Construction industry events provide effective networking, public relations and educational opportunities for your business. Construction seminars and conventions not only help you stay abreast of the latest construction industry advancements, but allow you to exchange ideas with colleagues. Plus, it gives your company significant name recognition among current and future business prospects, partners or clients.

There are a wide range of events for the construction industry, with topics ranging from business strategy and supply chain cost reduction to green building and design trends. To get the most value from a construction industry event, evaluate the following:

1. Is the construction event designed for construction industry professionals in your specialized field?

2. What relevant exhibits, workshops or keynote speakers do the events in the construction industry offer to expand your knowledge base or increase your business profitability?

3. How much should your business pay for upcoming construction industry events?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Select construction events geared towards professionals in your field

Choose a construction convention that focuses on your specific construction industry discipline. If your focus is on commercial real estate construction, select specialized commercial real estate construction conferences, rather than general construction conventions. Find out if the conventions on construction are designed for senior management, project managers, builders or consultants, and select events most appropriate to your occupation.

I recommend: The JLC LIVE Residential Construction Show, sponsored by The Journal of Light Construction magazine, gives residential builders, remodelers, general contractors and other construction professionals hands-on educational opportunities. The Kitchen/Bath Industry Show and Conference presented by the National Kitchen & Bath Association provides designers, dealers, distributors, manufacturers and retailers opportunities to learn more about the kitchen and bath construction market. The National Hardware Show is designed for CEOs, senior management, owners, partners, buyers and operations, logistics and marketing employees to discover upcoming trends in hardware and building supplies.

Attend construction conferences with informative workshops and reputable speakers

Select construction events that offer a selection of classes, exhibits and workshops relevant to your career. For the most beneficial learning experience, look for classes and seminars on construction focused on specific topics rather than broad generalizations. Choose construction conventions with successful, reputable and credible speakers who are known for their construction industry expertise.

I recommend: PCBC, a four-day homebuilding industry conference, features 55 educational workshops in six subject tracks. The Southern Building Show offers education sessions in five tracks, including builder and remodeler, organization and business management, sales and marketing, green building and architecture and design. The Green Building & Energy Efficiency International Conference sponsored by McGraw-Hill Construction features global leaders in green building, energy efficiency, technology and construction.

Choose events for the construction industry in your price range

Register for a construction conference or event that fits within your company's budget. In addition to the conference fees, factor in costs for travel, lodging and meals. To save money, consider a local or regional event for the construction industry, rather than a national or international construction conference.

I recommend: The Construction Forecast Conference presented by the National Association of Home Builders features discounted advance registration fees, as well as a webcast registration option. The IRMI Construction Risk Conference offers two pricing options -- one for the conference plus a full day of workshops or one for the conference only. The International Conference on Transportation Construction Management presented by the Transportation Research Board provides four pricing structures for general registrants, departments of transportation, academia and students with additional discounts for early-bird registration.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  To save on travel fees, consider attending construction events online. While you may not benefit from the networking opportunities that come with attending a construction convention, you will still receive the same valuable educational information from the comfort of your home or office.