HOW TO: Actually Get Something Done At SXSW
sxswMark Gilbreath is the Co-Founder and CEO of LiquidSpace the mobile application that helps anyone find a great space to work now.
Despite the unending stream of party invites, panels, and events, major events like SXSW are ruled by the people who actually come to work. These are the people who want to get things done, to achieve, and to produce. Even the most hyped conferences still need that element of “get ‘er done.”
The actual work that happens at conferences is, by design, quieter and more humble — off the public record and off the beaten path. It is there, it’s just never in your face. Robert Scoble hit the nail on the head with his “micro SXSW” post back in January: The real work of SXSW happens in small groups, on the fly — and it rarely gets tweeted about.
The truth is that the people who can effectively work at SXSW are the people who benefit the most from the conference. Deals get done at SXSW; partnerships formed, term sheets accepted, acquisition plans hatched. Entrepreneurs ideate and gestate new companies. Code is hacked, sales are closed, hires are made, press are briefed and new clients are won.
This post outlines five basic things that you can do to actually get things done amidst the insanity.1. Find a Great Space
My company has put together some “pop-up” spaces at SXSW to support mobile workers here. But, there are plenty of other options too.
The most commonly-used conference hacks for workspace include coffee shopping (uncomfortable, but immediate) coworking (depending on availability and location) and hotel rooming (lonely and spotty on the Wi-Fi, but at least quiet). Some of the lesser-known ways to find great space include:
- Lawyers: Most of you have lawyers, and many firms have offices in cities across the US, including Austin. Your attorney might be able to put you up. These spaces are usually swank and in the downtown core. Same goes for PR firms, design shops, and more, ask around to anyone that regularly calls on your services.
- Private restaurant dining rooms: These can be pricey at night, but during the day it’s remnant inventory. You can go in with a few peers or colleagues and reserve these spaces for less than you’d think –- instant boardroom with top-notch service.
- Outdoors: Austin is often beautiful in March, and it’s a common complaint that despite the weather, we spend most of our time indoors. Nearby the convention center are numerous parks and trails and micro-spaces that are perfect for a few hours of work on a bench. You’d be surprised how efficient you are when you’re gazing out on the water, or doing that bizdev meeting walking the trail around Town Lake. Take advantage of the fact that everyone needs a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively.
2. Power + Internet Access
All this talk of the great outdoors gets us to the #1 thing that thwarts productivity at SXSW and almost any other conference: The essentials. Power and Internet access can make or break you. With these firmly in hand, you can do anything, and go anywhere.
- All the outlets occupied? Whip out a PowerSquid, make sharing possible, and meet a few new friends in the process.
- Mobile devices: The basic DigiPower pack is only $50 and it is amazing. Backup power will save your life –- or the life of an influencer you’re spending time with.
- MiFis and dongles: These can range from $25 to $80/month, but when hotels are running $400 a night, why risk getting screwed at the last minute when it matters most? Carrying multiple personal hotspot options with different networks isn’t redundant, it’s prudent.
- Brain power: I carry a bevy of nuts, chocolate-covered espresso beans, Cliff bars and a large water bottle with me at all times (always enough for me and that special someone I might be meeting with). A little sustenance can make the difference between a great meeting and a sleepy one, a productive hour spent revising your presentation, and an unworkable mess of goo. Get in touch with your inner Boy Scout.
- Sleep: I turn in early and wake up early. I beat everyone to the punch. You’d be surprised, most of the influencers and high-value prospects get up early as well, and they’re not hungover. They didn’t get to where they are by getting behind. The early morning hours of SXSW are more productive than you think. And, the best places to work get claimed early, too.
3. Your Most Valuable Asset — Attention
Don’t try working during panels. How many of you show up and are half paying attention to the content in front of you, and half paying attention to your email and/or Twitter?
Focus on one thing at a time. You’ll get more done in less time, and you’ll actually remember the key takeaways. People complain that they don’t remember the panels and blame it on quality. This is rarely the case.
Same for when you’re in a quiet space and aiming for intensity, or a deep dive. Make a clear gesture at the outset by closing your machine, and taking your phone out of a pocket and laying it to the side. This kind of non-verbal communication helps set the tone.
4. Mission Control
Tactics like auto-responders are only effective if your organization is amoeba-like, and can keep going even when you’re hunkered down.
This gets us to the next hack, something that the most skilled conference-goers long ago learned, namely, that a fully-briefed and well-prepared team back home can make all the difference. Not everyone gets to come to SXSW, but the role of those left behind is even more important than your own.
Who is triaging email? Who is responding to support queries? Who is sending calendar invites for new meetings? Who is watching Twitter, reading blog posts, and highlighting comments? Whether it’s your co-founder or an assistant, a research intern or a PM, have both brains and brawn back at home as a “SXSW prosthetic.”
5. The Lay of the Land
The first thing to do when you get to any conference is get the lay of the land. Walk the land, study a map, and get visually familiar. This will take at least an hour. You will be tempted not to do it.
Where is your panel? Are you prepared to give directions if someone wants to come to it? A quiet space to prepare beforehand? Ask yourself all the important questions and figure out those last minute directions before you’re scrambling to get somewhere.
You can win friends and fans with your knowledge, too. The fact that few people actually survey the battlefield plays in your favor in many different ways.
SXSW is expanding even more to new hotels and new venues. Even if you’ve been before, the changes each year are substantial.
If you know where you are and where you are going, you can proceed smoothly from meeting to meeting, time your arrivals, and make fuller, more productive time of the precious few hours you do have to yourself.
Summary
Don’t get caught in the hype. SXSW is about business and money, winning and losing. It comes in a candy-coated wrapper, but don’t be fooled. Know where you work best. Productivity FTW.
Some simple, good habits can make all the difference in whether you return home victorious, or depleted and empty-handed.
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