Attending a conference in Chicago can be quite an adventure. You have to plan everything – from the hotel to corporate transportation and your free time. And it must all be in line with the agenda of the event. In this article, we are going to cover several important things you need to know before taking the plane to the “Windy City”. 

Planning the business travel to Chicago before you take off 

In today’s business world, most people plan while they are on the go. They schedule meetings during their stay at the airport, prepare for their presentations the evening before, and even try to have meetings while someone is giving a presentation. This is not the best way to manage your business trip. We like to make the most out of it. And this is why we plan – booking the hotel, arranging meetings with people that we can close deals, plan time for networking and arrange corporate transportation services in Chicago. Everything from the most complex, to the smallest and most simple detail that can be cleared out ahead is being done. In that way, we can be focused and get the most out of the business trip. 

Be prepared for networking

Networking is probably the most important part of any conference. You can do it during the coffee breaks, lunchtime, on the cocktail after the event, and even in the evening at the bar. To make an impact in that way, you must be prepared. It is a little outdated approach, but still, nothing can replace the business card. Make sure you have enough from them to give around. If the participation list is available, check who will be attending and who are the speakers. 

You can approach them even before the conference and give them a heads up that you would like to meet with them. In that way, you have already made contact and can go straight to business. Another good piece of advice is to update your LinkedIn profile. A lot of people use that as a backup for business cards. Once they meet, they exchange connections in the social network. 

 And remember – be presentable and look sharp! 

Choose the most relevant topics from the agenda to listen to

When you visit a conference that is several days long, there are some panels on the agenda that are not relevant to you. Plan and look for the ones that have real added value for you. In some cases, there are event panels that are being held at the same time and are overlapping. Consider if it wouldn’t be more beneficial to you to organize a meeting with a potential client or another attendee of the conference. Plan your schedule in the best way for you. 

Leave some time for exploration of Chicago 

Arrange your trip in a way that will leave you some time to explore the beautiful city of Chicago. Despite the time you have and your location, there are a lot of fascinating things you can visit and activities to explore. Keep that in mind when you are buying the plane tickets and picking the time for your flight. We suggest that you spend at least one day exploring the city. Most people plan in a way that lets them stay the weekend. In that way, they are not worried about work and have some time to enjoy themselves. 

Be prepared to have at least one wild night 

There is a party after any decent conference. It starts during dinner, then continues with cocktails and finishes at some bar or disco. When the work is over, the participants have a good time drinking and dancing. You can add this to your possibilities for networking or just party up. However, it is good to be prepared that you are going to have at least one night when you are going to go to bed early. And maybe not very sober. Of course, it all depends on your preferences. Most people like to rest and be fresh for their trip. For the ones that stay, it usually is a night to remember. 

As you see, visiting a conference in Chicago can be less stressful to prepare for and a lot more enjoyable if you take some to prepare and plan. You can achieve a lot of good results in a professional manner and then manage to relax and have a good time once the job is done.