maximize your impact: prepare, participate, and pursue
This toolkit is designed to help you make the most of every event—from the initial planning stages to post-event relationship building. Use this guide to:
Prepare with clear goals, tailored materials, and insights about attendees. Participate actively and confidently, making meaningful connections on-site.
Pursue follow-ups that turn conversations into opportunities.
Whether you’re attending a major industry conference or an intimate client roundtable, this resource will keep you focused, strategic, and client-ready at every step.
Lindsey Leber Director of Business Development
prepare
prepare
approve connect plan discuss position pack target
1 approve
A business plan may be required if this is a new conference that was not already budgeted for. Department Heads will need to approve each conference.
Department Heads
Kim Dudek Partner Corporate
Jonathan O’Brien Partner Intellectual Property
Sean Crotty Partner Labor and Employment
J. Michael Huget Partner Litigation
Jeffrey Lamb Partner Litigation
Lowell Salesin Partner Real Estate
J. Adam Rothstein Partner Real Estate
Andrea Hansen Partner Regulatory
2 connect
BDMs will
… provide an attendee list, if available, and speaker lineup.
… flag any known clients or key relationships.
… note any Honigman “connections” to the attendees and/or speakers.
… review these lists and identify individuals or companies you’d like to connect with.
Business Development Managers
Ralph Cooper
Business Development Manager
Real Estate, Labor
Kelsey Hubbard
Business Development Manager Corporate
Kimberly Gudewicz
Business Development Manager
IP, Litigation
Shayda Safapour
Senior Business Development Manager
Real Estate, Regulatory
3 plan
Proactively schedule coffee/drinks/meals/ meetings with contacts that will be in attendance.
4 discuss
Plan to speak with your BDM several weeks before the conference to review your goals for attending the conference, any preparation and logistics.
5 position
Develop a concise introduction that highlights your expertise and how your firm provides value. BD can help you tailor it to the audience you expect to meet.
6 pack
Pack plenty of business cards and possibly branded items to leave a lasting impression.
7 target
Define goals—meeting potential clients, reconnecting with existing ones, or learning about industry trends. Being focused will guide your interactions.
parti ci
Engage Extend Socialize Record
1 engage
Smile, maintain eye contact, and show genuine curiosity about others. Use open-ended questions to encourage meaningful conversations.
2 extend
Spend time catching up with existing contacts but prioritize meeting new people. Sit with unfamiliar faces.
3 socialize
Use LinkedIn or other platforms to connect instantly with new contacts. Set your LinkedIn QR code as your phone’s home screen for quick sharing.
4 record
After each interaction, jot down key details about the person or their business needs to make followups more personalized.
pursue
sue
1 respond
Send personalized follow-up emails to people you met using template messages prepared by BD. Reference something specific from your conversation.
2 share
Share photos or insights from the conference on social media, tagging relevant contacts or speakers. Invite new connections to subscribe to the firm’s client alerts.
3 act
Think about 3 follow-up action items to help advance a connection you made at the conference and help stay top of mind. Your BDM will help provide tools and resources in order to execute on the action item.
4 debrief
Speak with your BDM to debrief on the conference, discuss next steps and ROI.
sources
Outlook
email template
LinkedIn template
Pre-conference checklist
Post-conference follow up
tools sources
Outlook email template
This Outlook template can be used for pre- or post- event communication. The email template has a branded banner with a simple text block that can be customized for your message. T
How to use the template
1. Download template via link below.
2. Open in Outlook.
3. Enter recipient email address, edit subject line and body text. Send.
Outlook email template
This PPT template enables you to create a graphic which can be used for posting your event attendance and/ or participation on your personal LinkedIn profile. There are several layout options to choose from within the template.
How to use the template
1. Download template via link
2. Open in Powerpoint
3. Select the format that you prefer/works best for your particular conference information
4. Update selected page with your information
5. With page selected in your document, go to file>export>jpg. Select current page only (not all pages), and select best for printing option.
LinkedIn post template
PowerPoint
Pre-conference discussion
Let’s set you up for success.
This pre-conference discussion guide is designed to help you clarify your goals, identify key contacts, and plan your presence at the event—so you arrive prepared to make meaningful connections and advance strategic objectives.
Use this form to think through who you want to meet, what visibility opportunities exist, and how we can support your outreach, materials, and presence on-site. The more intentional your preparation, the more valuable the experience will be.
Complete this form before attending, and feel free to reach out for help with research, materials, or messaging support.
How to use the form
1. Click on image below to access form.
2. Download.
3. Complete form.
4. Hit submit button.
5. Your BDM fill follow up.
Pre-conference checklist
Post-conference follow up
Let’s turn conversations into opportunities.
This post-conference recap is your opportunity to capture the insights, relationships, and opportunities that emerged during the event— while it’s still fresh.
Your reflections will help us evaluate ROI, plan effective follow-up, and continuously refine our event strategy. This form also makes it easier to track new leads, trends, and ideas for future engagement.
Complete this form soon after your return and let us know how we can support next steps or content follow-up.
