This resource provides a decision-making framework for evaluating whether to attend, exhibit, or skip a government sales conference. Business professionals often waste significant time and money at conferences without proper evaluation, often attending for the wrong reasons like competitor presence rather than strategic value. This guide cuts through common misconceptions and provides actionable criteria for making informed conference decisions that ensure you’re attending the right conference and trade-shows.

This strategy guide outlines a systematic evaluation process including analyzing exhibitor lists, keynote speakers, conference length, and promotional organizations to determine potential return on investment. It emphasizes the critical success factor that companies should have at least one pre-scheduled meeting before arriving, as 90% of conference investments fail without proper pre-planning. Additionally, the guide covers practical booth management tactics, networking strategies, and cost-effective alternatives like attending without exhibiting.

The RSM Federal Sales Training Center developed this framework to help companies maximize their conference investments and avoid the common trap of reactive conference attendance. The evaluation matrix enables business developers to identify which conferences align with their government sales objectives and which ones drain resources without delivering qualified prospects.