Plan a Successful Business Networking Event
Crafting the perfect networking event can take some skill, but it doesn’t have to be all that difficult! It’s mostly great to host a networking event due to the fact that it can show how truly invested you are in your community, as well as your positive impact. It also allows you the opportunity to collaborate with likeminded organizations. However, more importantly, networking events are all about connections!
Make that great impression with a smashing event through expert event planning practices. First, you’ll want to determine the theme of your event. For example, if you want to draw the attention of professionals in a specific income bracket, you’ll have to understand what they are looking for in terms of professionalism. Perhaps it’s a ladies only business mixer, or one that can connect buyers to sellers. Whatever the theme is, knowing how to cater to those groups is crucial to a successful event.
Next, you have to choose the right venue! If you are creating a networking event for a social mixer, restaurants can often have a more homey and casual appeal. Noise and laughter is welcome in such an environment. However, if it is a networking event to introduce donors to foundation executives, a more classy affair would be necessary. This could require catering and perhaps a ballroom. The age group of the crowd has to also fit with the venue, as a younger age group will want to break away from traditional styles of networking events, while an older age group would stick to more traditional norms.
Make your event easy to register for and easy to attend. Utilizing online applications, such as the all-time-popular Eventbrite, allows your attendees to sign up with ease. Allowing people to RSVP ahead of time helps you to not only gain better commitment, but also gauge how many people will be attending and whom. Make sure that any registration or event app you use provides autoresponders that provide event information, as well as dated reminders.
Promote, promote, promote. Don’t expect your event to advertise itself! You can prepare for an event to the extreme, but if no one shows up then all that hard work was for naught. You have to make sure that your community, partners, associates, and any other interested parties learn of it. Social media would be great for this, but radio ads, news ads, and in person announcements work too.
Checking in needs to be organized and smooth. If an attendee didn’t prepay, then have a kiosk set up and ready for people who are to be charged electronically for an event. You need a tracking system to identify how many people were there, who was there, and also to make a constant list for easy follow up.
As a host or hostess of your event, make sure to improve the atmosphere by breaking down boundaries and greeting everyone. Always look for opportunities to be the connector, and introduce people to each other. Enhancing the relationships between people at your event will make it a successful one.
Encourage mingling by strategically planning your event space. A mix and mingle environment will need smaller, more conversational tables that allow people to interact face to face more easily. Creating lounge spaces and enough room around the finger-food tables will also encourage people to stop and chat. Think intuitively!
Be considerate of all attending groups. Food and drinks should not only cater to one demographic, but all. If you understand who your guests will be, you’ll know whether to offer vegetarian or vegan options, as well as healthier alternatives if people desire to stay away from greasy foods or carbs. Providing water and tea, and not just coffee and soda, would be a big plus. Food helps to make an event more lively and enjoyable, so many people may be missing out and feel unwelcome if the food and drinks aren’t spot on or accommodating. Also, make sure that there is enough for everyone, food shouldn’t run out until the event has long past its last hour.
Is that all? Nope. You must follow up. After a networking event has transpired, you don’t want people to forget about your company after the day is done. Make sure to hit up that contact list with more information, benefits, and offers. You can ask your opinions about the event, as well as get any insightful feedback you may not have access to under ordinary circumstances.
Applying all of these methods will be sure to secure you a networking event that stands out. Most networking events can be hits or miss, but yours doesn’t have to be one of those!
Get more help from In Full Bloom events in Tampa, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, or South Florida.
