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Networking & Social Media

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Lesson: Attending an In-Person Networking Event

10 minute read
In-person networking events are opportunities to grow your network. These events revolve around conversations that can lead to new relationships with potential employers and colleagues.
Before signing up for an in-person networking event, it’s essential to do some research and identify which events are likely to be most valuable for you to attend. Many events will provide a list of people attending or presenting. Be clear about any companies or sectors that you’re particularly looking to target.
With any event, it’s important to go with intention and inward clarity about what you’re hoping to get out of the experience. Assess whether any individual event aligns with your wider personal or professional goals.
You can determine if the event will be beneficial by asking yourself whether you are:
hoping to build existing relationships
wanting to introduce yourself to industry experts
intending to connect with potential employers, mentors, or clients
looking for feedback on a project
Once you’ve established the reason for attending, it will make it easier to start conversations and make the connections you’re looking for.

First Impressions Matter

Dan Schawbel, a New York Times bestselling author and career advisor, offers this networking advice: "One trick I use is to review the list of attendees in advance, select a few people I want to meet at the event, and then find them soon after arriving."
If the event has an attendees list, do a little research before going. Find out more about the speakers or other attendees you'd like to meet. Discover anything you have in common with them, as it can make introductions smoother and more personal. Before attending, it’s also important to review your social media presence and ensure that it is pristine—LinkedIn, Instagram, Behance, Twitter, and Dribbble are all places that new contacts might try to consolidate contact after the event.

Meetup Tips

“So what do you do?”

“What do you do?” is often the first question you'll get once you start a conversation with a potential connection.
Before attending an event, try practicing your introduction (otherwise known as your “elevator pitch” or humblebrag). Keep it concise and casual, but make sure to highlight some of your awesomeness too.
A successful introduction should describe who you are, what you can offer, and something unique about yourself. Don't undersell—or oversell—your skills and experience. Be unassuming, but don’t hide the strength of your abilities or your belief in them.
End your pitch with a question to continue the conversation. You should also consider tailoring the questions according to the type of event you're attending. For example, is everyone from the same industry? Or Why are you attending this event?

Have a wing-person

Networking can be nerve-wracking, and the nerves are often only compounded if you’re at a meetup meeting strangers by yourself. Consider taking a friend or colleague along for some moral support, and to help fill gaps between conversations. You could entice them with the promise of broadening their horizons… or at least some free food and drink.
Remember that effective networking isn’t a transaction—it’s a way to build long-term professional relationships. The more that you invest in the give-and-take of professional networking, the more generous your network is likely to be towards you.

Dress to impress

Of all the people they talk to at a meetup, you want your new connections to remember you. Dressing that part might make you memorable, but more importantly, it will help you feel like you belong, and give you a welcome boost of confidence. Most events are pretty fun and sociable, but ultimately they still have a professional purpose. You want people to leave with the impression that you’re capable, competent, and poised.
If possible, determine the dress code before you arrive, to make sure you're not too casual or too proper. If in doubt, aim for an outfit that feels professional but not fancy. (You wouldn’t wear flip-flops to a gala, but you also wouldn’t wear a tuxedo to happy hour.)

Listen, and ask questions

Once you get your introduction out of the way, be sure to give the other person time to speak. No one likes a one-sided conversation, so get to know them by asking questions about their work, their interests, and what brings them to the event. It shouldn’t sound as if you’re interviewing them, so keep the conversation natural and casual. You want to demonstrate a genuine interest without coming on too strong.

Face-to-face networking matters

While networking online is easier than it used to be, there’s still no substitute for making connections in person. Networking events allows you to connect on a more personal level, and to build rapport more easily than when sitting behind a keyboard.
Having said that, not all online networking is superficial. It’s been known to lead to the formation of great friendships and the transformation of careers. So make the most of networking, both online and offline.

The Follow-Through

So you’ve attended a networking event. What do you do next? It’s simple! Keep cultivating the relationships you started with the people you met. Within 1 or 2 days of the event, send a short, personalized email or message to each person you met and would like to stay in touch with.
Subtly remind them that you connected at the event, mention how much you enjoyed meeting them, and add anything memorable you discussed, so that they have more context about who you are and when you talked. You could also suggest a follow-up, such as asking for the opportunity to meet for coffee, if you think it’s appropriate.
Try to avoid sending generic LinkedIn invites to people you haven't directly interacted with, as that approach can come across as impersonal. It may also work against you when trying to develop a meaningful connection with them in the future.

Keep it short and sweet

Just like your elevator pitch, keep your follow-up message short and sweet. You can use this as an example or template to start your follow-up notes:
“Hi name—it was so nice to meet you at name of event last night. I really enjoyed talking about topic and I’d love to continue that conversation. How does your schedule look next Thursday to grab a coffee or lunch? Best of luck with your conference talk this weekend!”
Include a link to your LinkedIn profile within your email signature, so that it’s easier for people to connect with you. If you don’t hear back, don’t take it personally. Resist the urge to call or email multiple times, as no one likes to be harassed or stalked. Give them time to respond or connect, and if they don’t get around to it, simply move on to your next contact or event.

Stay connected

Once you’ve had a follow-up meeting or conversation with someone you've met at a networking event, you can continue to reconnect with them in the future. Cultivate those relationships by keeping what networking expert Farrah Brustein calls “reconnect files”:
“They are handy, color-coded reminders that you can schedule once a month. Include some information about how you met and what you’ve discussed in the notes. When that name pops up each month, reach out to catch up, maybe set up another meeting, or send something that might be valuable, like an invite to another event, a great article or an introduction.”

* * *

In summary: being prepared for in-person networking events can help ease the stress of meeting new people. Practice your conversation starters. Listen to others, and keep it casual. Once the event is over, follow up with people you’d like to keep in contact with. Request a follow-up meeting to keep building the relationship.

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