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You might already have an incredible event plan you follow that gets you most of the results you want. Perhaps you gained those clients, got that perfect shot or hosted an educational event. That is enough to have a satisfied client or attendee, but what pushes that over to the next level is the level of relationships you fostered.
According to a study by LinkedIn 80% of professionals believe networking to be vital to their career success. If you are able to foster that connection through your event, you have helped build up someones career. This puts you in a position where you and your product or service may be top of mind next time they are in the market. The study continued to delve into how, despite the importance of networking, how people network had a number of gaps.
If you are hosting an event and looking to add in "networking" time, don't fall over at the basics and offer tea, coffee or alcohol.
Rather, you should be supporting your attendees foster real relationships with each other. Or at worst, allow them to go home with that accomplishment of being able to say 'I talked to a stranger today and it wasn't as bad as I thought'.
There are a few simple strategies you can use to make it easier for networking to occur, regardless of whether your event is an internal one, or with external customers.
Rather than a stock standard networking time before the event, you could offer a speed dating style session (please no rose ceremony). This can be as easy as having people stand in a circle and introduce themselves to the person on their left, and then on their right. Nothing fancy and nothing needs to be deeper than a "hello, my name is ___ and I enjoy spending my spare time doing ___".
There are plenty of these you can do. These are often fun, simple and quick ways to get to know people. Perhaps you have been part of these at work before, or in social events.
You should be emailing and reaching out to your attendees regularly before the event to make sure attendance is high. It isn't too hard to include a few little extra opening questions that your attendees may find useful. Sometimes the challenge in networking isn't the conversation, it is how to start one. Provide a few basic questions and all attendees will be aware that these are not only okay to ask, but are encouraged.
Depending on how big your event is, you could plan yourself or a colleague as a secret attendee. Make sure the attendees know that networking isn't only encouraged, but that there is a special prize for the first three people who find the secret networker may be all you need to start a very loud networking session. Encourage your attendees to ask certain types of questions, or provide some clues as to who the secret networker might be is enough to trigger the inner detectives in your group.
This would be encouraged to be ran before your session, so your guests energy levels are high.
Yes, the expected Networking Time item on any schedule can still exist, if done right. Setting a zone or table where people are not only encouraged to meet others, but it is done in an open and safe area means a few things. The first is that you are making networking an opt-in event. The second is that that networking zone is going to be busy.
You can do the same thing by having each of your expert speakers go to different zones post panel discussion to ensure different zones for different people.
COVID hit us all different. For me, I forgot how to dance and now shake around the dance floor like a cardboard box.
Some people may be great at those face to face interactions, others might prefer to learn what they need to and get back to work. Provide a way for attendees to share their LinkedIn profile with each other might be the easy way to enable others to connect before, during or after the event. If you really think you have the ability to do so and your event really deserves it, consider a closed social group for event alumni.
So, running a networking event isn't as simple as setting a line in your agenda is it? Getting it right isn't just going to help your attendees get the most value out of your event, but it can also ensure a better outcome for you too. Consider adding some of these fun networking event ideas to your next plan.