Conferences can be a mine of great resources. A good conference can offer you insight into the experiences of established leaders and give you direction and the opportunity to build a network of connections… sounds easy? Not for all of us!
Unless you’re the networking natural, making connections at your first conference can be daunting.
- There were so many people!
- Everyone seemed to know each other.
- I was SEO Guru Struck.
- I knew no one.
On that day, I never thought I would feel this way, but now I actually look forward to networking at conferences. So for anyone else out there who doesn’t instantly love networking, here are some tips and tricks.
1. Remember: you’re not alone
Every conference is full of new people with limited experience, so don’t worry that everyone is an expert. However, be wary restricting yourself solely to other ‘newbies.’ Challenge yourself by approaching someone you know has some great experiences to share.
2. Avoid judging anyone on appearances
Our judgement of others is natural. We try to sum up people within seconds of seeing them, deciding whether we want to interact with them or not. The truth is you never know who someone is or what knowledge they have until you speak to them. Try fighting that feeling and speak to someone who you wouldn’t normally. You will most likely learn something new.
3. Conferences are not for selling, but connecting with others
When you’re first starting out, the cost of actually attending a conference can be a big investment. It can be all too easy to think you must see a return on your investment by making a sale whilst you’re there. This can be a big mistake.
Conferences are all about building trust with people in your industry; work on this, and your returns will come in time and will be much longer lasting.
4. Listen
The biggest mistake you can make when networking is to talk too much about yourself.
Think of the event as a date; make sure you ask plenty of questions and remember to LISTEN!
Listening seems easy, but it is actually much harder than we think. It is also a wonderful, underused tool which is perfect for networking. In an industry full of people who like to talk, if you’re the one who really listens (and that doesn’t mean waiting for your chance to talk about yourself!), you will stick out for all the right reasons.
One cool tip: don’t introduce yourself until someone asks. Then you can share a bit about yourself (not too much so it becomes a boring monologue), then switch the conversation back to the other person. Try it and see what you think!
5. It’s not a numbers game
Networking is the same as any social situation; it is far more worthwhile getting to know a small number of people than trying to have a conversation with everyone in the room. You can build your circle over time at lots of different conferences.
6. Don’t be too polite to move on
It’s great speaking to new people, but sometimes you just need to move on! Don’t be afraid to use the ‘getting a drink’ trick or say hi to someone you know and move away.
