How to ensure value for money from your CPD

Dean Evans explains how to choose your in-person events wisely to ensure you get the best value for money.

Back in May 2021, I wrote about planning CPD effectively in view of the explosion in free online training. Fast forward 18 months and a good chunk of that CPD has shifted back to in-person events.

While it's great to be able to meet colleagues and clients in person again, in-person events often bring extra costs like travel and accommodation. And in the current economic climate, shelling out for a big event may feel difficult to justify.

But by starting to plan early, you'll be able to identify events that provide the perfect balance between cost and value. Let's have a look at how good planning can help us make sure we get the most out of our CPD investments.

Money matters

First things first – a CPD budget. If you don’t already have one, look back at your earnings from last year and allocate a percentage of that figure to CPD. That way, when it comes to picking an event – or events! – later on, you'll know how much you're able to spend. (If numbers aren't your cup of tea, Susie Jackson has some free resources for budgeting and tracking expenses.)

Then start thinking about your main CPD goal for the year ahead. Is it enhancing your translation skills? Or is 2023 the year you shake up your business? Make a note of whatever you want to achieve and use it as a guide.

Next, go back over your CPD log. Find in-person events you've attended in the past and reflect on which ones you found most beneficial and why. Do you need an interactive element? How important is a networking component for you? This review will allow you to pinpoint the event(s) that will help you achieve your goals in the most cost-effective way.

If you're looking to boost your translation practice, a first port of call might be to check out what events translation organisations (ITI, ATA, MET, etc.) are running. These tend to cover lots of different aspects, so they're likely to bring the value you're after and make the cost easier to justify.

Venturing into client land

If 2023 is all about gaining some great new business, why not look at events or trade fairs in your specialist area? They're a great way of meeting new contacts and keeping up with trends in your target market – although I'm yet to be brave enough to give one a go! And if you get some good business out of it, any worries about the initial outlay will disappear.

(Top tip: client-side events can be extremely expensive, but speak to the organisers, explain that you're a freelancer and ask for a cheaper ticket. One translator colleague did just that recently and got their ticket for free!)

To research trade shows, check out sites such as EventsEye, Auma and TradeFairDates (thanks to Sarah Silva for these!). Refine by industry, country, date, etc. and find the right event for you. Sarah recently spoke to trade fair pro Chiara Vecchi – their conversation is jam-packed with tips and is available on Sarah's YouTube channel.

Return on investment

It's exciting to find the ideal event that meets our requirements in terms of goals and budget. But, to finish, here are a few tips for extracting the best value possible from that event:

The early bird catches the worm
Keep costs down by booking tickets and travel as early as possible. By starting your planning now, you'll be able to identify events early and potentially take advantage of cheaper tickets.

Buddy up
Do you have any colleagues you could stay with in an Airbnb? (Other platforms are available!) This tends to work out cheaper than a hotel – plus you'd have people to wind down with after a busy day learning and networking.

Combine it with a client visit
Is the event you've identified near any clients? If so, visit them at the same time to bolster your working relationship. They may even be attending themselves and be able to introduce you to their contacts – a huge win!

So, if you're looking for an in-person event this year but aren't sure you can justify the cost, start planning now to make sure you get the best value for your money.