It seems like it never fails anymore that when I go to a conference I scramble at the last minute to find some store that I can pick up a quick notebook to take notes. Even though I go through this process, I've also noticed how I don't use that notebook anymore. Everything I'm doing at these conferences, I don't need paper for.

So, I thought I'd share what I do.

It's really simple and easy.

First off, get an Evernote and Twitter account if you don't have these setup already. Evernote is a great tool to have, you can keep all kinds of notes and it stores it on one server that you can access in a variety of ways. There's the web version, desktop client and iPhone app you can keep.

So, here's what I do:

1. While the conference is happening I am taking notes in two places. Evernote and Twitter. I use the Twitter hashtag for the event to live-tweet great key notes from the speaker. I'm also doing this in my Evernote desktop client. I create a new note in there specific to this event so I can easily reference it later and keep it forever. I may use Evernote for longer notes that I write or important ideas from the speaker. And, it never fails, that hearing the speaker always makes me think of additional ideas I could be doing at work as well, I take all those notes in Evernote.
2. Usually, once I am then back from the conference, I write a blog post or two about the conference. Like I did for the last conference I was at, the Mayo-Ragan Healthcare conference. In order to write the blog posts, I then go back to both Evernote and Twitter, compile all the information, and violla, a new summarizing blog post that I'll of course then put on Twitter with the conference's hashtag to share.

That's it, simple as that.

Of course, I'd still recommend bringing a notepad for backup. Sometimes you can't get close enough to a plug to keep your laptop charged or something of that nature.