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What's the best way to plan a speed networking session for your conference?

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Speed networking is a popular and effective way to help your conference attendees make new connections, exchange ideas, and expand their professional networks. But how do you plan a successful speed networking session that is engaging, efficient, and enjoyable for everyone? Here are some tips to help you design and organize a speed networking session that will boost your conference value and reputation.

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Jens Cornelissen

Managing Director @ Merlien Institute | Communications & Events Specialist
Wil Brown

Grow your WordPress business. I help WordPress developers and designers get more clients and increase monthly revenue…

1 Set clear goals and expectations

Before you start planning the logistics of your speed networking session, you need to define the purpose and outcomes of the activity. What are the main objectives of your session? Who are your target participants and what are their interests and needs? How will you measure the success and feedback of your session? By setting clear goals and expectations, you can tailor your session to fit your conference theme, audience, and format, and communicate them effectively to your attendees and facilitators.

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Wil Brown

Grow your WordPress business. I help WordPress developers and designers get more clients and increase monthly revenue to build a sustainable and profitable business. Connect and ask how ??♀?
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People will only turn up if they know exactly what they will get from the session. Is it to pitch to a wide range of niche buyers? Is it to connect with potential clients? Is it for brand and awareness? Will you allow contact details to be exchanged for follow-ups? How long does a networking session last between both participants?

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2 Choose a suitable format and duration

There are different ways to structure a speed networking session, depending on the size, diversity, and preferences of your participants. Some common formats include round-robin, where participants rotate through a series of one-on-one conversations; station-based, where participants move between different tables or stations with different topics or questions; or group-based, where participants form small groups and switch after a certain time. You also need to decide how long each conversation or round will last, and how much time you will allocate for the whole session. A typical speed networking session can range from 30 minutes to an hour, with each conversation lasting from 3 to 10 minutes.

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Jens Cornelissen

Managing Director @ Merlien Institute | Communications & Events Specialist
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It is important to know your audience well and set the tone right for your networking session to be successful. If you are working with young professioals for example your set-up and approach can be more relaxed, informal. If you are hosting a group of CEOs, this is a different story. Keep this in mind when planning, communicating and managing the speed networking on site. Senior executives for example may expect a more formal facilitation with fixed processes and seating arranged, while young professionals will be comfortable with a less rigid approach.

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Wil Brown

Grow your WordPress business. I help WordPress developers and designers get more clients and increase monthly revenue to build a sustainable and profitable business. Connect and ask how ??♀?
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Purpose and audience type are key to figuring out the length of conversations. If branding and business acquaintances are being sought, then conversations can be quick. If there are multiple goals and money on the table, conversations will need to be longer. Gen Z have a short attention span and are happy to jump around from person to person. Gen X will typically be more senior and may require a more formal setup with a facilitator.

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3 Prepare the venue and materials

Once you have chosen a format and duration for your speed networking session, you need to prepare the venue and materials accordingly. You need to ensure that you have enough space, seating, and equipment to accommodate your participants and facilitate their interactions. You may also need to provide some signage, name tags, timers, or sound systems to help with the organization and flow of the session. Additionally, you may want to prepare some icebreakers, prompts, or guidelines to help your participants start and maintain meaningful conversations. You can also create some handouts, cards, or online platforms to help your participants exchange contact information and follow up after the session.

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Wil Brown

Grow your WordPress business. I help WordPress developers and designers get more clients and increase monthly revenue to build a sustainable and profitable business. Connect and ask how ??♀?
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If your group are a bunch of strangers, then icebreakers are a must to help them feel relaxed. If you have time at the beginning tell them a personal story within the context of the networking topic and get them to answer a quick question. If you want to appear professional, prepare written and visual materials for each participant and have extras at hand. Clearly explain the workflow or framework of the session - who is moving, where and when.

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4 Recruit and train facilitators

A speed networking session can be chaotic and confusing without proper guidance and supervision. Therefore, you need to recruit and train some facilitators who can help you run the session smoothly and effectively. Your facilitators should be familiar with the goals, format, and rules of your session, and be able to explain them clearly to your participants. They should also be able to monitor the time, signal the transitions, and troubleshoot any issues that may arise during the session. Moreover, your facilitators should be friendly, enthusiastic, and supportive, and encourage your participants to engage and network with each other.

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Wil Brown

Grow your WordPress business. I help WordPress developers and designers get more clients and increase monthly revenue to build a sustainable and profitable business. Connect and ask how ??♀?
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I've found that having one facilitator available for every 3-4 groups works well with Gen Z. You'll be looking for a facilitator for each 1:1 for Gen X. Speed networking only works well if the facilitators know the exact workflow and have practiced in advance. Share previous issues with facilitators so that they can be prepared for unexpected events, such as a participant running off to the toilet mid-session - that has really happened!

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5 Promote and register your session

To attract and retain your participants, you need to promote and register your speed networking session in advance. You need to highlight the benefits, goals, and expectations of your session, and showcase some testimonials or success stories from previous sessions. You also need to provide some information about the format, duration, and logistics of your session, and answer any questions or concerns that your potential participants may have. Additionally, you need to create a registration system that is easy, accessible, and secure, and allows you to collect some basic data about your participants, such as their names, backgrounds, and interests. You can also use this data to match your participants based on their compatibility or diversity, depending on your goals and format.

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6 Follow up and evaluate your session

After your speed networking session, you need to follow up and evaluate your session to ensure that you have achieved your goals and delivered a positive experience for your participants. You need to thank your participants and facilitators for their attendance and involvement, and provide them with some resources or opportunities to continue their networking and learning. You also need to solicit some feedback and suggestions from your participants and facilitators, and analyze them to measure the impact and satisfaction of your session. Furthermore, you need to use this feedback and data to improve and refine your future speed networking sessions, and make them more relevant, engaging, and effective for your conference attendees.

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Wil Brown

Grow your WordPress business. I help WordPress developers and designers get more clients and increase monthly revenue to build a sustainable and profitable business. Connect and ask how ??♀?
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If you plan to hold future speed networking sessions, take some time to write down your observations, what worked, what didn't and any issues that happened. I like to send a survey to all the participants directly after the event so they remember it clearly. Gather participants' emotional thoughts as well as general statistics.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What's the best way to plan a speed networking session for your conference?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Set clear goals and expectations

2 Choose a suitable format and duration

3 Prepare the venue and materials

4 Recruit and train facilitators

5 Promote and register your session

6 Follow up and evaluate your session

7 Here’s what else to consider

Conference Organization

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What's the best way to plan a speed networking session for your conference?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Set clear goals and expectations

2 Choose a suitable format and duration

3 Prepare the venue and materials

4 Recruit and train facilitators

5 Promote and register your session

6 Follow up and evaluate your session

7 Here’s what else to consider

Conference Organization

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