This is another in a series of articles by Guest Thinkers, marketing experts we’ve invited to share their own independent perspectives on topics salient to Think with Google readers. The views expressed are those of the authors and may not necessarily reflect the views of Google.

Back again as Guest Thinker is Jim Lecinski, clinical professor of marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and author of The AI Marketing Canvas. He’s previously written about how to give your annual marketing plan a makeover; how to adopt an Agile approach to marketing; and how marketers can use the “3 A’s” to identify AI use cases. In this article, Jim offers his advice on how to make the most of attending a marketing conference.

When leading marketers attend a conference, an event, or trade show, they view it as a prime opportunity to create real impact. A show is an investment of time and money, after all, and should have a tangible return like any other marketing investment. This article shows how new AI-powered tools can help you build real, lasting relationships that turn time spent at conferences into true return, in both business and personal growth.

I’ve been going to marketing conferences for over 30 years and I’ve seen it all, from the amazing to the so-so. There are the blockbuster global marketing conferences we all know, like CES, Cannes, Mobile World Congress, Possible, DMEXCO, and Advertising Week. And there are smaller regional events put on by your local chapter of The American Marketing Association, European Marketing Confederation, or The Australian Marketing Institute. Like me, most marketers attend one or more of these events each year to network, keep up with trends, and learn from industry leaders.

But lately I’ve seen something new and different: Leading marketers do more than show up, go to keynotes, chitchat over cocktails, and then rush to the airport. These leaders now implement conference strategies with the use of AI tools to seek out and deliver the vital personal connections that lead to concrete, measurable impact. The good news is: You can do the same. Here’s how.

Before you go: Use AI to curate your experience

While it’s tempting to just show up and “go with the flow,” preparation will make a big difference in your conference experience and outcomes. Start by asking: Why are you really going?

I asked Sofia Colucci, CMO North America at Molson Coors Beverage Company, how she prepares for a conference. “Start with a plan in mind. Is there a specific theme you want to get out of this? Are you looking to learn about AI or creative effectiveness, or simply get visibility and exposure to different marketing minds? Define what success is for you by the end of the one to three days, and then build your agenda around it.”

Steven Wolfe Pereira, CEO and founder of Alpha & Co., recently told me, “To maximize the value of any conference, I always start by asking, ‘Is this a good use of my time?’ If I’m going to a conference, it’s either to learn something, do something, or meet someone — and ideally, it’s all three.”

Follow their advice and think about exactly what you hope to learn, what you want to do, and who you want to meet. This should follow from your own and your team’s business goals, knowledge gaps, and areas of opportunity. Know what you want, and you can focus on the most relevant sessions, speakers, and networking options.

Then use this surprisingly simple power tip that combines the flexibility of Google Docs with the intelligence of AI. Before the conference, open a fresh Google Doc and create three distinct sections: Content Cravings, Networking Goals, and Experiences. Think of this document as your personal conference wish list.

• Content Cravings: What are the burning questions you’re hoping to get answered? List the topics, industry trends, or even competitor insights you want to glean from the event. Don’t be afraid to get granular.
• Networking Goals: Who are the specific people or types of professionals you want to connect with? They can be potential clients, industry thought leaders, or even companies you admire.
• Experiences: Conferences offer all kinds of formats — from keynote speeches and panel discussions to hands-on workshops and intimate roundtables. Be honest about which formats resonate with you and which ones you’d rather avoid.

Now, the magic happens. Copy and paste the URLs for the conference agenda, session descriptions, speaker bios, and an attendee list into Google’s free NotebookLM AI tool. Then upload the document you created with your Content Cravings, Networking Goals, and Experiences. Now ask (or, as we say, “prompt”) NotebookLM to craft a personalized conference itinerary for you.

The result? A laser-focused conference plan and a “who to meet” list, created just for you with the help of AI, to chart a winning course. You’ll go to the sessions most aligned with your goals and connect with the right people based on shared interests, roles, or connections — making the most of your valuable time away from the office. An example I created looks like this:

On site: Let AI handle the details

Your prep work is just the start. The true value of AI lies in how it can help you actively engage during the event.

Don’t scramble to take notes during presentations; use AI-powered note taking apps to transcribe them in real time on your mobile device. You’ll get a searchable record of key insights that will position you for follow-through. You can even program AI to highlight critical takeaways based on your preset goals.

Many conference organizers now offer AI-powered mobile apps to facilitate on-the-spot introductions and help set up real-time meetings. Use them to help you find meaningful interactions instead of chance encounters and business card swaps. These AI platforms create highly targeted strategic connections tailored for attendees, based on shared goals and mutual interests.

Speaking of business cards: Make sure you have the QR code for your LinkedIn profile saved as a screenshot. Then when you meet someone at the conference, you don’t have to swap paper business cards. Just ask them to take a photo of your QR code and connect with you right away on LinkedIn.

But remember, no AI tool can replace the power of human connection. Use AI to handle the logistics as you focus on engaging with speakers and attendees. The single best question you can ask someone you meet at a conference is, “What’s keeping you busy these days?” This high EQ question demonstrates empathy, genuine interest in the other person, and allows them to tell you about a business or personal priority. Use this powerful question frequently at conferences to build lasting connections.

Wolfe Pereira relates, “During the event, I prioritize active participation by engaging with speakers, asking questions, and making meaningful connections. I use tools like conference apps and social media to stay connected with attendees in real time. I usually sit up front to see the speakers and their presentation better while taking detailed notes during the session to capture key points. Sometimes, after the speaker is done, I’ll chat with them, making contact for future conversations.”

After the conference: Use AI to help you follow up

Following up after a conference is key, yet many marketing leaders return to their office and dive straight into the now even-longer list of items on their to-do lists. That’s natural, but they miss the chance to follow up from the conference and get maximum business impact from all the time and effort they just spent.

More good news: AI tools can streamline follow-up actions and provide data to evaluate your trade show success. After the event, AI-powered tools like the “Help Me Write” feature in Google Docs can organize, categorize, and summarize the information you’ve gathered, making it easier to share these takeaways with your team and connect them to your ongoing initiatives. This structured approach ensures that conference insights aren’t lost and can be swiftly used to drive business growth.

If your company has an AI-powered CRM tool like Salesforce, HubSpot, or Outreach, be sure to use it to send personalized follow-up emails to new contacts within 24 hours of the conference. These tools can tailor messages based on the context of your conversations, making continued engagement more likely. As Wolfe Pereira emphasizes, “I always follow up with contacts within 24 hours and debrief with my team to integrate key learnings into our strategy. AI makes this process so much more effective.”

Put it all together for conference success

Wolfe Pereira told me this great story that really underscores the benefit of approaching a marketing conference as we’re recommending here. “I just got back from an AI conference in San Francisco, and I wanted to meet one of the speakers, the computer scientist and AI educator Peter Norvig. After his talk, I went up to him to ask a question related to the discussion and asked if I could follow up to share some research from a project I was working on that might be helpful to him. In building new relationships, it’s best to find ways to authentically help others. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Colucci shared this successful conference outcome with me: “Cannes is a great example of the importance of being intentional. This past summer, our team leveraged our new creative … and we built our entire itinerary around presentations, meetings, and introductions to work and people that could help build strength in this area. Two weeks after Cannes, the core team that went had a fantastic share out with our entire marketing team. [It] was a really successful approach!”

Key takeaways: Drive real impact from conferences

To truly unlock the potential of conferences, marketing leaders must now embrace both AI tools and human connections to maximize learning and networking opportunities. Keep these summary points in mind to elevate your conference experience into a growth-driving initiative:

• Start: Use AI-powered tools to plan your agenda, prioritize key sessions, and streamline networking. Let AI remove the guesswork as it recommends the most relevant events and optimizes your all-important human connections.
• Stop: Don’t treat conferences as mere social gatherings or rely on old manual methods to take notes and follow up. Use AI to automate these tasks and make you more productive to accomplish your networking goals.
• Continue: Stay strategic about your activity, but add the latest technology to stay competitive and turn insights into great outcomes.

Combine the power of AI with real human interactions, and your marketing conferences will evolve from passive events into strategic opportunities for business growth and innovation. CMOs should use AI tools to prearrange valuable meetings, track follow-ups, and prioritize the relationships and insights that will drive long-term success.

At the end of the day, AI is simply a facilitator. The true value lies in the human relationships it helps you build. In today’s fast-paced marketing world, conferences are no longer just about showing up — they’re about setting your business and yourself up for future success!

About the author

Jim Lecinski is a clinical professor of marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, where he was named 2022 Professor of the Year. A recognized marketing expert with over 30 years of experience, Jim teaches popular MBA courses on marketing strategy, omnichannel marketing, and AI for Marketing. His seminal book, “Winning the Zero Moment of Truth” (ZMOT), has been read by over 300,000 marketers worldwide. His latest book is “The AI Marketing Canvas,” published by Stanford University Press. Follow him on LinkedIn and watch for future articles from Jim here on Think with Google.