[Conference] Networking Tips

When I accepted my previous position, I knew that I would have to be the face of the company at conferences & events, and over the years I’ve come to my list of [conference] networking tips, from the view of an introverted extrovert. When I attended my first event, I wanted to crawl under a table and never come back out. I felt very out of my element, and seriously questioning my life choices. But you know what? Everyone is there for a common reason – networking. 

Hint: your personal branding helps you prepare for in-person networking 🙂

For a lot of the local events, I would see many of the same people at every event, so over time you become friends with people, and you love catching up with those you haven’t seen in a while, and that helped me build more confidence when attending other conferences and events. 

I did partake in a sales training course, that also helped me work on networking. That was very helpful, and I strongly suggest if you can get your employer to pay for something similar, it’s well worth the investment and time. 

Breaking down which networking tips have worked for me

• Show up with someone you know

When you show up with someone, you know that you have someone in your corner, but don’t stick together like a little two-person clique the whole time. If you want you can try approaching or bringing in a single to your group and start chatting but make sure to separate at some point. Use each other as a way to get in/out of conversations and make sure that if you come across someone that would be a good contact for your buddy, then make sure to introduce or bring them into the conversation. 

• Make sure to have your elevator pitch prepped and at the ready

You are there to network, and the key piece to getting people to click with you is knowing exactly who you are and what you do. It should be a short and succinct overview of who you are, what you do, and what your organization does. Practice it with your friends or family, and refine as you grow or take on new challenges. Also, just good to freshen up the speech every once in a while. 

• Engage on social media leading up to the event

When you register for an event, make sure to follow the hashtag that the event has listed and get involved in the conversation. Make sure your photo is professional, such as your headshot, and that it is recent, so people will recognize you once you meet in person. By nurturing relationships on social before the event, it’s almost like you’re meeting up with a friend, that you haven’t met yet. Helps break the ice! 

• Put your phone away – you look unapproachable

Look; I know it feels daunting to walk into a room where you may not know anyone. But, when you stand or sit and just pay attention to your phone, you don’t come across as approachable. Having your phone out to take videos and/or photos is completely different, but should be done sparingly. As you engage with more and more people, snap some selfies and tag each other in posts. However, to get to the point where you snap selfies and fun photos/videos, you can’t be sitting on your phone doom scrolling. 

• Have some convo starter ideas/ice breakers at the ready

The thought of walking up to someone or a group of people and inserting yourself in the group and trying to be a part of the conversation sounds scary AF. I’m not going to lie; it is stressful and scary unless you’re extremely extroverted. However, if you had something at the ready such as something innovative or groundbreaking that is making news in your industry, that’s a great way to start an authentic conversation with others, which can turn into all sorts of different avenues of conversations.

You can also ask others about what interested them in this event, and what sessions they’re looking forward to. If this is your first time at this event, and they’re someone that has attended before, you can ask about previous events and get a better idea of what goes on. If it’s a multi-day conference you’re attending, and you were wondering if all the extra social events were worth attending, you can get some very good insight from those people that have attended before. Heck, you may even find yourself on the other end of an invitation to an “off-site” get-together.

• If you like alcoholic beverages, be careful

Y’all. A little liquid courage never hurts the average person, but you do have to be careful. Bartenders will always have your back if you need to ease up. They’ll gladly get you some club soda/sparkling water with some citrus to make it look like a simple vodka soda. Just make sure you go order at the bar by yourself!

I do think in the post-pandemic era of conferences and events, that we will as a society begin to embrace more mocktails. People are fatigued from the pandemic, and so adding the pressure of being a social drinker may just push someone to not attend. And let’s also remember that not everyone drinks for a variety of reasons, and it’s not up to us to ask or not be inclusive.

 

• If you’re travelling, try and stay at the partner hotel

This is something I wish I had done for my first ever multi-day conference, even though it was here in my own city. Killing time between the day sessions, and the evening events? If you’re already changed and ready to roll, head on down to the lobby bar. Odds are, you’ll find more than one person attending the event, having a pre-evening event drink and/or snack. Sometimes I myself am guilty of not eating enough when I go to these events, so if I have time, I do try and snag a snack. There’s a reason I always travel with a couple of Rx bars at the ready!

I have met my fair share of people while in a lobby bar. It just feels like the pressure is off at this point; you’re in-between events on the schedule so you don’t feel like you have to be on. Ya know? If you meet someone or a group of people, you can all head over to the next event on the schedule together. And then you show up at the event with someone, which takes us all the way back to the first point 🙂

Networking Wrap Up

Networking doesn’t have to be something you dread. You gain more and more confidence every time you attend an event. While I always show up to an event with butterflies, I always wind up finding new people to talk to and old friends to catch up with. Am I worried that the global pandemic will have me fearing networking?

Perhaps. But, I do think it will be like riding a bike. Remember that you’re all there with the same interests and similar skill sets so it’s not like you are walking into some conference you know nothing about. Unless you showed up to the wrong one 😉

I can’t imagine my life without some of the wonderful people I’ve met through the years.

I am very much looking forward to the opportunities to attend conferences and events again, and take my own tips to heart.

I hope that the networking tips here help you as you venture to events in the post-pandemic world. If there’s anything you’ve found to help you succeed, let me know below in the comments.