We’ve got news! We’re in the news! …And so excited to be sharing insights from our events with Fast Company. Our Co-Founders, Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce, recently sat down with the media giant to share their secrets to effective networking with tips and tricks learned throughout our 16 years of hosting Engage! Summits.
Through our events, thousands of attendees have been brought together, countless friendships forged, and an incredible amount of business transactions, collaborations, and deals done since 2008. How? Rebecca reminds us that, “everyone needs to be a part of something a little bit bigger. In-person events get you away from your office and computer. They’re like fresh air for your soul.” And that fresh air can lead to big business. The hashtag #becauseofengage was created to show the power of networking in-person and where those connections go from here. We believe wholeheartedly that face-to-face peer education, inspiration, and engagement are a way forward for us all. And watching our attendees and speakers gather, connect, grow, and continue to engage has inspired us along the way. So we thought we’d share a few of our best tips for networking (at Engage! or anywhere in business). It’s something so paramount to the Engage! experience that we host a “first timer’s session” before our main program begins at each event. In this session, we welcome seasoned Engage! veterans to share with first-time attendees just how to maximize their time and investment. And the result? Some of our favorite tips for you.
Set an Intention
Know where you want your ROI to come from before you get there. Having goals is a great place to start. You get what you put in but if you don’t know what you want, you’re much less likely to get something great. If you know in advance who will be in the room, identify a handful of people you know you want to meet. It’s a simple place to start.
Be Genuine and Open
It goes without saying, being open to new friends, experiences, and relationships is part of what networking is all about. But at times we get in our own way and our insecurities keep us from being open. Lean into who you are, be true to you, be genuine and be open to everyone. You never know where the next deal might come from. Spoiler alert, it’s not always from the biggest name in the room.
And to get that next deal, don’t hard sell it. As Kathryn points out, “it helps to be more personal and genuine before you go into any type of business conversation.” Build authentic relationships and save the elevator pitch for later. Consider leading by asking for advice first. Or offer to help someone else. How can you be valuable to people in the room? The time to sell will come.
Networking Doesn’t Stop When the Event Ends
Consistency is key. Keep up that genuine connection. You may meet a lot of people in a short period of time. It’s easy to get them mixed up at the end of a whirlwind day. Take notes so you can remember key conversations, personal moments, and people you’d like to stay in touch with. Then, when you return home, keep it going. The in-person event is the opportunity to start the connection, the email and communication that follows is the bridge to business.
We believe with the rise of AI and big tech, in-person networking is more important than ever! To read more of our tips, head over to Fast Company for the full story.
