The chance to learn is an obvious reason to attend sessions, but also you get access to the speakers, who are industry leaders in their specialty.
In addition to having the opportunity to ask questions during the Q&A period, it is also a big plus to be able to introduce yourself to the speakers after the session and set some groundwork for a relationship with them.
If you don’t have a question for them after the session, just take a moment to introduce yourself and request their business card to follow up later.
And be sure you actually do follow up, preferably with a thank you card via snail mail.
Also, during the Q&A period, be sure to listen to who is asking questions and what they are asking – it’s a good opportunity to identify bright folks you might want to hire, work for, or work with in the future.