Conference research in Google Sheets: keep the source and the reason to talk
Organize public or permissioned speaker and exhibitor research, review possible profile matches from known names, and keep dated event context in Google Sheets.
Download the research workbook (.xlsx)Five tabs with clearly fictional examples. No live search results. Google Sheets import has not been tested.
- 1 Sourcepublic agenda or permissioned list
- 2 Research sheetfact + source URL + date checked
- 3 Manual reviewmatch, ambiguous or no match
- 4 Reason to talka hypothesis, kept apart from the fact
A conference page can help you understand a market or find a useful topic for a conversation. It is not a complete prospect database. Start with a small research list, keep the source beside every fact, and separate what you know from what you think might be relevant.
What is in the workbook?
- Read me: setup, access and responsible-use notes.
- Inputs: event role, company, any published person/title, source URL, date checked and reuse note.
- Match review: known-name inputs, a place for results from a separate approved search, and manual review status.
- Context: the observed fact, its date, a relevance hypothesis and what remains unknown.
- Pilot log: optional aggregate tracking for your own later test. Visits, template actions and Marketplace clicks are different measures; clicks do not prove installs.
1. Choose an input you are allowed to use
A public speaker agenda, sponsor page or exhibitor directory may be useful, subject to its terms and intended reuse. A private attendee list needs permission. Do not bypass event-app access or export restrictions. A sponsor is not necessarily a buyer; a speaker listing is not proof someone attended.
For example, Web Summit Vancouver says it does not provide attendee lists as PDF or CSV. That is one organizer's policy, not a rule for every event. Check the current terms for your source.
2. Keep the source before adding detail
Save a copy of the workbook and remove the EX example rows before real use. Record the event name, event date, role, company, any published person/title, source URL and the date you checked it. Copy only the facts you need. If a source changes or is ambiguous, leave the record unresolved. Join records across tabs by Record ID.
3. Match known people, not company-only rows
If you already have a name with company/title context, Candidate Match in LinkedIn Bulk Search can search for possible LinkedIn profile matches in Google Sheets. Prepare a separate scratch sheet with Name, Company and Title columns. Leave empty output space so results cannot overwrite your research. Check your account's current credit allowance and terms before any run. Start with a small batch you are prepared to review.
A list containing only exhibitors is a company-research task, not a list of known people. Read the Candidate Match guide for sidebar setup, or choose the workflow that fits your inputs. This resource does not automatically extract event lists or connect event apps to the add-on.
| Record | Known name (fictional) | Company (fictional) | Returned profile | Review status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EX-01 | Dana Example | Northwind Example | blank | Ambiguous |
| EX-02 | Dana Example | Contoso Example | blank | Ambiguous |
| EX-03 | (exhibitor only) | Fabrikam Example | no person | Company research |
| EX-04 | Sam Sample | Adatum Example | blank | No match |
4. Review before accepting
Open the returned profile and compare it with the source row. Two people can have the same name. A role can be stale. Some fields may be missing or no clear match may appear. Record Ambiguous or No match rather than choosing a plausible person. This is search and review, not identity verification or a complete employee directory.
5. Keep the reason to talk separate from the fact
"Onboarding handoffs" session listed on the fictional agenda
Source: example.example/agenda
Checked: 12 Oct 2026
Might care about handoff tooling
Still unknown: role today, budget, whether they attended
A session about onboarding handoffs might be relevant to handoff software, but it does not prove the speaker needs it. A product announcement might create a useful research question, but it is not buying intent. Preserve the fact date and list what still needs checking.
The fictional examples show five cases: two people with the same name at different companies; an exhibitor without a known person; a company announcement rather than an attendance claim; and an old agenda that cannot establish a current role. Blank output fields are intentional, not demonstrated matches.
6. Stop before contact collection or sending
This workbook does not find or verify emails or phone numbers, monitor signals or send messages. External enrichment and outreach are separate decisions. Do not imply you met a person, saw them attend or heard their talk if you did not. Match the facts and relevance to your offer before deciding whether a conversation makes sense. A research status never grants permission to contact someone.
Using the file in Google Sheets
The download is an editable Excel workbook. Upload it to your own Drive and open it with Google Sheets if you prefer. Review wrapping, filters and dropdowns after conversion. Native Google Sheets import has not been tested for this file. Dropdowns are workflow aids, not automatic enforcement. Keep sensitive information out of shared copies.