Are you attending events for the wrong reasons?

Most service providers I know attend events to get new business.  I stopped doing that years ago.

I still attend plenty of events, but I no longer have an expectation of getting leads or direct business.  I don’t even choose events for that reason anymore.

At this point, my main objectives at the right events are to 1) network with peers to find out what they’re up to and what’s new outside of my daily circles; 2) engage with and build my partner network for referrals and word-of-mouth for what we’re doing; 3) learn from speakers and other experts to increase my own knowledge and abilities; and 4) give back to others by sharing what I can based on my own experience and ideas.

I find this approach typically increases the indirect new business opportunities we capture in and around well-chosen events.

If your market is like mine, you could attend such events 4-5 times a week, so you still need to be incredibly selective.  But there’s a ton of value for you and your business (not to mention those who can learn from you) beyond just qualified leads.