10 steps to Networking at Accountex

With Accountex only days away, it’s time for you plan ahead so that you can make the most of the event. This will be the fourth consecutive year of the biggest and best conference for accountants and financial directors in the UK, with over 175 suppliers and at least 5,000 attendees expected over the two days.

With so many accountants in the same venue, it is vital to use it to your advantage. It is essential that you network and build business relationships with the right people. Make sure you plan ahead and make the most of this remarkable opportunity with these ten simple steps.

1. Establish Event Specific Goals

When attending Accountex, make sure you know what you are there to do. Is your goal to feel out a new organization and get to know the vibe? Is it to gain five new clients? Is it to meet one or two specific people? These are all reasonable expectations and it takes a little pre-planning to set these goals.

Walking into Accountex without a plan could be a massive waste of your time. By having a specific outcome in mind, you won’t end up wasting time on the wrong people.

1. Identify Your Targets

Before attending Accountex, find out who else plans to attend. Make a point of doing your research before the networking event. Read the Accountex Guide, plan which exhibitors to visit, research the speakers, and Google the key players who will be attending to see what you can find of interest.

A small investment in time, prior to the event, can pay off when you impress someone with your knowledge of their work. Look for some common personal touch points. Are there any common connections? Do they belong to public, online group-focused hobbies you enjoy? Make a note of any potential talking points. Also do some research on the event hashtag - #Accountex – as a way to connect with some of the attendees beforehand.

While many of the attendees will stroll in with a laid-back attitude, you’ll have a short list of targets whose blogs you’ve read, tweets you’ve followed, and major interests you’ve identified. You have a definite advantage!

1. Be Approachable

Once you get to Accountex, make sure you look the part to attract your list of targets. Dress professionally, yet comfortably. Make sure to smile – a sincere smile can break the ice and signal that you are confident and self-assured. Turn off your mobile phone – walking around holding your phone is a distraction that should be avoided. Your goal is to make a connection and give your attention to those standing across from you.

Keep your right hand free, ready for an introduction. Hold everything in your left hand to avoid fumbling before offering a professional handshake. 

Once you get talking to someone, make sure to catch the other person’s name, then use it while you’re speaking. This will not only help you remember their name, but also appear sincere and interested in the conversation.

1. Let them Speak!

When it comes down to the conversation, let the other person speak first. People enjoy being listened to. Most people don’t realize this, but the person who talks first is only being half listened to.

Make it your mission to discover the value in each person you talk to. Conversation should revolve around the other person, listening 60% of the time and responding, asking questions and engaging with the other person the other 40% percent.

The secret to being a great listener is to ask the right questions. Have a few good questions prepared. Asking the other person about her background and work will show her that you’re interested in more than just your own goals. Go with open-ended questions that will get people to talk.

Nod, smile, and do everything possible to leave a favourable impression. People can sense when someone is only out to help themselves.  It’s important to build relationships and a reputation for being generous rather than self-serving.

When meeting people, it’s important to remember that even if they can’t help you directly, someone in their network probably can. You might even be the necessary link between two contacts.

1. Elevator Pitch

When it’s your turn to share, limit your pitch to 2 – 3 sentences. People will lose interest very quickly if you take a few minutes to get your point across.  You can go into more detail later after you have grabbed their attention.

Before attending Accountex, be sure to perfect your 30 second elevator pitch - it's not something that is easily done on the spot. Keep it short and conversational. Can you get across what you do in an interesting and concise way? A good introduction will include your unique selling proposition, the type of clients you work with, and how you are of benefit to those clients.

Ask yourself why they should care. Consider why the person you’re speaking to should care about what you’re saying. You only have a short time to make an impression, so try to make it favourable.

1. Don’t Sell – Plan to Sell

Don't attempt to close a deal. Accountex is an opportunity to attract someone's interest while leaving a favourable impression. Coming across as overly aggressive or desperate will do just the opposite of what you are hoping to achieve.

Don’t try to meet as many people as possible; focus on making just a few solid connections. People can sense when you’re simply speaking with them to grab their card and go. These short interactions will not be memorable and therefore work against you.

1. Arrange a Meeting

After a great introduction and casual conversation, ask to arrange another meeting. It's so much easier to have a professional conversation in a quiet, one-on-one setting where people are not hovering around, waiting to talk to your contact.

Always close by saying something like, “If you need anything, please reach out to me or connect via LinkedIn” and present your business card. Once the conversation has finished, take notes on their business card to remember who they are and what they need. This will allow you to be more specific in your follow up.

1. Attend a Workshop

Accountex will be hosting more than 150 CPD certified seminars throughout the two day event. As well as being the perfect place to gain free CPD hours for anyone working in the accounting or financial sector, these workshops and seminars are also an excellent way of networking. Even after the seminar, the topic in question would be a great talking point to start a conversation with other attendees.

Paul Byrne, Managing Director of BrightPay will be presenting Auto Enrolment: A New Revenue Stream for Payroll Bureau’s. The seminar will take place at 1 pm on Thursday 14th in the Practise Growth Theatre. Click here for more information.

1. Don’t forget the Exhibitors

While at Accountex, make sure you visit the exhibitor stands. With over 175 suppliers all under the one roof, now is your chance to compare everyone. Some exhibitors may also be useful to network with.

Read the show guide before attending and make note of the stands you want to visit. This will keep you more focused and allow you to get through as many stands as possible. BrightPay will be attending Accountex at stand A630 allowing you to have a demo of their payroll and auto enrolment software. Make sure to call over to the stand and the BrightPay team will be glad to help.

1. Follow Up and Follow Through

The follow up is the most vital part of networking – you need to be proactive with your follow-up to make sure you get the most out of it.

If you promised to introduce someone to a person you know, take the time to do it.  It takes no more than a minute to shoot off an email to introduce two people you want to connect.

A few days after Accountex, send follow-up emails to people you met. Make sure to personalize each email, letting each person know you enjoyed meeting them and mentioning something that you talked about. Once your target responds, you’re set to continue to build your relationship.

Wishing you the best of luck with your network building at Accountex. Remember to visit the BrightPay team at A630 or visit www.brightpay.co.uk for more information.

Register for your free tickets here.

Written by Rachel Hynes for BrightPay.