Business Travel in Recession
I am a LIVE blogger and I get invited to many a conferences and events in the industry across India to LIVE blog the entire events.
And since quite sometime I have been hearing from many an Event organizers that due to recession, Business Travel has been restricted, thus expecting huge turnout at any conference is a challenege today!
I am sure this is one concern many a Conference organizers would agree to!
Well, so what is the solution to this problem?
Let me say I cannot monetarily give you an alternative that you should not attend any conferences, as these are some of the best grounds to network and reach out to existing and potential business partnerships. You can get new talent for your company, you get a platform to share your expertise on various agendas relevant to the community.
If there are so many benefits and still you have to see how much can you spend on your travel to attend these conferences?! What do you do then?
Social Media comes to Rescue
To the rescue is Social Media! Yes!
Now that you cannot afford to lose the chance of being in these conferences, well you can definitely work towards making sure that you can make the most of your business trip.
There are several tools on the internet which can help you arrange your travel and connect with people in the city you are visiting and also with the people who are attending the conference, so you can connect with the relevant people and break ice much before you actually meet them at the conference.
Social Media Tools to Get the most of your Business Travel
Linkedin
Explore your professional network on Linkedin to know who all in your network are attending a conference that you are and who all are there in the city at that particular moment of time and day.
Before reaching the designated city, you can connect with these people and pre-schedule meetings, to make the most of your travel. All you needd to do is add the Application (Tripit) on your Linkedin profile.
Twitter
Twitter is a tool where you can subtly announce that you are going to attend a conference and people who are there in your network who may be visiting the same would tweet back and there you go, you connect with the relevant community of people, thereby increasing your chances of creating more possibilities for yourself in your travel schedule.
Google Reader
Google Reader, well yes I know you would say Google Reader? Yes, its pretty simple! subscribe to the blog feeds of all the companies/people you are expected to meet at the conference/event you are going to. You would hence be updated with all the action points that you need to discuss and take your discussions forward in a more constructive manner.
Follow/Subscribe Events/conferences updates on dedicated Blogs like – OMShare
I confess, there is a self promotional aspect in the following note, but it would be of a higher value to you than anything else! I along with one of the people I work with, created The First from India, Online Platform for Taking Events and Conferences Global (OMShare). Its a platform where I LIVE Blog some of the best conferences and events around uptill now only in India (though open to invites Internationally as well).
We would soon be integrating RSS Feeds letting our followers know at no cost and at not much time, which events are happening where and if they would be of value to you and your business. Also we are extending the platform to include event representatives and organizers who can further help you network with the who’s who attending the event.
Based upon this information you can take an informed decision of whether to attend the event or be negative!
If you wish to connect with me, I would be attending (LIVE Blogging) the following events in the coming future:
- The Web Usability and Design Workshop at India Habitat Center by TiE New Delhi on 7th March 9am-6pm
- The JFPS CORPORATE COMMUNICATORS’ CONCLAVE in Mumbai on 16th and 17th April
Share on Facebook
Presenting the Second Blog Camp Delhi, LIVE, hosted by the Indian Blog and New Media Society!
I am here to present the First from India, Online Platform for Taking Events and Conferences Global!! OMShare
Ajay Jain one of the founding members of IBNMS is not owned by anyone, its all of us working together and we have the volunteers coming together. We have technical sessions by our in house technical experts ad we are all going to be around to help each pther here in this conference or un-conference to be precise.
Truly an Un-conference. We also have DFC (I met a guy from the community and well would love to know more about them) taking a 3 hour session talking about photography in the afternoon. So if you are set out to buy a camera they are the people to talk to.
So I have completed my session, and am back at LIVE blogging the event!
Now we have Jasmeet talking about Mobile Blogging, Jasmeet is from Nokia. Jasmeet is the founding member at rediff.com and this is his first foray into Mobiles. Jasmeet is here to talk about the next coming medium.
The world is changing
So we are now talking about history of how we all reached here!? So, the world is changing okay…what is change, Jasmeet defines it for the audience! We are talking about Traditional media now. And well, Jasmeet says, for us the whole medium changed! The primitive way of doing business was not accepted by the emerging entrepreneurs.
So what’s changed?
Jasmeet talks about a 3 pronged strategy:
- Access
- Reach
- Engage
If you have to play your game, you have to have this ammo with you! We started getting users from the community we started getting into the community mode and the whole game changed. Well, and now comes the same words that I have been hearing everywhere 1.0 and 2.0 
There was a lot of types of content being churned out by users and hence we started thinking about platforms. Jasmeet smartly talks about the 2.0 domain, and he has rightly used the engagement model and presented it to the audience in an amazingly simplistic manner. Jasmeet is now answering a question from a participant on Ad networks.
Fortunately for us the mobile ecosystem is ramping up very fast and we are happy to be in this country!
Types of content, its an interesting perspective into personal content that Jasmeet has provided here. Content formats have changed. Why has this happened?!
Your main home page has changed to your page, if you havent realized it yet!
The fundamental reason of why webmail was created has changed! Hmmm…interesting download Jasmeet! Since the power of the mobile has come into play, things have changed and the concept of blogging in the traditional way would change as well!
The POWER of Social Media
Jasmeet gives the real picture of Social Media to the audience and I think all are in tune! Well, the definition of PRESENCE has changed! Well, and the good or the bad part is is that its going to change again! Sharing his experience at the Mobile World conference Jasmeet gives a new starting and emerging point on the best device that you have with all all day long – your mobile phone! Well, Jasmeet gives a whole paradigm shift in the usage of phones for what you do.
- GPS
- Traffic alerts
- Finding friends
- Extending your navigation to your car
Well, so the change is fundamental! And what do you do with this information presented to you?
- Search
- Locate
- Choose
And now here is the scary part – well, in one integrated way, whatever happens on your mobile since the moment you have connected to a buddy, everything is trackable! Jasmeet has just now given an amazing usage of the maps that we use in and out! So, people beware of your bosses 
Lastly well, a powerful point made by Jasmeet, is COMMUNITY!
We are set for a good good community ride! I agree no less Jasmeet!
Jasmeet.gandhi@nokia.com
The session is now open for Q and A!
Share on Facebook
WordCamp India was a great event, at least in terms of the fact that it was a start for us. The First from India, and at this platform, I thought I would present how WordPress as a platform, helped me and my company, when we launched the First from India – Online Platform for Taking Events and Conferences Global!
OMShare
And since I have been getting requests from people, to upload my presentation on the blog (I already have 60 views and 3 downloads) in a day! Thanks all 
Here you go :-
Share on Facebook