Attending events is one of the best ways to network and make connections in your industry. Whether you are an event organizer or attendee, we offer nine top networking tips in this blog to facilitate and nurture productive connections and leads.
1. Set networking goals
It helps to have goals in mind when approaching new connections. This will help guide your conversation and create a more engaging moment that makes a lasting first impression. Consider the following questions:
- Are you hoping to find new sales leads?
- Do you need to pool some new resources together to provide products and services to your business?
- Are you looking for mentors and guidance?
- Would you like to create partnerships with similar service providers or brands?
When you set goals, you can have a clear line of conversation in mind that is focused and professional.
2. Research participants
It helps to have a list of people you’d like to contact at the event so you can spend your time wisely. Keep in mind that you might have opportunities to meet people more organically, such as mingling at pre-event coffee hours or post-event dinners and parties.
If you’re the organizer, research is a great way to introduce people matching at the event to help attendees make meaningful, relevant connections. Using a more in-depth registration form allows you to match people based on common roles/job titles, education, location, etc. From there, you can also create group-specific networking sessions at designated areas throughout the venue.
3. Have a plan of attack
Your research also helps you map out how you’ll travel through the venue to meet your ideal contacts. What booths will provide the best opportunities? Where will you most likely bump into industry connections for those chance meetings? Who are your ideal clients? Where are the presenters speaking? Rely on your goals to guide your plan.
As an organizer, if your event has different activities, booths, presentations, seminars, etc., then you need a plan of attack that makes it easy for attendees to find each other, make connections, and also connect with participants yourself. This requires the right venue.
Whether it’s a major conference centre for crowds in the thousands, or something smaller at a banquet room like The Venetian in Vaughan’s Château Le Jardin, you want to create an intuitive layout that creates clear paths and helps facilitate networking.
You can also create networking hubs where attendees can enjoy a coffee, cocktail, or lunch such as an espresso bar, breakfast buffet, or afternoon mix-and-mingle cocktail “bar.”
4. Have a 30-second “elevator pitch”
You can be guaranteed that you’re not the only one at the event looking to make new connections. This gives you about 30 seconds to make your pitch. What is the key message you want to share? How can you make that message clear?
You want to introduce yourself and your role, along with what you offer. Hopefully, your pitch generates at least a question or two so you can find the perfect opening to hand out your card or set up an appointment.
5. Don’t forget to listen
If you feel the pressure of that 30-second opportunity, you might forget to listen to what the other person has to say. Listen actively, make eye contact, and try to formulate some relevant questions to show your interest.
Open-ended questions are always best since they tend to lead conversations instead of yes-and-no questions that shut the conversation down. Your goal is to build a rapport and make a lasting impression that feels authentic, so you have something that you can build on.
6. Leverage social media
Event-specific apps and hashtags are an excellent path to making connections prior to the event. You can find some good introduction opportunities by commenting on posts made by the people you want to meet.
As an organizer, you should create an event-specific account on social media such as Instagram and invite participants to follow you. This allows you and attendees to make new connections, start conversations, and have easier access to participants through followers and conversation threads.
7. Review your conversations
After you make a connection, take time to jot down some notes on what you discussed while the conversation is still fresh in your mind. This way, you don’t miss opportunities to use a personalized approach when following up.
For example, someone might mention they have to rush off to attend a child’s soccer game, so you can ask how the game went. Better yet, they might have mentioned a pain point that brought them to the event, providing the perfect conversation starter where you can offer solutions through your employment, products, or services.
8. Have an action plan to follow up
Be sure to follow up as soon as possible. If you were unable to get contact information or a business card, a great place to reach out is LinkedIn, as most attendees will have a LinkedIn profile. You can mention something specific from your conversation to help refresh their memory, and then try to set up a meeting or call to move the relationship forward.
Make sure each message is unique based on your interaction to establish commonalities that can build trust. Social media is also a great way to follow up, commenting on a post about the event, for example.
Organizers need to follow up as well. Gaining insights from attendees and participants via surveys, social media questions, emails requesting Google reviews, etc. all help ensure you see repeat participation in future events.
9. Don’t give up after one try!
It usually takes a few tries to encourage new business relationships, which means it’s important to keep in touch. For example, if you read an interesting article, you might share it with one of your new contacts. If there’s an upcoming event, reach out and ask if they’ll be participating or attending.
If you have an inside tip on a new product launch or sale, give them a heads-up or offer them an early bird deal. You can also invite them to company events so you can reconnect in person, or have them sign up for a company or industry newsletter to learn more about your brand, products, or services.
Contact Our Event Hall Professionals at the Venetian in Vaughan
These nine tips will certainly help you make more meaningful connections at your next event.
If you’re planning an event, visit our website to learn more about The Venetian in Vaughan’s Château Le Jardin Vaughan event hall. You can also call us at 1-888-529-8573, or book an event consultation online.
