Networking is one of the leading reasons delegates attend events – even more so now we don’t have to do it via Zoom! Did you know, networking and “word of mouth” advertising together are 7 times more likely to bring in business than all forms of traditional advertising and direct mail combined?
Finding new and novel ways to help connect delegates can give your event a real edge, benefitting both your organisation and the individuals in attendance. Networking isn’t merely the exchange of information with others — it is about establishing and nurturing long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with the people you meet.
If your delegates have a positive experience networking at your event it reflects well on your company. More so, it also provides you an ideal opportunity to get to know your clients and/or potential clients better.
How many times have you been stood in a room with a coffee cup or glass of wine in one hand and a pastry in the other, wondering who next to network with? As usual, it’s a room full of people standing there, just like all the other hundreds of events you’ve attended.
Not particularly inspiring, right?
Next time you organise an event, try considering adding a difference to the networking time you built into your schedule.
Technology is a great way to engage people, whilst also using it as a tool to introduce delegates to one another who may be in close proximity. R.F.I.D. technology can provide alerts for attendees when they were close to people they wanted to meet. In advance of the conference, delegates can complete an online profile with facts about themselves and things they are looking to seek from the event. The system can then create matches, similar to a dating site.
Similarly, we attended an event some years ago which gave us mini hands along with our badges. These “hands” had our business card built in, along with our details and profile we completed earlier. When meeting a delegate, we simply “high fived” our hands – providing a great break-the-ice introduction and exchanging details at the same time. The hand can then be plugged into your computer via USB connection and everything is there. It was so effective we still remember it to this day. Great for post-Covid networking!
Another great icebreaker is through the use of social activities within networking time. There’s no greater way to create a bond with someone than to share an experience with them. Depending on the event and the time you have, you could look to take delegates out of the meeting space and offsite to conduct activities – challenges around a city, cooking lessons, tours, hikes etc. If you wanted to integrate it into your current venue try having smaller stands in the networking space, each containing an activity that involves teamwork – World Record challenges, small scale competitions, gaming machines etc.
It’s been proven over the years that delegates have found networking more beneficial when at an event with a smaller number of attendees. Whilst larger numbers may look more impressive, a smaller group can provide the opportunity to meet more attendees, give participants longer with each person and make more meaningful connections. You’re also more likely to run into that person more than once, therefore solidifying the relationship you built the first time and reinforcing your company.
People are driven by reward, so try incentivising your delegates to network. CoinDesk’s Consensus event created an online space for attendees to connect pre, during and post event by encouraging participants to form teams (which would be used during the event) through an event networking app. With a $30,000 prize on the line, attendees had the opportunity to coordinate with one another prior to the event, resulting in a more rewarding networking experience overall. The event itself – a prize competition – motivated attendees to get to know one another prior to the event and post-event.
To help your event attendees meet as many people as possible in a short amount of time try speed networking. You can turn your otherwise traditional coffee break into a speed networking session. This format comprises a set number of chairs facing each other, with a fixed amount of time per round (usually one minute). One row of attendees sits while the other moves along a chair each time. For each networking round, the attendees take 30 seconds each to introduce themselves and spend 30 seconds introducing their company. The structured nature of speed networking helps to take the pressure off and connect people.
Networking doesn’t always have to be during a coffee break, why not make it part of your content sessions. Adapt your content to involve discussion, change your set up from theatre to cabaret and encourage short conversations around tables. You only need a couple of minutes, but it gets everyone sat around your table to talk to one another, when otherwise they would be sat listening to the presentation.
We’ve been to many events where we turn up, look at the delegate list and wonder what half the companies do. Then, when you try to find out, you can never find that person whilst awkwardly roaming around looking at everyone’s name badges. Every person has an elevator pitch (a 30 second spiel about the company, your service or product) so why not utilise this by introducing an attendee corner.
Dedicate 30 seconds to each attendee (that wants to participate), by having a corner where one after another they stand up and give a 30 second introduction, before passing to microphone onto the next person. This allows participants to address the whole room in one go, and as a viewer helps you identify if there is someone in particular you wish to talk to. This is an extremely effective tactic beneficial for all.
Don’t leave networking to chance. Creating opportunities for socialising and helping to facilitate useful introductions can add real value for your attendees. Next time you’re working on your event schedule have a think about some of the above suggestions first and see if they can be implemented into your event to maximise the opportunities.
Hippo offer Event Project Management and Global Venue Finding services. Please feel free to contact us today on 01372 460 100 or email on enquiries@hippoevents.co.uk