The cocktail parties, the dining and dancing, and the networking that goes on at the typical real estate convention or conference may all seem pretty frivolous, but the return on your investment for attending is higher than you may think.

You're forging bonds with other agents from around the world – agents you can refer clients to and obtain referrals from in return. You're also getting access to hands-on training, top-notch thought leaders and business strategies that can make for smoother (and more frequent) transactions in the future.

After a full year of managing hundreds of events, rubbing shoulders with the best of the best speakers and attending several of the real estate industry's top events, I see three main benefits to attending conferences and conventions:

Education

On the more serious side of real estate conferences are the phenomenal educational opportunities offered through workshops and lectures. Trainers, nationally renowned speakers, thought leaders, and top industry experts offer timely information on topics and issues that are valuable to agents, brokers and team leads. If you were to obtain the same training outside industry sponsored conventions, you'd pay hundreds, if not thousands, to get access to this information. Not to mention that the trade exhibit halls are packed with new technology and vendors offering ways to make your business run smoother and smarter.