Networking events are great opportunities to meet potential clients, partners, and mentors. But how do you make a lasting impression on the people you want to connect with? The first thing you should do before attending any networking event is to prepare yourself. Here are some tips on how to do that.
Why are you going to this event? What do you want to achieve? Who do you want to talk to? Having clear and realistic goals will help you focus your efforts and avoid wasting time. For example, if you are looking for new leads, you might want to target people who work in your niche or industry, or who have a problem that you can solve. If you are looking for referrals, you might want to build rapport with people who have access to your ideal customers. If you are looking for advice, you might want to seek out experts or influencers in your field.
Leave your phone in your pocket. Too often, people are looking at their phone instead of engaging with other people. Remember, it's a networking event and you can check your phone later.
Dress to impress! Not all events are a suit and tie. Some events are truly a casual event but you would still want to press your shirt and pants. Understand the audiance and/or the companies attending to find out what they do by researching the internet. Engage! Go up to them and introduce yourself and start the conversation with a comment about what they are wearing or something that you may have read on the internet about their company.
SMILE! Make eye contact and engage people in conversation. You never know who you'll meet and you'd be surprised how many people you'll have in common with others.
I’ll suggest you , be clear on your goals for attending the event , who do you want to meet or align with ? - have your elevator pitch down , relax and don’t overwhelm persons with too much information at once . Also Go alone , do not take a friend cause then you’ll talk to your friend all day and meet no one new .
Antes de qualquer evento é importante procurar entender o seu objetivo e também quem estará presente nele. A partir disso, é possível realizar algum tipo de intera??o com estes prospects de forma prévia ao evento, desenvolvendo uma certa familiaridade que será essencial para que você de fato consiga encontrá-lo por lá.
Once you have your goals, you need to do some homework on the event and the attendees. Find out the agenda, the speakers, the sponsors, and the format of the event. This will help you plan your schedule, prepare your questions, and identify the best opportunities to network. Also, look up the profiles and backgrounds of the people you want to meet. Learn about their interests, achievements, challenges, and needs. This will help you tailor your pitch, start meaningful conversations, and show genuine interest.
Research is a primary tool for successful networking. This express the interest and sincerity of the attendee. Undergoing this activity also helps to prepare the list of important people and make your luck more efficient. The conversations are more meaningful and you can possibly get answers and different perspectives about your industries and it's challanges. Best of luck.
Antes do evento, pesquise quem estará presente e identifique as pessoas com quem deseja se conectar. Ter um entendimento claro do seu público-alvo e de seus interesses permite que você prepare conversas significativas e perguntas direcionadas. Isso demonstra sua iniciativa e interesse genuíno, estabelecendo uma ótima primeira impress?o desde o início.
If you don't know who will be at the event, reach out to the organizer and ask a few questions about who will be there, what are 2 or 3 reasons most people are attending the event, and who are 3-5 people they would recommend you meet.
1. Who has recently clicked attending. 2. Who's engaging with the events posts. 3. Who's started following the event. 4. Who's engaged with speakers announcing they are attending. This is a longitudinal data source will allow you to map people who are likely attending to your ICP's. Collect the data NOW. Update it weekly to see the new leads flow through.
Ya tenés tus objetivos claros, ahora toca hacer la tarea. Investigá sobre el evento y los que vayan a asistir. Fijate en la agenda, quiénes son los oradores, los patrocinadores, cómo está organizado el evento. Todo esto te va a ayudar a planificar tu tiempo, preparar tus preguntas y detectar oportunidades para hacer contactos. Además, buscá los perfiles de las personas que querés conocer. Averiguá sobre sus intereses, logros, desafíos y necesidades. Este paso es fundamental para adaptar tu discurso, iniciar conversaciones con sentido y demostrar un interés genuino.
An elevator pitch is a short and compelling introduction of yourself, your business, and your value proposition. It should be no longer than 30 seconds and should answer three questions: Who are you? What do you do? And why should they care? Your elevator pitch should be clear, concise, and relevant to your audience. It should also include a call to action, such as asking for a business card, a follow-up meeting, or a referral. Practice your elevator pitch until you can deliver it confidently and naturally.
Be unique! Don't just give a normal pitch - you have the advantage of being physically present, so leverage that by underlining what you say with a creative gesture. I always held a small bar of chocolate behind my back, which I revealed while introducing myself and what I do. I connected my verbal pitch to the chocolate by introducing myself in a way as if I were Willy Wonka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and I generated interest in staying in touch through hiding my business card as a golden ticket in the bar's wrapping.
Be a consultant, not a salesperson. An elevator pitch should include all of the elements needed to build trust and communicate value. You have to craft a message that communicates communicates value and weaves in credibility, concern, and knowledge.
Es de suma importancia llegar preparado con un guion que le permita a las demás personas conocer a que te dedicas. Un elevetor pitch es un peque?o discurso en el cuál te das a conocer, lo mas importante es que hables de tí, no de tu negocio o producto. Tienes que dejar en claro, antes que nada, cuál es la pasión que te mueve para hacer lo que haces. Inicia con una frase que capte la atención, puede incluso abrir con una pregunta que brinde un dato interesante sobre tu labor. Recuerda que se trata de destacar como ayudas a los demás con tu labor y no tanto lo que haces. Debes generar en los demás el interés para conocer más acerca de tu labor. Tu objetivo no es vender en ese momento, trázate como objetivo que te concedan una cita.
In my very humble opinion, you should have a 30 second pitch about yourself and a 30 second pitch about your company - you should practice both in a variety of ways for a variety of situations to help prepare for different scenarios that could come up. This also helps make it seem less-rehearsed and can make it more relatable to the person you are connecting with.
Una herramienta estrella para cualquier evento de networking es el elevator pitch: una presentación rápida y potente de quién sos, qué hacés y por qué debería importarle a los demás. No te olvides de incluir una llamada a la acción, como pedir un contacto, sugerir una reunión de seguimiento o solicitar una referencia. Tu elevator pitch debe ser claro, conciso y relevante. Y muy importante, practicá hasta que puedas decirlo con total confianza y de la forma más natural posible.
Your appearance matters when you are networking. You want to look professional, confident, and approachable. Dress according to the dress code and the culture of the event. Avoid wearing anything too flashy, too casual, or too uncomfortable. Choose colors that suit your personality and your industry. Accessorize with items that reflect your brand or your hobbies. And don't forget to wear a smile and a name tag.
Breath mints. Everyone wins. No one is turned off. You can also offer to those that are less aware. Don’t choose gum over mints. Lifesavers rock btw.
I suggest you try to come up with something unique to be remembered by. Mine is nice suits with a flower lapel pin to match my tie. I have seen some people known for cool shoes/boots, bow ties, vests or interesting shirts. In any case make sure it is tasteful and matches the dress for the event, or even a little above the rest. A custom name tag is noticed since it is not what most people will have. It makes it easier for people to approach you if you have something interesting for them to start a conversation with.
Dress up, not down to be able to feel comfortable or as comfortable as you can to meet the types of people you plan to interact with. Chances are most of the people you want to meet will be dressed very well. Hygiene is important and it should go without saying, but it isn't always followed. Proper grooming matters. Hair, teeth, smelling nice, but not overpowering, clean and pressed clothing, etc. all make a difference in who you will meet and their memories of you. Bring some things with you in case you need to freshen up a bit. (Men, you should do this too.)
My Father always said, "Don't dress for the job you have. Dress for the job that you want". It makes sense. Don't dress like you're the intern, but go in with a sport coat and button down shirt. If you want to be a Manager, then start dressing like one. If you want to be a successful sales person, dress for it. People won't believe in you, unless you look the part! Walking the walk is another story!
La primera impresión cuenta, y en un evento de networking, tu apariencia juega un papel crucial. Tu vestimenta tiene que mostrar que sos un profesional confiable y accesible. Asegurate de vestir acorde al código y la cultura del evento. No uses ropa demasiado llamativa, informal o incómoda. Elegí colores que vayan con tu personalidad y línea de trabajo. Y no te olvides de llevar tu mejor sonrisa y, si podés, una etiqueta con tu nombre.
Before you head to the event, make sure you have everything you need to network effectively. This includes your business cards, your phone, your pen, and your notebook. Your business cards should be clean, updated, and easy to read. Your phone should be fully charged, on silent mode, and ready to take photos or scan QR codes. Your pen and notebook should be handy for taking notes or writing down reminders. And of course, bring your positive attitude and your enthusiasm.
Practica la escucha activa. Conecta con las personas más allá de los negocios. Pregunta por pasatiempos, libros, películas. Si tu actitud es "vengo solo a venderte algo o a que me consigas clientes, pero tú me importas poco y nada", no vas a lograr crear una relación; por más tarjeta, vestimenta o bolígrafo y cuaderno que lleves al evento.
Antes de ir al evento, chequeá que tenés todo lo necesario para hacer networking de forma efectiva. Nunca pueden faltar tus tarjetas de presentación, tu celular, un bolígrafo y un cuaderno. Tus tarjetas tienen que estar en buen estado, actualizadas y ser fáciles de leer. Asegurate de que tu celular esté cargado y en modo silencioso, listo para sacar fotos o escanear códigos QR. Y el bolígrafo y el cuaderno, indispensables para anotar datos o recordatorios. Además, siempre llevá tu mejor actitud y entusiasmo.
Antes de partir al evento, chequeá que tenés todo lo necesario para hacer networking de forma efectiva. Nunca pueden faltar tus tarjetas de presentación, tu celular, un bolígrafo y un cuaderno. Tus tarjetas tienen que estar en buen estado, actualizadas y ser fáciles de leer. Asegurate de que tu celular esté cargado y en modo silencioso, listo para sacar fotos o escanear códigos QR. Y el bolígrafo y el cuaderno, indispensables para anotar datos o recordatorios. Además, siempre llevá tu mejor actitud y entusiasmo.
When I began my networking journey, I went as most people do, to try and find people who could help me. I very quickly learned that I was able to engage more people more effectively by offering to help them first. Listen first! A way to test if you have engaged someone is they will ask for your contact information before you offer it.
The goal of a networking event isn't to connect with everyone but to connect with those persons aligned with your goals. This allows you to be intentional in your networking efforts and reduces anxiety of having to meet everyone.
The first thing you need to do is rid yourself of apprehension. DO NOT be afraid to introduce yourself to, or make contact with anyone. A very close second is to check your ego and it's friend neediness at the door. Be humble and be a resource that deserves reciprocity.
Be open-minded about you might meet. If you are obsessed with meeting certain people, keep it low-key. Most people feel uncomfortable if you are fawning over them. Meeting famous people, locally famous or internationally famous people, are more often than not pretty similar to most of us. Be respectful, but engaging. If they are in a high-profile industry, keep in mind that it is just a job, like your job. Many of them will be more comfortable when you can talk to like two professional people with regular jobs.
After the event, it is really important to follow-up. Don't have a good memory? Jot down some notes right away about folks that you definitely want to connect with - things that you discussed, etc. that you can reference when you reach out. I also like to have lots of notes because if I meet a lot of people in one day, it will help jog my memory before we connect for coffee until I get to know them better and don't have to rely on my notes any longer.