ASOG Article of the Month | March 2023
Source | Patrick Ryan
If you plan to attend the ASOG Conference & Networking event at this year's Multi-Mission Expo but are unsure how to maximize your attendance professionally. Here are my recommended tips and practices (based on many years of attending such events) to network and make the most of your time!
Networking at trade shows & conferences is a fantastic way to meet potential employers, clients, and more. However, if you don't know what you're doing, it can be overwhelming or even cause you to miss some great opportunities. To mitigate this, here are some tips and practices that have served me well over the years.
Flight Planning – Plan Ahead
At trade shows & conferences, networking begins even before you show up. Doing your homework on the event is essential so you know what to look for and who to approach. Besides making all those travel arrangements, study the venue, attendees, and exhibitors.
Based on your interest and purpose of attending, map out your plan using the simple 5-W information-gathering questions:
- Why – Why am I attending?
- What – What are my primary, secondary, and tertiary items of interest (e.g., job search, research new technology, building business relations, finding clients, etc.)?
- Who – Who do I want to engage (again, using the primary, secondary, and tertiary ranking method, i.e., companies, an individual, etc.)?
- When – When is the best time to engage? Use the event schedule and your information from answering "What" and "Who" to build your schedule.
- Where – Where do I go? Like the event schedule, try to obtain the event's floor plan and study "who or what is where."
Preflight - Prepare
Here are two things I do before attending an event, i.e., review my introduction statement (based on why I'm attending) and prepare anything I want people to have or see:
- Introduction Statement – Having an "Elevator Pitch" might be strange, but developing one will help you stay clear & consistent as the hours and days play out at an event.
- Handouts - If you want to provide "leave behind" items with people you encounter, e.g., business cards, brochures, resumes (CV), etc. Prepare and pack them early. "Leave behind" material will allow people you engaged to remember you.
Taxi – Show Up Early
On the first day of an event, I like to do a "Recce Run," i.e., show up early with my planning information to:
- Get my bearings with the floor plan
- ID facilities
- Get a general overview of exhibitors or the layout of seminar areas.
- ID things on my "Who" list without engaging anyone, e.g., exhibit booths, displays, etc.
- Obtain any other helpful information and adjust my plan if required.
Take-Off – Engage Others
Now that you have a good feel of the event, it's time to have fun. If you noticed, I used the word fun. Networking should not be a scary or stressful moment but a positive personal experience. I personally like to meet new people and learn something new.
Don't forget networking is about establishing relationships and connections. Therefore, when networking, avoid being overly forceful. Instead, concentrate on talking and exchanging ideas and experiences rather than trying to push or sell something.
One of my favorite networking practices is introducing my network to others, e.g., walking a new acquaintance across the conference room or trade show floor and introducing them to someone in my network. I found this practice to be very effective in expanding my network at the same time.
On the administrative side of networking, as you engage many people, keep track of any promises or follow-ups you've made with someone you've met. One of the things I do is write notes on the business cards I receive, i.e., I write a note right after I engage a person. Trust me. This will help you a lot right after meeting so many people in a very short period and properly following up.
Post Flight – Following Up
Speaking of following up with others. Building relationships is an important part of networking in addition to simply making connections. Building these connections after a conference or trade show is important. Besides sending an email or making a phone call, I like to:
- Connect with them on LinkedIn or other professional platforms.
- Invite them to join ASOG or other associations.
- Meet up with the person in person, e.g., after the event, at another event in the future, etc.
Whatever you decide to do, personalize your engagement and bring up anything unique you discussed at the event. This will help reassure the person of who you are and the benefits of continuing the connection.
Final Thoughts
Networking at conferences and trade shows takes a little effort, planning, and time. But if done right, it can be fun and result in beneficial professional connections and maybe your next career move!
Even though networking is just basically "Meeting People." There are still some specific tips & practices when professionally networking. Now that I highlighted some of my tips & practices, do you have any networking tips of your own? Comment below and let us know!
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