Not all legal marketing conferences are created equal. You might be doning with powerhouses of the legal profession at one, but swirling ice in your glass waiting for a sales pitch to end at another.

What makes a great legal marketing conference? To help you decide which conferences to consider, we have provided criteria you should look for in the next legal marketing event you attend.

1)     Knowledgeable and Engaging Speakers

High quality legal marketing event speakers can be difficult to come by. You will want to do some of research on the speaker lineup.  Type their names into Google. Are they experienced and trusted legal marketers? Have they ever spoken at a similar function before?  Read the speaker bios. Do they seem interested in only making a hard sell or in truly being of assistance to law firms? Look at their presentation topic. Will they share truly useful information? Ask if the conference sponsor has a financial interest in any of the speakers’ companies.  That may or may not be a detriment, but it is good to know. Choose events that feature speakers who have your best interest in mind, not just making a sale.

2)      Ample Networking Opportunities

You might feel shortchanged if you walk away from investing in a conference that did not provide ample time to build your business and referrals through networking. You might learn from truly engaging speakers, but many of the attendees have more knowledge and practical experience than the speakers.

3)      Other Considerations

Speakers and attendees often offer the latest technology and other tools to help your firm be more productive and profitable.  Some conferences, such as the M&L Legal Marketing and Management conference, allow only one attendee per market so that attendees can freely share successes, ideas that have failed, good and bad vendors, personnel issues, personal situations and more.

4)      A Stunning Location

Though attending a work conference is anything but a vacation, the trip can still feel like you are getting some much-needed rest and relaxation. With a healthy work/life balance on everyone’s mind, it can be refreshing to show up for a day of work overlooking a mountain range or sandy beach. Also, consider if the conference has shortened days so that you can take advantage of your amazing surroundings as well as talk with other attendees. Many conferences are structured so that families and friends can attend if desired.  Inspiring locales may prompt you to think outside–the-box when crafting solutions for your firm’s marketing needs.

5)      Valuable Giveaways

You likely receive countless marketing giveaways and only find real value in a few of those items. Look for conferences where the organizers or vendors are giving away valuable items. For example, Consultwebs has given away iPads at several of the past conferences we have attended. Some conferences provide valuable handouts including free books, marketing kits, free law firm Web audits and more. Though not the only indicator, the quality of giveaways may reflect the caliber of the conference and its vendors as well as the importance they place on the gathering.

6)      Delicious (and Provided!) Meals

Many legal marketing conferences make accommodations for several of your meals. If you have special dietary requirements, ask if they can be accommodated. If meals are not provided with the cost of the conference, is there a provided listing of local restaurants you can try? A meal is a wonderful way to network further with conference attendees, interview potential Web marketing vendors and brainstorm ways you can put best marketing practices to work.

7)      Testimonials

Some lawyer marketing conferences offer prizes and discounts for testimonials.  We have noticed that some of the lawyers who provide testimonials stop attending after one or two conferences.  Ask for a list of past attendees. Call or write to some of the attendees and ask them if the conferences are worthwhile. Seek speaking opportunities at the conferences if it is to your benefit e.g., to obtain referral opportunities. Speakers have the entire audiences’ attention.

Some comments from conferences we have attended include, “I didn’t think I would come away with a lot of new ideas and strategies, but boy was I wrong! The information was fresh and cutting edge. But even more, the tips and advice I got from the other attendees at the conference was worth the price of admission alone. I’ll be at the next one!”  Another said, “I wish I had done this ten years ago. I could have grown my practice much faster, and made a lot fewer costly mistakes along the way.”  Still another said, “I certainly have saved myself hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of learning.”  Another said, “As a result of the conference, I went to my New York office, notes in hand, for a full day meeting with my key staff and started to implement many of the great ideas I came away with.”