When you pivot from attending networking events to hosting your own, you’ll realize that you’ve become a leader within your business community. It is your responsibility to bring entrepreneurs together and encourage meaningful interactions, but this is easier said than done. To help point you in the right direction, we’ve put together six tips for making your business networking event a success.
Get the Topic Right
The best networking events focus on relevant topics, so put some feelers out to find out what the business world is talking about. If the topic is pretty wide, make sure you’re introducing new perspectives. A great way to decide on a topic is with a business survey platform, which will allow you to send Q&As, tasks, and polls.
Find a Suitable Venue
Choosing an event space in Portland, for example, is relatively easy, but you need to ensure it’s easy to find, comfortable, affordable, and has plenty of parking. Before starting your search, take a look at your guestlist to avoid spending money on a venue that’s too large, which would also give the impression that your event isn’t well attended.
Have a Simple Check-In Process
You need a way to monitor the success of your event, so implement a smooth check-in process. You can either do this with a simple clipboard register asking for names and email addresses (optional) or you can use an app so that guests can do it from their smartphones. Whichever method you choose, make sure you have name tags and boxes of pens available.
Use Technology to Boost Efficiency
Every industry has been influenced by technology, and people almost expect to see it being used in 2023. By implementing intuitive mobile apps into your event, you’ll save plenty of time and impress your guests. For example, there are many networking matchmaking apps that allow visitors to upload a profile, which can be browsed by others and used to start interactions.
You can even use technology to expand your networking event on a global scale. Thanks to innovations in video conferencing software, you can welcome speakers from anywhere in the world, which will help you introduce that unique angle we mentioned above.
Facilitate Interactions
The whole purpose of a networking event is to make meaningful connections, which won’t happen if nobody is talking. Spend time introducing yourself to every guest and listen carefully to answers about their background. While you’re working the room, you will soon figure out which guests will benefit from meeting each other – all you have to do is make it happen. Monitor all of these new connections and follow up later to find out how everything went.
While you’re busy meeting people and gathering information to facilitate interactions between your guests, you don’t want the rest of the room to be quiet. Therefore, you should consider hiring anchors, which are guests with a sole person to make sure nobody is sitting about not talking to anyone. The people you hire must have fantastic listening skills, and then have the ability to bring people together.
Receive Feedback
You won’t know if your event is a success until it’s finished, and the only way to gauge the success is by asking for feedback from guests. Using the contact details gathered during check-in, send out emails asking what people thought and if they’ve got insights for making improvements in the future. If you stick to this formula for every event, success is almost guaranteed.
Networking events are an essential part of being an entrepreneur in 2023, but the format for such events has changed over recent years. To make your event a true success, you have the find the perfect venue and be willing to welcome technology.
