I just returned from the Agricultural Media Summit yesterday. It was an education- and networking-packed three-and-a-half days in Louisville, Kentucky. Some of the sessions I attended were excellent. (And the food was the best convention food I have ever had!) 

Many of the speakers had handouts for us with an outline of the presentation, key points, or take-home exercises. I sometimes take a lot of notes, so the handouts made it easier for me to pay attention to the presentation. I like handouts for that reason.

One thing that caught my eye about some of the speakers' handouts, though, is while they contained good information, they never identified the speaker as the source. I have this valuable piece of paper that I am taking home with me and will continue to refer to. By not putting their name and contact information on this paper, they're missing out on an easy opportunity for me to contact them later.

I am a big fan of public speaking and educating as a means of image building. But if you're really going to make it worth your while, you need to leave a lasting impression. I have notepads with my logo and contact information on them that accompany me to my speaking engagements. Even something as simple as your contact information on your hand outs can do the trick.