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Every year, there are hundreds of IT conferences held all across the country. Many companies ignore them, or send a token employee who might (or might not) take notes and report back, because they view conferences as tools for job seekers or showcases for big tech corporations. But there are plenty of ways a small or mid-sized business can benefit from attending IT conferences as an organization.

You don't have to be a huge corporate sponsor to take advantage of IT conferences as an employer and a company. Here's how you can benefit by having a company presence at tech conferences in your area.

Learn Something

This benefit is obvious for job seekers and corporate sponsors, but your organization can also learn a lot. IT conferences are often built around showcasing the latest industry news and developments, so attending them is a great way to keep up with changes and exciting news that could affect your business.

By attending IT conferences as an organization, you can also learn much more than you would attending solo or sending one or two employees. With multiple company representatives at the conference, you'll always have someone to attend your booth--while the rest of your team can get seats at the various sessions and workshops, and take in all the information offered by the conference.

Meet People

There are plenty of people to meet at an IT conference. Of course, one of the best benefits for employers attending conferences is the ability to find and connect with top talent. Even if you're not looking to hire right now, these types of personal connections can strengthen your overall recruitment and help you build a strong talent pipeline you can tap as the need arises.

In addition to talent, you and your team can meet peers and industry professionals, top influencers, and even new customers. IT conferences are also attended by vendors and complementary companies that can form strategic partnerships with your organization. You'll also find media professionals at many conferences, such as influential industry bloggers and journalists, who can help you expand your network and may provide a favorable write-up for your company.

Pay it Forward

Some companies make the mistake of attending an IT conference, and then keeping the knowledge they gained to themselves. Instead, you and your team should be sharing what you learned through your social media accounts, company website, and other marketing and customer-facing channels. Sharing conference news with those who may not have been able to attend helps to strengthen your organizational brand and position your company as an industry leader.

The best strategy is to share both during and after the conference. Have members of your team tweet and live blog as the conference is happening, and share photos of the conference itself as well as commentary and interesting information. Then post-conference, you can generate more detailed and insightful content that relates to what you've learned.

Overall, attending IT conferences as an organization increases visibility for your company, keeps you informed on the latest industry developments, and helps you build your professional network and your reputation.

Going Local with IT Conferences

While there are many large, high-profile national tech conferences, your business may be able to benefit more from local area IT conferences. This allows you to meet talent and industry pros near you, and make a greater impact on your local customers and immediate business area.

Every year Clearpoint participates and sponsors Houston TechFest. TechFest is an annual, one-day Internet and Technology based conference in Houston, Texas. Respected professionals from surrounding areas gather to discuss various topics in multiple disciplines and hardware and software vendors are present to discuss their products and services. We look forward to this every year because it gives us a chance to share who we are, network and find future IT employees.

If you're looking to advance your organization, enhance your brand, and grow your company network, attending IT conferences as a company is a highly effective strategy for any size business.