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Get ready to pack your business cards, get your power outfit dry cleaned and slap on your nametag, because conference season is in full swing.

Every fall and spring, conferences across a myriad of industries dot the calendar – and it's easy to get lost in the option overload as you crave a presence at each one. But as a small business owner, you likely only have a small budget to work with that enables you to send your managers, employees, or even yourself, to conferences.

So how do you know which conferences are worth attending, and which ones you can read about online after the fact?

Considering the cost of travel and accommodations alone, it's important to ensure your conferencing is an investment in your company rather than a mere attempt at making face.

Dreamforce, a conference hosted by one of my clients, Salesforce.com, actually included an ROI calculator on its site this year to assist attendees to decide whether attending the conference would provide direct benefit to an organization.

Determining the return on investment is key to figuring out which conferences are worthwhile learning opportunities and which ones are a waste of time. So what should go into your own ROI calculator?

It's not about who is speaking – it's what they're talking about. Major conferences like STORE and C2MTL often have big-name speakers attached as keynotes, but does it make sense for your business to be there for that particular speech? Rather than looking at the big names in attendance, look at what they're speaking about. Dx3 put out a public list early on of the topics to be covered in 2015, encouraging both applicants and attendees to take a pre-emptive look at whether their brand was a fit.

The beauty of conferencing is you have an opportunity to learn from people who have succeeded in the specific areas you are looking to tackle. Instead of focusing on a list of names, focus on a list of topics or interest areas you're looking to expand at your own company, and then find a conference that addresses those ideas.

It's all about the individual. Keynotes and panels are only a part of the overall conference experience. Networking is another – and equally important – component for both you and your employees. Consider the speakers (and in turn, fellow attendees) of each conference. Which business cards are going to be a step towards a sales lead? Are there opportunities to engage in the conversations you want to have?

For example, eTail Canada has already opened registration for its roundtable discussions, giving attendees an opportunity to share ideas and learn from both peers and industry leaders.

Take a look at conferences which offer settings allowing for more intimate and one-on-one conversations. It's often these interactions rather than an open 'social hour' which can lead to more productive discussions that will help push your business forward.

Consider both on and offline benefits. Choosing to attend a conference automatically integrates you into an online conversation that happens simultaneously on social channels while the gathering takes place. Virtually every conference will have an associated hashtag and the opportunity to @mention each speaker online.

This immediate integration has the potential to strengthen your online presence and build up your own online brand – but is there potential to continue this online chatter into an in-person conversation?

If the sole purpose of attending is to boost your online profile, consider participating in a webinar or webcast, where many of the same types of conversations are taking place. If you're looking to bridge that online gap into something more tangible, in-person conferencing could be a great starting point.

Get involved. Conferencing as an attendee is an excellent way to ignite conversations with like-minded people – but consider what you have to offer beyond simply looking to get your name out there. Even as a small business, there's a lot of opportunity to sit on the other side and influence conversations.

Conferences like the Digital Media Summit are currently accepting speaker submissions from a wide range of backgrounds and specialties. Consider what sort of thought leadership you have to offer and how it can be of value to your peers before tossing in your application.

Before you hop the next cross-continent flight to check out that splashy conference everyone's gushing about, consider the ROI of that decision. In the world of conference option overload, make sure your sights are strategically set on the conferences that will be spark positivity into your business rather than simply burn a hole in your pocket.

Mia Pearson is the co-founder of North Strategic. She has more than two decades of experience in creating and growing communications agencies, and her experience spans many sectors, including financial, technology, consumer and lifestyle.

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