending live events is still so important, especially for marketers:

  1. Stretch Your Legs
  2. Learn from Trailblazing Speakers
  3. Get a New Perspective
  4. Talk to Vendors
  5. In-person Communication Builds Trust

#1 Stretch Your Legs

Yes, I mean this literally. Prolonged sitting has been proven to have negative health effects. Get out of your chair, look away from a computer or smartphone screen and actually move around during the day. When you put your mind and body in action, you are more alert and ready to take on the day.

#2 Learn from Trailblazing Speakers
If you work in marketing, most likely, you are interested in staying ahead of the competition and learning new trends. There are countless well-known marketing gurus online that have informative blogs, clever newsletters, free templates or how-to videos to help fill some of those knowledge or skill gaps. But what if you could hear from top brands first-hand? Many speakers tell personal stories, reveal news and share especially compelling content at live events, or develop specially customized materials just for the audience. Listen to speakers to get energized to blaze your own trail. You may even get the chance to meet them in person, shake their hand, and ask questions one-on-one.

#3 Get a New Perspective

Nothing is wrong with brainstorming with your coworkers and clients, but when those are the only groups you find yourself engaging with, your ideas can get stale and repetitive. Echo chambers are good marketing plateaus. Talking to others with different perspectives from your own has been proven over and over to give tremendous value and insight. Attending networking events in person is a great way to get out of your comfort zone and learn from others you may not have met otherwise.

#4 Talk to Vendors

Your first thought might be to avoid vendors with potential sales pitches at all cost. But don’t cut your nose off to spite your face. Sometimes your biggest wins come from bringing in talented resources with new ideas, innovative technologies, unique capabilities and deep expertise to solve business challenges in ways you just don’t have internally. It might set you on a path of discovery, uncover unexpected allies, or helpful referrals. When you go to a live event with an open mind, curiosity and will to listen, you nearly always learn something new. I challenge you to talk to some of the vendors or exhibitors present. They understand that you’re there to grow your knowledge and have invested in bringing that right to you at the event.

#5 In-Person Communication Builds Trust

Hear me out with this one. There is science behind handshakes that suggests they are important for building trust in a business setting. And you tend to pay more attention to someone when you are talking to them in person versus on the phone or through webinar messaging. All of these factors and more are building blocks in a mutual business relationship. If your main goal is to get a new client or find a new vendor, then one of your best options is in-person events.

Time to Get Out There

Seeing how important it is to make an effort to attend events in person, take a look at some of our events available to AMA Cincincinnati members and guests. Chances are we have an event for everyone in your office! Join us on LinkedIn to get in on the conversation.