Trade shows and networking events such as Introbiz 2017 are more than just opportunities to show off your latest products and your best services. These events are also great for expanding your business network and acquiring new opportunities to explore. Many businesses have utilised expos and networking events to win new clients; you can too.
To maximise the impact of a networking event – and the effort you put into it – there are some simple tips you can apply. We are going to take a look at those tips in this article.
Know the Attendees
You can always find out more about the attendees of a networking event prior to the event date. This is a must-do if you are serious about making the most of the occasion. Take the time to research the top attendees so that you know more about those entities when you actually get to connect with them on the event floor.
If you’re looking into professionals, industry experts, or individuals, you can learn so much about them from their LinkedIn profile or personal website. It doesn’t take long to figure out common connections, mutual interests, and even opportunities you can explore together just from the individuals’ online presence.
For corporate entities and other businesses, there are resources you can gather online. Start with their corporate websites and find out more about the businesses you want to connect with the most via news and other resources. Learning about their products or services and future projects they are working on can really help make networking easier.
Focus on Others
One of the biggest mistake to make when trying to expand your business network is focusing on yourself. Yes, you want to connect with people and businesses you can work with. Ideally, you want to connect with businesses that present new opportunities right away.
That said, networking isn’t about hard-selling your products or pursuing short-term benefits. Sometimes, the best course of action is simply focusing on others. Let’s say you meet a business who is struggling to win tenders. You can connect the business with a reputable bid writing service such as Executive Compass.
You don’t get an immediate benefit in this scenario. After all, you’re acting as the connector and doing nothing but making an introduction. However, you are strengthening your relationship with both parties. This may lead to amazing opportunities in the future.
It’s Not a Race
Another big mistake – the biggest you can make – in a networking event is dropping a conversation to have another with someone more important or a bigger business. This is clearly not the way to do things, especially in events like Introbiz 2017.
Be sincere; forget about the chase for a while. Every good relationship starts with a sincere conversation and a personalised gesture. More importantly, the strong relationships you initiate today are far more valuable than a project from a bigger company, especially when the project doesn’t lead to anything better in the future.
