networking | Fedra Meetings & Events

Tag: networking

How To Start A Conversation During Events

Posted on 3 Febbraio 201718 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

It’s a fairly easy thing to understand the benefits of forming a network and even easier to want to network with others for your own benefit. But come the actual day of the event, many people may realize that connecting with another person is harder than expected.

For one thing, most events have an underlying reason for why they happen, and most of the time, it’s not for you to network. The networking time given at most events is precious and too short for comfort. What’s more is that the reality is, most attendees stumble into these networking times nervous and anxious with no idea where to start.

Fortunately, there is a way around this. Most experienced networkers know how to best network by doing their homework before any event can help you narrow down your best networking targets and save you some scouting time during the actual event. After that, the only thing that matters is the conversation technique.

To help you get into the groove of things, here are a few ways to break the awkward ice and start the conversation flow:

The “What Did He Say?” Trick

This may not be the most innovative trick in the book, but most of the time, it works. The idea behind this comes from the fact that psychologically speaking, people are very willing to help others. Thus, by opening up a conversation with a request for assistance, you are more likely to get a receptive response.

The actual technique is that if at any point, you find yourself attending the same panel, workshop, or Q&A session with your networking target, be sure to make note of it and catch him or her sometime afterwards. Tap them on the shoulder and apologize for being a bother, then ask him if he had attended the event you both were in.

Inevitably, he will say yes.

That is when you follow up with the lead-in and ask him a question about the content of the session. Something to open up a conversation like, “do you remember what the speaker said about so and so”, or “I was confused about what the speaker said about so and so, did you understand what he meant?”

After stepping into the conversation with this, you can move on to the next step.

The Next Step, Option #1: The Ego Booster

This option is better suited for researchers, professors, and people with certain notable accomplishments previously established. To successfully execute this step, you would need to do your own research ahead of time. The concept behind the ego booster is to first introduce yourself, acquire his or her name, then act as though you’ve heard of him or her.

Having prior knowledge of their work, you can say something along the lines of, “are you, by any chance, the author of {####}?” When they reply yes, you can then follow up with how you’ve read their work and found it fascinating and lead the conversation this way.

People are rarely reluctant to talk about their work and you can harbor a positive conversation by being interested in it. After the conversation has reached the right point, you can begin talking about yourself and how you are related to the field.

The Next Step, Option #2: The Vanity Fair

If your target doesn’t have publications, that’s fine too. Your job to get him to open up is to just ask him questions about himself. The logic is virtually the same: most of the time, people aren’t reluctant to talk about themselves. After you get his name, the next step is to ask him what he does.

The trick here is to not immediately talk about yourself. If he is in a company that makes computers, don’t immediately jump to talking about your own software company. Ask him about his and show your interest. Interjecting a few, “oh, I heard about those, I read that ‘###’ is ‘###’”, would be helpful to keep the conversation flowing. Then, again, after the conversation has reached a good point, you can talk about how you two can help each other.

Conclusion

Conversations, especially with strangers, are never really easy. The key is to relax and keep your ears open for key points in the conversation to ask questions and show interest. What’s really important is that you do your research on their professional profiles and research a little their line of work. That way, it’ll make it easier to keep the conversation flowing.

How LinkedIn Helps You Event Plan

Posted on 27 Gennaio 201718 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

While there certainly are ways to use LinkedIn for events, it has a less viral nature than Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. And it takes a much more intentional focus to make it work for you. That being said, LinkedIn is an incredibly powerful tool and I think you will see there is a lot that can be done – when you know how to work it.

Speakers

Ever wanted to contact a really great speaker and you just couldn’t find the contact information? LinkedIn is the perfect solution to that.

You can look it up, see if you have any connections or groups in common and reach out directly. It’s perfectly acceptable to send a connection request with a detailed message about the fact that you would like to hire them as a speaker.

And, best of all, since LinkedIn is used more sparingly than email, you will often get a response faster than if you were to directly email them.

Of course, it’s a huge benefit if you can name a person you both know or a group you are both a part of. It really helps make a great connection and gets you in the door much earlier.

Groups

When you are publicizing an event, LinkedIn groups are a great way to do it.

Just reach out directly to the group moderators and let them know about the event. Ask their permission to share and perhaps even give their audience a discount.

This is a great way to make a relationship with the group owner and share the word without spamming people.

Direct Connections

Finally, there’s nothing like a personal invitation to an event.

Make a list of all the people who would directly benefit from the event and then I reach out one-by-one to personally invite them to attend. I customize each letter so they know it isn’t a mass mail.

It is time-consuming, but none of the good stuff in life comes for free.

How To Organize A Fundraising Event

Posted on 24 Ottobre 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

Fundraising events are a popular form of fundraising. While they can be great money makers for an organization, they can also be time consuming and expensive. The success of events depends on careful planning.

To help you ensure that your fundraising event is a winner, here are ten major components that you must incorporate into your event plan:

1. Purpose

Before doing anything else, you must decide what the purpose of your event is. Is this truly a fundraising event? Or does it have other goals? Perhaps your organization may be hoping to raise money at the event, but the main function of the event is to gain publicity, or reach out to a new network. Many charitable events have more than one goal. Figuring out the details for your event will depend on knowing what goals you are trying to achieve.

2. Fundraising Goal

In conjunction with the event host committee, organization staff, and key fundraisers, you must decide what amount of money you plan to raise at the event. If this is truly a fundraising event, then everything in the event plan will be geared to raising this specific amount of money. The amount you choose should be what you hope to net, that is, the amount you plan to raise after expenses are deducted.

3. Budget

Every fundraising event plan should contain a complete budget listing all of the expenses that will be required to hold the event. Your budget should include staff, invitations, space rental, catering, entertainment, transportation, security, utilities, and anything else that will be required to make the event a success. Your budget should take into account your fundraising goal, ensuring that you raise that amount above and beyond all expenses. Be sure to leave a little extra room in your budget for unforeseen costs.

4. Leadership

As part of your fundraising efforts, your event will most likely have a “host committee” and one or more “host committee chairpersons.” These people are responsible for contributing substantial amounts to the event and encouraging others to do the same. The host committee is generally composed of wealthy donors, business leaders, or local celebrities. The host committee and chairpersons are not responsible for actually running the event, but are integral to ensuring that you reach your fundraising goals.

5. Target Audience

Who is the target audience for your event? Is this a general fundraiser where everyone will be invited? Or is this event geared towards a specific group like business people, parents, or young professionals? In short, you must decide whom you will invite to your event.

6. Set Up

Your event staff should plan the event set-up well in advance. The set-up includes all of the particulars of the actual event: Where will it be? Will food be served? Will there be entertainment? What kind of dress will be required? What is the itinerary for the event?

7. Marketing

Just like a new product, your event needs to be aggressively marketed to your target audience. You need to convince your supporters that your organization and event are worthy of their time and money. Draw up an entire marketing plan for the event. Possible methods of “getting the word out” include: using your non-profit’s fundraising network, mailed invitations, direct mail, phone banks, word of mouth and the event host committee.

8. Sales

Once you market your event, there must be a procedure in place for making the actual ticket sales, or accepting donations for the event. You must decide whether there will be different contribution levels for the event (such as a flat ticket charge, an extra charge to be invited to a V.I.P. reception in addition to the event, etc.). You must decide who will sell the tickets, how they will be shipped or delivered, and who will be responsible for organizing the incoming information.

9. Practice

While you probably won’t need a full run-through of your event, it is essential that everyone who is working the event know, ahead of time, what their responsibilities are, where they should be during the event, and how the event is going to “flow.” If you are having a large or unusual event, the key event staff may want to have a practice run to make sure that your operation is running smoothly.

10. Thank You

One of the most oft heard complaints from contributors to charitable fundraising events is, “They never even said ‘thank-you.’” Ditto for your event volunteers. Make sure that the organization takes the time to send thank-you notes to everyone who is involved in your event, including contributors, volunteers, staff and vendors. Keep your donors happy… you’re probably going to be asking them for another donation sometime down the road.

Increase Your Event Through Gamification

Posted on 10 Ottobre 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

Learn to “gamify” your event in a way that will keep attendees engaged and participating.

The basic idea of gamification is to apply “game mechanics and game design techniques in nongame contexts.” If employed effectively, it can increase engagement and encourage active participation.

Oftentimes, meeting attendees go through the motions of attending an event or a conference—they show up at sessions and attend networking events—but how can you ensure those attendees are actually learning, engaging and networking?

One clever approach? Gamify your event.

Gamification can help increase:

attendance at sessions, breakouts and networking events;
networking success;
social interactions and mentions; and
the fun factor!

Now, here are two steps to help you try it at your next event or meeting.

Step 1: Determine the goal of your meeting, and determine how gamification can help you achieve that objective.

Attendance: If increasing attendance is a goal, consider using a check-in game (digital or otherwise) for attendees. Reward the attendee with the most check-ins.

Networking: Want to ramp up your next networking event? Really get people mingling—and gaming—by rewarding the attendee who collects the most business cards or who scans the most nametag QR codes.

Social: Boost engagement, interactions and mentions on social media by tracking attendee participation across specified platforms. Reward attendees for being the most active and socially engaged.

Fun factor: Any method of gamification can make a meeting experience distinctly interesting, engaging and unique. The fun is inherent.

Step 2: At the end of any game, there’s a winner, right? The same goes for the gamification of your event.

The “prize” need not be monetary; it could include status rewards—think VIP access to networking events, dinners or cocktail receptions. Other prizes could be event swag, gift certificates from local businesses and services, and access to or discounts on hotel amenities.

How to work a room

Posted on 7 Ottobre 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

Knowing how to ‘work a room’ is a valuable talent.

Make it your mission to meet as many people as possible. Don’t spend all of your time with only one or two people. Even if you buttonhole CEOs, they probably don’t want to spend the whole evening with you glued to their elbow.

Introduce people to other people: everyone is there to meet people. By introducing people you know to others, you are helping the process and creating goodwill to boot.

Obviously, you are there to sell yourself, but don’t just turn into a speechmaker.

Ask questions to get others talking about themselves. Most everyone likes to talk about themselves. And, you could learn some valuable info that you can use later. For example, if someone mentions that their son is on the football team at school, at another meeting it makes a great opening to ask about how their son’s team is doing.

Reserve two pockets for business cards. One pocket is for your cards. The other pocket is where you put cards you receive from others. This keeps them separate and you don’t hand out someone else’s card inadvertently.

Turn your cell phone off. Interruptions are distracting and make it appear that you value your caller more than the person you are talking with.

The old adage of not discussing politics or religion holds true. With so many divergent opinions out there, you do not want to get embroiled in an argument you cannot win. It is the best way to make a bad impression.

And, lastly, industry receptions may look like a party, feel like a party and sound like a party – but they are not parties. They are social business events. If you drink too much and make a fool of yourself, people will remember that about you for years.

Essential Do’s and Don’ts for events

Posted on 26 Settembre 201619 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

When you have this kind of opportunity, it’s not enough just to have a great time. You need to take advantage of everything the event has to offer.

You don’t just want to be a passive audience member — you want to be an active participant.

Actually, there’s a whole lot you can do to completely prepare for — and get the most out of — your next event. The infographic below can provide some direction. It will tell you everything you need to know to prepare for any event:

How To Be A Good Speaker, Wherever You Go

Posted on 23 Settembre 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

Whether you’re unveiling the first round of logos to your clients, walking through a data analysis with your grant funder, or even aggrandizing your work experience on that crucial face-to-face job interview, coming across as confident, prepared, and engaging is just as important as the words coming out of your mouth. So how do you do that?

“Just imagine everyone in their underwear.”

No, don’t. That’s a joke, and a bad one at that. Instead, here there are some tips and tricks on how to be a good speaker, wherever you go:

Show Up

This one seems easy. You just have to get there, wherever there is: the conference room, convention stage, classroom, etc. Always be at least 15 minutes early. This gives you time to find a mirror, check yourself out for a minute (or two, or three) and run through your presentation. Preparation is 90% of the battle with public speaking.

You also have to be mentally present. Be focused and relaxed. Breathe and focus on that exact moment. Use eye contact to check in with each audience member. Breathe…1…2…make eye contact…breathe…1…2…make eye contact. Keep that rhythm up and you’ll get through your slides in no time.

Be Creative

You can’t just take your notes and put them verbatim onto a slide to project onto a screen. Nobody wants to hear you read off the screen what he or she can just as well read along with you. Craft compelling infographics, charts, and PowerPoint presentations that can be used to spice up any presentation. Use more picture and graphics than text, and always properly credit your sources.

Get To Know Your Audience

Not every presentation should be a two-way street, but when appropriate, ask questions to your audience. Make eye contact, single someone out, and have him or her answer a semi-rhetorical question to spring you into your next point. Breaking that presenter/audience barrier, even for a moment, keeps the energy up in the room and at the very least, forces everyone to pay attention to you lest you catch them off-guard and call them out in front of the rest of the group.

Be Ready For Anything

Because anything could happen—a presenter gets sick and you’re the next one up, or an impromptu donor pitch materializes in a seminar or networking event, and sometimes you’re tasked with putting on a show with little to no warning. This is where you really have to rely on being clear, concise, and confident.

As you begin, take a deep breath, set your intention, clear your head, and trust yourself. You should still have some knowledge of the subject matter. Probably not as much as you’d like, but that’s why you focus on the most salient points, and drive them home clearly. Other things to remember: eye contact, smile, and speak loud and clear.

Know What You Don’t Know

Respond to any hard question by first identifying two solid points that you’ve already made, and then riff on a possible answer. No matter your circumstance, remember that to a degree, the information sells itself. Your job is to make the audience receptive to hearing it.

It’s certainly possible that you’ll have to field a question that you can’t answer, and that’s okay. An honest “I don’t know” is always better than a waffling, circuitous, non-answer. People see right through that.

Here are some go-tos when you are caught off-guard at a client presentation:

“I can’t speak directly to that right now, but I’m happy to follow up with you.”
“That’s a really good question. Let me discuss it with my team and get back to you.”
“I’d want to do a little research before speaking to that. Let me dig into my resources at the office and I’ll follow up with you directly.”

No matter the circumstances, prepared or not, the main thing that will help you present like a pro is to believe what you’re saying. No matter how many times you forget your place, get interrupted, or have to deal with technical snafus, leading with your heart as well as your mind will make you come across as genuine and honest.

Find your connection to whatever it is you’re talking about, remember to breathe, and trust yourself. You’re gonna do great!

What’s your name?

Posted on 3 Giugno 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

What’s the first thing to know in any new relationship? The other person’s name, of course.

So why do so many of us have trouble putting names to faces? Do some people’s brains come wired with the skill? Not at all. They care. They know it’s important.

The secret is out: Everyone, from your boss to your assistant, needs to work at it.

The first and most important step: recognizing the strategic advantage of using people’s names when you’re talking to them.

Here’s a common strategy for remembering names, which you can fine tune to suit yourself.

Focus

Seize the moment as soon as you meet someone new. Lock eyes and offer your hand. If you missed the name, ask for it. Then use it immediately. “Hello, Jason, “or “It’s nice to meet you, Allison.”

Ask a question

If necessary, ask if you’re pronouncing the name correctly. The other person will appreciate that you care enough to get it right. If appropriate, ask for a business card so you can see the spelling—that’s another chance to etch the name deeper into your mind.

Now, resist the urge to launch right into your side of the conversation. Ask a question instead, and make mental notes about what your new acquaintance is saying while repeating the name silently to yourself.

Create a link or picture in your head

If the name is the same as someone’s you know, picture them standing together. When it comes to encoding memory, the more color and movement you can give the image and the sillier the better. Alliteration works well for some. Rhyming, too. Carrot-top Karen? Carin’ Karen? Dan from Detroit with the dimple?

End the conversation by repeating the name

“It’s so great to meet you, Homer.” “Hope to see you at the session later, Marge.” Then silently repeat the name to yourself.

Keep a record

As soon as practical, write down the name along with a few relevant attributes. If the person gave you a business card, you might jot a note or two on the card. Finally, back home, go over your notes before filing for future reference.

It takes commitment and effort to remember names. But it’s a skill anyone can master, and it gets easier with practice.

Online vs face-to-face networking

Posted on 16 Maggio 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

When the balance is tipped towards online rather than face-to-face networking, and we step out of the bubble, it can all feel a little strange. The screen we sit behind is the ultimate shield, it protects us and from behind it we can be more confident to approach or instigate contact knowing that an online rejection is less visible to others.

Don’t lose this assurance when you set out face to face, remember that others are there for the same reasons you are, to network, explore new opportunities and develop relationships. You’d be happy to engage with the person online, so do it face to face too.

So, you’re open to meeting anyone and everyone at the event, you’re happy to make the first move, but how to ensure a positive, enriching conversation? When networking online you might write or share articles to develop relationships, perhaps sending something you think would be of interest to a specific contact.

Your online content can assist to position yourself as someone with a worthwhile opinion, so make sure you are as prepared to do this face to face. Have some relevant stories to share, and introduce when the time feels right.

Although of course online networking is two way, a conversation of two or more with each party having a chance to share and have their say. Online etiquette dictates that whilst it is great to share content, it is also good to engage with what others are putting out there. Take these principles to your face-to-face networking events, talking is great but listening is key.

Face-to-face networking isn’t that different to online networking; the most difficult part is often pulling open the doors to that spin class to be greeted with 20 expectant faces looking back at you, you imagine them questioning your fitness, your ability to perform.

Well now you can look each and every person in the eye with a confidence that comes from knowing you have all the networking skills you need.

8 Tips to Be an Awesome Networker at Conferences

Posted on 29 Aprile 201618 Luglio 2017 by Fedra

Attending conferences is a great way to stay up to date and learn new ways to improve your business. Here some tips to follow to improve your network at conferences.

1. Create a list of prospects before the event

You should have a list of people you want to connect with before even arriving at the conference location. This allows you to do a little preliminary research to prepare for potential encounters — things such as identifying mutual connections or interests can help break the ice and lead to a smooth introduction.

Every conference website will have a list of speakers and some will even feature journalists and members of the media that are scheduled to attend. Another way to locate attendees is to search Twitter for conference related hashtags.

Having your networking targets identified in advance establishes a goal — you will network with more people this way rather than just wondering around aimlessly without a plan.

2. Stay at the event venue hotel

You might be able to save a few dollars if you book a hotel down the street or across town, but you will miss out on so much valuable networking time. You aren’t going to make any introductions or engage in small talk during the actual presentations — that happens before and after.

Leave your room early in the morning and get ready to network. Stick around after the sessions to continue your networking crusade. If you are traveling back and forth from the conference venue and another hotel you miss some of the most valuable networking opportunities.

3. Attend all planned social events

Some of the best connections are made at the hotel bar and during planned networking events — people are more laid back in a relaxed social setting. Mix in a few cocktails and guards are down, the vibe is welcoming and everyone is willing to mingle.

You should make sure to hang out there in the evenings and during downtime — even if you aren’t a drinker.

4. Practice selling yourself in under 30 seconds

When you are introduced to someone you want to be able to tell them about who you are and what you do — but most people don’t have time, nor do they want to stand there and listen to you talk for several minutes.

Master a 30-second self-pitch. They key is to make it interesting without it sounding like an overly promotional sales pitch.

What do you do? Where are you from? What are two interesting and memorable facts about you? Use this information and create your introduction — make sure the individual that you introduce yourself to is going to have a clear picture of you. They won’t forget you because your introduction was both clever and memorable.

5. Be armed with business cards at all times

You should have business cards on you at all times — keep some in your pocket and in your laptop bag. You should even keep some in your carry-on bag when you travel to conferences — airport lounges, rental car counters and baggage carousels all present networking opportunities prior to a big conference.

You don’t want to be the person that is just handing out business cards to anyone that will take one. I will initiate the business card exchange after an introduction if I want to connect with the person again after the conference. If not, I don’t offer my card.

6. Make eye contact, shake hands and be confident

Remember one thing — you aren’t the only person that is going to be out networking. There are going to be some people that are on the radar of every attendee. First impressions are everything. Make sure you make eye contact with your target, smile, be pleasant, shake hands and emit confidence.

If you are shy, at least pretend you are having a good time and enjoying yourself.

7. Be a listener, not a bragger or boaster

When starting a conversation with someone or joining in a group discussion make sure you don’t become the bragger or boaster. If you attend conferences regularly you know who I am referring to, as it never fails — there is always one person that wants to constantly tell everyone how great he or she is, and how their company is “crushing it.”

Show a genuine interest in everyone you are introduced to and listen to what they have to say. All rewarding business relationships are born when there is a genuine connection made — not a BS session followed by a business card exchange.

8. Follow up with everyone you met

As soon as you get home from the conference, reach out to all of the connections you made while networking. Send out an email letting them know how much you enjoyed meeting them and schedule a time to speak in more detail right away.

You are more likely to get them to commit to a phone call or meeting right after the conference than you would be if you reached out to them months or even weeks after. Get them to commit while your introduction is still a fairly recent memory.

What other tips do you have for effective conference networking? Share them in the comment section below.