Dave Overton's tech conference survival guide

Print business cards at least 2 weeks before the event

"It's always an expectation that people will have." Turning up without a business card leaves a bad first impression of you and your company, so get your cards printed early and you won't miss an opportunity when it comes along.

Be confident in going to these events

"Don't bring any tool that will enable you not to interact." A tech conference exists so people can talk to each other. If you are an introvert, that is a real challenge to get past, but there are lifehacks that help. Plan it out, map it out, and go in with confidence.

Know the speaker in advance

"You should have an idea who you want to talk to." At these events some people ask questions freely and others are too shy to. If you know the speaker in advance, you get a sense of how they engage with an audience, so you won't hesitate to ask what you want.

Think about how you want people to remember you

"If you're not memorable, people will forget about you." A great talk is only one part of what makes people remember you. Ask yourself, "How do I make myself a better player?" Once you have the answer, you know how to stay in people's minds after the event.