5 Things to Think About Before Your Next Networking Event
Networking can be really intimidating for some people. There is a level of go-getter mixed with a vulnerability that can be hard to master. I recently tweeted in January a process to use when deciding which conferences to attend in the new year. Everyone seems to be having a conference and the ticket prices are not cheap. As much as I believe that you should invest in yourself to be successful, I also believe you can do that wisely and on a budget. Having a strategy is incredibly invaluable to optimize your time and attend the most useful events.
Considering conferences have morphed into smaller networking events like brunches, meetups, and mixers, it is almost impossible not to attend an event where you will inevitably be asked: So, what do you do? No matter, how small the event is, you should always be prepared to possibly get into this conversation. You never know when you may run into someone who can lead you to your next big opportunity. Pro tip: treat everything like a networking opportunity. Here a few things to look out for before you decide which conferences to go to:
What type of conference/networking event is it?
Think outside of the box when attending events especially if the price of the ticket is higher than free. To get the most out of an event try to attend events on subjects you know nothing about. Even consider events that attract a demographic not in your typical market. This is a great opportunity to learn things you never knew from industry leaders as well as expose your self to different people in that industry. You can learn tons of information by being in unfamiliar territory. Also you can widen the diversity of your network and the more diverse your network is the more valuable it can become.
Who are the speakers/panelist and what subject matter are they speaking on?
In our current millennial culture, we are innovating and reinventing different landscapes all the time. This does not exclude networking. In the realm of professional networking, the trend of conferences seems to be recycling the same speakers with the same content at every event. Which can be amazing if you are trying to find an opportunity to meet someone who you admire. However it can turn out problematic because there are so many speakers who are saying a whole lot of things without giving you any actual tangibles. Sometimes the internet personality doesn’t match the real-life personality. Once the speaker line up is released investigate the speakers. This research will help you decide if the speakers match your interest. Also, find out if they have knowledge in the area they will be speaking on or if they have any level of expertise in what the event is about. A lot of conferences know that by adding someone with a large following to their speaker list it directly impacts ticket prices and sales. So be cautious, do your research, and show up prepared.
Who is the host of the conference and networking event?
There are some very large brands that have gotten in on the conference wave. This honestly is a great thing because it provides money to amplify the quality of an event. This has drawn many people to become conference organizers. Also, a lot of brands and influencers have pretty large followings and they want to create a live experience for their community. So consider the motivations behind why the brand or influencer is hosting an event. An event can turn a profit in the hosting brand’s pocket without providing you any real quality. You should aware of this and steer clear of events that only benefit the host and not the people who are attending. Look for events that have a vested interest in giving back to the community who support them. There is where you will find the most quality.
What are the panel topics?
In my opinion, there is nothing worse than sitting through 3 days of sessions listening to people’s “origin stories.” Basically every session and panel is filled with speakers who are telling you how they became successful to “inspire” you but not giving you the details of how to solve that come commonly in that industry. I guarantee you can find that information free online. What I suggest here, is to make sure you look at the schedule of events for the day well before you go to the event. Look at each topic and plan your day where you can hit the panels that are the most interesting. Usually the panels with multiple people on it are the ones where you can get some tangible information. This is because there is an allotted time for this session to take place and everyone doesn’t have time to dedicate to talking about themselves. Also theses sessions are usually built for a roundtable discussion about a specific topic to get differing opinions from industry leaders. The panel participants usually will have a similar experience between themselves but have attacked that experience differently in successful ways. If you can find 3 to 5 of these sessions (depending on the size of the event) that you have found a grade A event. We are not listening to a million origin stories in 2020 BECAUSE WE ARE WRITING OUR OWN.
Who is the event being marketed to and who is going as an attendee?
I love community and connecting!!! I have done some of my best connecting with attendees at conferences and networking events that have been instrumental in my career. It goes back to what the goddess Issa Rae said about reaching out horizontally and not vertically to build a team. There are some truly great people that are just as talented right in your friend circle, work with them. Something I do is follow the events social platforms and read the comments under the posts to see who bought tickets or what type of ppl are buying tickets. This gives me information about what kinds of people this event attracts and gives me an idea of the target demo. I also look at the previous year’s footage to see who was there and who was invited to speak. Here is where the ticket price starts to matter because that metric immediately determines who will show up. The attendees are the hidden value that you may not have even considered. The more expensive the ticket the more serious and specific the demo because these folks are serious about heir business if the price is $500 compared to $30.
As we approach the networking season be vigilant and don’t waste your time. Also don’t waste your coin please!! There are a lot of ppl out here creating some dope spaces and then there is some events you can skip. Strategize wisely, it could make or break your next year.