How To Get the Most Out of Finance Conferences in 2025

You don’t want to leave your next finance conference with just a name tag, a tote bag and a few awkward handshakes, especially if you’re paying out of pocket or your company is covering the cost.

You want to walk away with actionable insights that push your career or business forward, along with meaningful connections. And if you work remotely most—or all—of the time, a conference gives you a rare chance to expand your network beyond the screen and have face-to-face conversations that can shape your career.

But getting the most out of the conference takes more than just showing up. 

You need a strategy to make the experience truly worth your time and financial investment, which goes beyond the CPE credits you earn from participating.

Below, we explain how to maximize your ROI from finance conferences in 2025, covering everything from planning ahead and making the right connections to gathering insights from sessions and turning ideas into action post-conference. 

(If you’re not sure which conference to attend yet, check out our list of top FP&A conferences for 2025.)

Maximize Your Experience at Your Next Finance Conference: A Checklist

The key to making a finance conference worth your time and money is to be intentional from the start, and that begins with a checklist to make sure you’re fully prepared before the event. 

To help you get the most value from your experience, we’ve broken out our tips into three phases:

• Pre-conference preparation – to set yourself up for a productive event

• During the conference – to help you engage, network, and gather valuable insights

• Post-conference activities – to turn insights into action and strengthen the valuable connections you made during the event.

Phase 1: Pre-Conference Preparation 

Preparing yourself before the conference even starts helps set the tone for your experience.

Here’s how you can increase your chances of meeting the right people, attending the most relevant sessions, and leaving the event with clear next steps for your role or goals.

1. Define Your Goals for Attending the Conference

Setting personal goals before the event helps you:

• Prioritize your time and focus on what matters most

• Choose the right sessions instead of attending everything randomly

• Make strategic connections rather than only chatting with whoever is nearby

• Measure your success afterward to see if the event was worth the investment (and prove to your company that it was worth sending you)

For a well-rounded conference experience, set three goals—one for each of these key areas: learning, networking and business/career growth. For each one, focus on a targeted outcome that solves a problem or improves your expertise when defining these objectives.

The table below explains how to set these goals:

2. Research the Agenda

Reviewing the conference agenda early helps you focus on the right sessions, maximize networking opportunities and ensure that every part of the event contributes to your goals. 

It also helps you:

• Identify must-attend discussions featuring industry leaders and experts

• Spot networking opportunities like roundtables, breakout sessions and speaker Q&As

• Plan your day(s) efficiently so you’re not rushing between sessions and missing key moments

For any conferences you may be attending, keep an eye out on the organizers’ social media pages so you’re the first to know when the event’s agenda is released. 

Most organizers publish it on their company website or create a separate event site, as we did for Excelerate Finance, to make navigation easier.

Key things to look out for when reviewing the agenda are panel discussions and keynote sessions. 

They provide the highest-impact takeaways, featuring industry leaders discussing finance trends, regulatory changes and innovations that can directly influence your work. You get a front-row seat to how top finance teams solve real-world challenges and leave with ideas you can actually apply.

Also, don’t overlook roundtables and breakout sessions. 

These sessions allow you to ask questions, participate in group discussions and hear practical insights from real-world scenarios. Again, choose sessions that support your learning, networking, or business goals so you're not just attending, but engaging meaningfully.

If you need CPE/CPD credits, check which sessions qualify before finalizing your schedule. 

Many finance conferences offer CPE-accredited sessions, but not all. To be sure, review the event website in advance. For example, you can see from the webpage below that in-person attendees at Excelerate Finance 2025 can earn over 10 CPE/CPD credits. 

If this information isn’t on the main landing page of the conference you’re interested in, check the agenda itself. CPE-eligible sessions are often labeled. If anything is unclear, reach out to the organizers for confirmation.

Here are more steps you can take to make for a smooth conference experience:

• Download the event app (if available) to build your schedule, bookmark sessions, and explore networking features.

• Check the speaker and attendee lists (if available) to identify key people to connect with, including industry leaders, potential mentors, or business contacts.

• Look for interactive sessions (workshops and hands-on training) where you can develop new skills or test finance tools in real time.

• Explore sponsored sessions and product demos to see how they fit your needs.

• Check for exclusive networking events to engage with speakers and peers.

3. Update Your LinkedIn Profile

Many finance conferences encourage attendees to connect on LinkedIn before the event even starts. 

If your headline doesn’t reflect your current role or your profile feels outdated, you might miss out on meaningful pre-event networking opportunities.

And during the conference, introductions often happen fast, in hallways, between sessions, or over coffee. If someone looks you up afterward (and they probably will), your LinkedIn profile should instantly communicate who you are, what you do, and why you’re worth staying connected with.

Before the event, take a few minutes to:

• Update your headline to reflect your current role and area of expertise.

• Use a clear, professional headshot and a banner image that supports your personal or company brand.

• Keep your About section focused on your skills, industry focus and unique perspective.

• Highlight articles, projects, or case studies in the Featured section to show your expertise.

• Make sure your experience, accomplishments, and skills are up-to-date and easy to scan.

Pro tip: If the event has a LinkedIn hashtag, public attendee list, or networking group, start engaging before the event begins. A quick message like “Looking forward to connecting at [Event Name]!” helps break the ice and makes face-to-face interactions more natural when you finally meet.

Some conferences (like Excelerate Finance) even share a list of companies that have attended in the past. Reviewing this in advance helps you plan who to connect with.

Also important: Follow the event’s official social media pages for speaker updates, session changes, or spontaneous meetups you might not want to miss.

4. Prepare Your Elevator Pitch for Introductions

Most introductions at these types of conferences happen in fast-paced settings, such as hallways, coffee breaks, networking mixers, or even after panel sessions. 

In some cases, you have just 30–60 seconds (or a little more) to explain who you are and what you do in a clear, relevant, and memorable way. And sometimes, you might have longer conversations during scheduled meetings, roundtables, or workshops.

Either way, having a solid elevator pitch helps you avoid fumbling through your introduction and positions you as someone worth remembering and following up with.

Your elevator pitch should be around 30–45 seconds and cover:

• Who you are (name, role, company)

• What you specialize in or focus on

• Who you help, or what value you create

• A short note tied to your conference goal 

The key is to keep it natural and conversational, much like this example below:

“Hi, I’m Jordan, a Senior Financial Analyst at Verity. I partner with department heads to create more accurate forecasts, manage budgets, and uncover cost-saving opportunities. Lately, I’ve been focused on improving our internal reporting workflows and exploring automation tools to reduce manual processes.”

5. Plan Your Questions

Thinking of a few questions beforehand ensures you get the most value out of sessions, networking opportunities, and impromptu conversations. 

The key is to tailor your questions to specific sessions, speakers, or companies you plan to engage with and keep them focused and aligned with the outcomes you hope to achieve.

To get started, prepare 2–3 specific questions based on:

• Your current team or business challenges

• A decision you’re working toward (e.g., software selection, restructuring, reporting changes)

• Industry shifts you’re trying to adapt to (e.g., automation, economic volatility, changing regulations)

Keep your questions focused and practical, and don’t be afraid to write them down ahead of time so you can ask with confidence.

For example, if your networking goal involves meeting CFOs, try something like, “One of our biggest hurdles right now is scenario planning in a volatile market. How are you approaching this with your team?” 

6. Bring the Essentials

You don’t want to be scrambling to charge a dead phone, digging through your bag for a pen, or losing track of key takeaways in the middle of a conference. Having these tech and non-tech essentials on hand keeps you organized and focused on making the most of every session.

Here’s a quick list of what to prepare:

7. Plan Your Schedule

A clear schedule sets the tone for how well you’ll manage your time, energy, and attention during the conference. Without it, you could end up missing key sessions and valuable interactions that align with your goals.

To avoid this:

• Add your must-attend sessions to your phone calendar so you can get reminders

• Leave time between sessions for rest, reflection, or quick check-ins with new connections

• Block time to visit booths, follow up on spontaneous invites, or debrief after sessions

Phase 2: During the Conference

How you show up, manage your time, and engage with others will directly impact the value–and return on investment–you get from the event. 

Below are some tips to help you stay focused, make meaningful connections, and walk away with insights you can apply right away.

8. Stick to Your Schedule but Stay Flexible

Having a clear plan helps you stay focused and avoid decision fatigue during a value-packed event (like Excelerate Finance for instance).

However, being too rigid can cause you to miss unexpected opportunities, like a spontaneous meetup with a speaker or a valuable session you hadn’t planned for.

Think of your schedule as a guide, not a script. The more intentional and adaptable you are, the more valuable your conference experience will be.

Here’s how to stay consistent but flexible:

• Review your schedule at the start of your day to reconfirm the sessions, breaks and meetups that align with your goals

• Use the event app or your phone calendar and ensure you set reminders so you don’t miss key sessions, especially if the venue is large or sessions are back-to-back.

• Give yourself permission to pivot. If a session isn’t what you expected, or a speaker you admire is leading a surprise roundtable, adjust your plan if it supports one of your goals.

9. Leverage Hands-on Training

Interactive sessions, product demos, and training labs are some of the most practical parts of a conference—especially if you want to apply what you’re learning right away.

Unlike keynotes or panels, which are often more high-level, these sessions give you a chance to test tools, ask technical questions, and see how a solution works in real time.

At Excelerate Finance, this year’s agenda includes a full day of hands-on workshops, like this one designed to help attendees deliver more impactful financial presentations—an area many finance professionals struggle with.

If you’re considering new technology or trying to improve your current processes, prioritize training labs or demos that align with your business goals. Ask questions, follow along, and take notes to bring what you’ve learned back to your team.

Pro Tip: Take focused notes. Capture only what’s relevant: ideas, tools, or frameworks you can apply in your work. Consider, organizing your notes around learning, networking, and business takeaways.

10. Engage in Networking Opportunities

At conferences, it’s easy to stick with people you already know or wait for someone else to start a conversation, especially if you’re an introvert. But the best way to connect with the right people is to be proactive and take advantage of interactive sessions during the conference.

If your focus is connecting with peers, join a speed networking session or breakout group tied to your specialty. At Excelerate Finance, for example, we’re hosting CFO speed networking sessions that give attendees a structured way to meet and exchange ideas with fellow finance leaders.

When the opportunity comes, use your elevator pitch to briefly share who you are, what you do, and what you’re hoping to learn or explore. 

If you’re reconnecting with someone you follow or admire, mention something specific you’ve found 

Here are some icebreaker examples you can use to start a meaningful conversation.

If you're next to someone in the hallway, a food line, or waiting for a session to begin, break the ice with something simple and relevant like: 

• “Have you been to this conference before?”

• “What’s been your favorite session so far?”

• “Are you also here for [session name] coming up?”

These openers are easy, non-intrusive, and naturally lead into a short intro about yourself and anything else meaningful.

11. Ask Thoughtful Questions

Asking good questions is one of the most underrated ways to get more out of sessions, panels, and networking conversations. It shows you’re engaged, helps you get relevant insights and makes you more memorable to speakers and peers.

Focus on questions tied to a challenge you’re currently facing or something you just learned that you need more clarity on. This makes your questions more specific, useful, and likely to spark deeper discussion.

You can ask questions:

• During Q&A segments at the end of panel sessions or breakout discussions

• In small-group settings like roundtables, workshops, or networking mixers

• In 1:1 conversations with speakers or attendees after a session ends

• Via the event app if there’s a virtual Q&A or chat feature

Pro Tip: Keynotes usually don’t include a live Q&A, but you can still engage with the speaker afterward if they’re available. Come prepared with your questions based on their session so you’re clear and concise when approaching them in person, or follow up via LinkedIn.

12. Use Social Media and Conference Apps

Staying active on social media during the conference helps you build visibility, reinforce your learnings, and connect with attendees beyond the room. 

To make the most of it, 

• Share key takeaways in real time and tag speakers whose sessions resonated with you.

• Use the official event hashtag to join ongoing conversations, as this opens the door for follow-up conversations and new connections.

If the event has a mobile app, take advantage of features like messaging attendees, or joining discussion threads to connect with other attendees. 

Phase 3: Post-Conference

The conference might be over, but the real work starts now. 

What you do next will determine whether you actually benefit from the insights and connections you gained. Below are key steps to help you follow up, apply what you learned, and turn the experience into tangible results.

13. Review Your Notes and Share Key Insights With Others

Posting your favorite takeaways, lessons learned, or standout sessions from the conference on LinkedIn (or wherever your professional community is active) helps you reinforce what you learned, build your personal brand, and continue conversations beyond the event.

A good time to do this is within 24–48 hours after the event. 

Review the key takeaways in your notes and share those insights publicly. Tag speakers, mention specific sessions, and use the event hashtag so others, including people you met, can engage with your post. It’s a smart way to stay top of mind and build on the connections you made in person.

You could also share photos of your in-person connections and add a thoughtful caption that reflects your experience or key moments, like this example below:

Also, be sure to bring the value you gained from the event back to your team.

Summarize your most relevant takeaways—new tools, frameworks, or strategic insights—and share them in a short slide deck, recap email, or lunch-and-learn session. This way, your organization benefits from the investment (especially if you used your professional development budget to attend), and you position yourself as a strategic contributor.

14. Follow Up With New Connections

Send your follow-up messages within 48–72 hours while the conversation is still fresh for both of you. It’s a small step that makes a big difference in turning quick chats into meaningful, ongoing relationships.

Instead of sending a generic message, 

• Mention something you talked about 

• Express appreciation for a specific insight you learned from them or  something that resonated with you both

• Suggest a next step, whether that’s staying in touch, sharing a resource, or setting up a follow-up call

15. Evaluate Your Goals and Keep the Momentum Going

After the conference, take time to reflect: 

• Did you achieve your goals for learning, networking, and business? 

• What worked well, and what could you do differently next time?

This self-review helps you make smarter decisions around the events you decide to attend in the future.

Also, stay active in the event’s LinkedIn group (if there is one), attend follow-up webinars, and continue conversations with people you connected with. 

Maximize Your ROI From Your Next Finance Conference

Attending a finance conference is only as valuable as the effort you put into it—before, during, and after the event. Our checklist will hopefully help you stay intentional and in the moment so you walk away with actionable insights, meaningful relationships, and clear next steps that move your career or business forward.

If you haven’t decided on which conference to attend, consider Vena’s Excelerate Finance 2025.

Whether you're looking to sharpen your FP&A strategy, explore finance transformation trends, or get hands-on with helpful tools, Excelerate delivers high-impact learning and connection at every turn. Still on the fence? Watch highlights from Excelerate Summit 2024 to see the impact firsthand.