Business with a Twist by Rachael Cotton, Confex 2014

As I may have previously mentioned seminars aren't really my thing. But at the 2014 Confex there was a great one by Rachael Cotton from Alton Towers.

If the title itself didn't grab your attention, then Rachael’s engaging style of delivery sure did. The serious bits were interjected with funny anecdotes and well, let’s be honest if you work somewhere as cool as a theme park with a 14 loop ride, then you probably have the fun side of business down pat!

The key points from Rachael’s presentation to take away were:

• 60% of respondents said they would be more interested in attending corporate events if there was an element of fun added
• Fun sparks the imagination so don’t be afraid to use it
• Make sure you consider the delegates and make the day productive as well as fun
• Outdoor activities score very highly in terms of how to add fun

If you want to find out more about Rachael's presentation, check out the slides here.

So, what do you guys think? Would a corporate event at Alton Towers work for you?

On to the present

Hope you all enjoyed taking a look at some older photos of events from back when tech wasn't such an important part of life (Throwback Thursday). But what about now? How has technology woven its way into the business events industry?

• Event website - every bigger and most smaller events have discovered the power of having a good online presence in promoting itself.
• Online registration - whether through the event's website itself or popular sites such as Eventbrite, online registration is the easiest and most popular way of keeping track of potential attendee numbers.
• Email communications - emails are one of the quickest and most popular forms of communicating in today's world. The additional features such as voting buttons, read receipts or reminders help a busy event manager in organising their workload and making sure that the business critical tasks don't fall off the to do list.
• Document sharing - having platforms such as Dropbox, Cloud etc. make sharing and storing documents much easier. If done well, it can also reduce issues of version control which sometimes occurs in larger teams.
• Social media presence - it's almost essential to have a social media presence to promote and ensure audience engagement at the event. Social media is used by people of all ages and backgrounds now and makes an effective tool in reaching them.
• Webcasts - Essentially the broadcasting of the internet. Platforms such as Showcaster allow the user to either live stream or send on demand to a particular content source to many simultaneous consumers. 
• Digital networking - More and more people recognise the importance of professional networks and their relevance to business. Within the events industry, it is particularly important as many job offers are dependant upon personal references and word of mouth. Sites such as LinkedIn help to achieve this, allowing networking to continue past the initial meeting.

To find out an easier way of keeping on top of all these technology developments, check out this post about having a technology partner: http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/technology-partner

Also here we have a short clip of an interview with Jessie States - Education Content Designer, talking about the future of Meeting in Events. All credit goes to the YouTube Channel IMEXexhibitions, see the full video here: http://youtu.be/OQd7zxy_pwA?t=1m43s



So what are your thoughts on current technological marvels that allow this event industry to grind on? Have we missed anything vital? Share, comment, argue - Alls fair in love and war..

Event Tech Live

Looking for the newest tech to be used at your event?

Then make sure to attend Event Tech Live!

Event tech live is a new event that will take place later on this year stemming from the success of the Event Technologies Awards. The event takes place in central London on the 13th of November and is free to attend. Yes! FREE to attend!

This new event will be showcasing all the latest technology with live demos so you as the attendee will have a hands-on experience with the gadgets. There will also be Q&A's and educational seminars on the day to teach you all you need to know about the emerging new technologies.

Sound interesting? Head over to the official website http://www.eventtechlive.com/ to find out more and register for your ticket.

Event tech live is the only event dedicated to event technology in the UK and with there being no price to pay for a ticket what's stopping you from going?

Emergence of 'IMEXlive'

It is always an annoyance when there is an event you wish to attend but for some reason have to miss out. Now with the emergence of IMEXlive it seems that annoyance may just be a thing of the past.

Last year saw the launch of IMEXlive in Frankfurt and from the success of that came a new sponsorship deal. With this new deal IMEXlive is now going to be able to run for a second year at both IMEX Frankfurt and IMEX America.

The platform is aimed mainly at those who cannot be at the event allowing them to have a feel real of what is going on. According to organisers it aims to tell the story of what s going on at the event through the use of pictures and videos. IMEXlive broadcasts live blogging along with a 'social media mash-up' in which viewers can interact withthe site using the IMEX hashtag. This all means that for those who can't physically be at the venue can still have the experience from the comfort of their own homes.

The 24 hour virtual window into the trade show had great reviews from both attendees and exhibitors.

“The new version of IMEXlive is a major development of the platform and 

allows us to give the online audience a real taste of the buzz that can be felt on the 

show floor," says IMEX’s Senior Online Community Manager Miguel Neves.

 "IMEXlive combines cutting-edge technology with creative human interaction 

to create a socially-driven platform that shows the online world what IMEX is all about".

IMEX Live is more than just an online stream of the event as it aims to interact with the audience and create the same experience as actually being at the event. This looks like a promising new technological feature that could enhance events all over the world. So no more missing out on the event of the year!

IMEX Live 2014 goes live on the 21st May and stays live for one week after the show so if you're not attending why not check out IMEXlive.

Head over to the website to find out more http://www.imexexhibitions.com/

Interview with an events professional

I know its crazy, 2 interviews in 1 day? But hey there are a lot of techie type people out there and they all like to talk. in this installment we have Michael Ball talking to us about technology and how it relates to his work.

Q: Let’s start off with a bit of an introduction for our readers. What’s your name and what do you do?

I’m Michael Ball, co-founder of Traverse Events and Senior Marketing Executive for TTG Media Limited.  For Traverse, I am one of the directors and also the head of events, meaning I run the logistical side of all of the events we do. But as it’s a small company, we all pitch in on what needs doing, be that sales, marketing, social media etc. I also do marketing for TTG Media, which is a travel industry media brand, which has a focus on events, running around 50 different ones a year, from small networking events to large awards ceremonies in the West End.

Q: How do you keep up with the latest trends when running events?

Mainly by attending other events, seeing what others do and then improving on it if we can. I think everyone in events does this, we have seen our conference format copied almost exactly in the past, and although it can be annoying, it’s flattering too. Plus anyone that copies what we do is an event behind, as we always change and innovate when we come up with the next one.  For smaller events, there are also the chances to come up with completely fresh idea, we did this last year where we created a drinks ordering system for at a conference using Twitter, so nobody had to get up at all. It can also be useful to attend bigger events, to try and take inspiration, an exhibition with a budget or £2 million is not going to be something we can copy, but the ideas are there, and that’s often all you need. Lastly, we always make sure that the event sponsors and partners are part of the event, rather than just brands that are represented, so we work with them to enhance the overall event and use their expertise and equipment when we can, it works out better for all involved that way.

Q: Do you feel it’s important to be up to date with the latest technology when running travel events?

Absolutely. Our events specifically are run for travel bloggers and start-ups. These people are used to seeing some new tech and software, so we always try and have something fresh there. This is where we often come up with our own stuff though. Paul, the other founder, is incredibly good when it comes to programming, and has built our Twitter and Instagram walls, by far the best ones you’ll see, as long as a Twitter leader board, which has been fantastic for driving engagement and exposure over social media for us and our sponsors. Plus, the attendees love it, as you can run competitions, post photos etc for all to see.

Q: What platforms of technology do you find attendees to these events interacting with the most?

As mentioned before, Twitter and Instagram at the events get the most coverage, then Facebook and Vine, usually when people have left or the next day.  It also depends on what’s on offer via the technology. So having a fantastic new photo sharing program is great, but you have to incentivise people to use it.  We also had Google Glasses at an event we did in November last year, they got a fair bit of attention as everyone wanted to have a go and have a picture taken with them on, me included.  Out next big event is going to be kind of anti-tech, as far as bloggers are concerned anyway. So there won’t be any flashy displays for social media feeds running, or super-fast WiFi, but we have some great ideas for this, such as ordering bacon sandwiches over twitter, or taking video with a drone camera.

Thanks Michael for your time! The next Traverse event is being held at Skylounge, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in London. For more info check out http://www.traverse-events.com/mingle/skylounge/ or tweet Michael on @michaeleball. 

Sumo Insight - Real time market research

During the Confex, Colin White from Sumo Insight held a seminar talking about capturing visitor opinion and ensuring that your business is close to its visitors. With only 40% of event organisers having experience of using events apps, this is a way of staying ahead of the game in terms of building a following for your events. More than ever before consumers are keen to participate in events and express themselves, what this does mean however is that your potential clients will be looking at as many options as possible as they become more and more demanding. 

In terms of events, this now means that marketing has become a 24/7 activity! With consumers constantly talking about what they are doing on social media and review websites, there is now an expectation for businesses to listen to these comments and react quickly. Quite often the events that go the furthest are the ones that take on board praise/criticism and react quickest!

Sumo Insight are a provider of the tools that can be used to harness this information and get results in the quickest way possible. By using surveys on mobile devices, this app allows users to immediately update their opinions of what they are doing at that time. Having this real time interaction with people giving feedback while still at the event allows for the best possible results, i.e. immediate reactions while it is still fresh in the memory. It also allows for conversations and discussions to be struck up during the event if quantitative data would be more useful to your projects.

How far can this technology go? At the moment the sky appears to be the limit with new ideas for apps coming out almost daily, although you have to wonder at which point do people stop experiencing what they are doing in the moment and instead are just focussed on who is reading what they are posting on the latest social media! 

Social Media platforms link to Business. Mark Roberts opinion blog...

Ok so for those of you that have come here via my twitter account may realise that have slightly fibbed last night, in my defence it was quite late. Anyway, once again its interview time. Today I have managed to pin down Mark Roberts. Mark was kind enough to talk to me about social media and (here comes the lie) networking. I met Mark last November at a Young Peoples networking event, where he was helping at the YENA stand. Enough from me, here's Mark:

Q: Let’s start off with a bit of an introduction for our readers. What’s your name and what do you do?

My name is Mark Roberts and I am a story teller, I work in communications and that covers social media, PR and everything in the middle. I also have a role as an ambassador for the Young Entrepreneur Network Association and I will be launching events in Nottingham and Manchester in the next few months. I am also an active humanist, vegan and revolutionist and write part time for various publications for business and politics.

Q: And would you say you've been to/run a lot of business events? (ie. conferences, seminars, trade shows, networking mornings/evenings etc.)

It depends on your definition of a lot? I have a background in corporate events in the leisure industry, organising events for anywhere between 200 and 2000 people. I have been to more networking events than I care to remember, lots of different times, venues and lay outs. One of my clients for Seraph Social Media was a networking company so it was interesting to see how we were able to add to their overall market presence through social media. How could we get what happens in those 4 walls outside to the wider public without losing the integrity of the room. At the moment my event based work is for YENA, this is quite unique as it involves booking speakers that I think will help inspire the attendees and this is new to me.

Q: How do you think social media has impacted businesses as a whole and business events?

Social media has made a huge impact on the world of business. Put simply it has given the opportunity for businesses to engage with a lot more people. As a business owner getting market position and brand awareness are the ultimate goals for your marketing team and social media offers that opportunity like nothing else now. For events it is particularly exciting because it gives a unique way to engage with attendees before, during and after. With clever campaigns and a well thought out strategy events are able to very easily engage their target audience and deliver them outstanding service that will undoubtedly lead to greater sales.

Q: Why do you think it's important for businesses to have a good social media presence?

Communication is key, if you want someone to make a purchase from you then you need to be able to communicate with them easily and effectively. Social media allows you to just that. How many times does your phone ring from an unknown number and you just hang it up, almost a bit pissed off that someone is trying to ring and sell you something you have now already decided that you don’t want to buy? How many times do you get emails from Groupon or similar and now just hit delete and not bother to unsubscribe because it would take too long? That’s because in this ever increasing world of the internet, the most previous commodity to ourselves is our time. We don’t want people wasting it and we want to be more independent as a consumer. Social media has led to the ‘social sell’ where you build relationships with your fans and followers, making sure you stay on top of conversations and provide them with top quality content you know they will find relevant. Social media has helped the sale become a two way process, if you aren’t willing to give your time and effort why on earth should we, the consumers, give you any of ours? Long gone are the days of the phone call that leads to an instant purchase.

Q: Finally, where do you think social media and technology as a whole is going within business events? Will it continue to grow in significance or slowly start to lose it appeal?

I think technology is heading in a exciting direction. I think the key thing to realise is that Social Media is great for businesses to get in touch with their potential customers but I don’t think that will always be the case. The internet of things is just a hugely exciting thing. I was having a conversation with a peer last week discussing that it won’t be too long before our fridge will see that it is a Friday, it’s sunny, you’re low on wine and place an order for you. For the events world it will be about getting rid of the annoying bag people you get hit by when you walk in - no one wants that. No one reads it, its a waste of paper, time and any resource that goes into it. What would be much more effective would be a smart way to use NFC (near field communication) to log in, utilise Siri or whatever it might be then and help you make an informed personal decision about the brands and stalls that matter to you. For marketeers and sales people it is all about thinking outside the box and the event industry will have to change the same as everything else. Social Media integration will be another big aspect, utilising hashtags and tweet walls are already in use but events will have to start to look at how to grab social data through pixel conversions and the like to start building their own online communities. Too many people walk in to an event, disappear and only engage at the next one, 365 engagement has to be the aim for events. 

If you want to talk to Mark, or find out a bit more about him and his plans for the future follow him on Twitter @MarkyBobs86, his website www.markybobs.com and follow his writings on www.medium.com/@MarkyBobs86

Throwback Thursday

Technology is an everyday part of life for many across the globe. It’s almost frightening to think how events happened without all the fancy lightning, projections and sound systems, isn’t it? Well, let’s dig up some archives and take a look…

Now, I know this isn't an events event per say, but the International Tourism Exchange has been running since 1966 so it seemed like a good way of showing change through the years.

In 1966, the event had just 9 exhibitors and 250 trade visitors. It also had just one seminar - "New Holiday Destinations on Three Continents".

The event has since grown into the leading platform for connecting businesses in the travel industry. It attracts nearly 11,000 companies and more than 174,000 visitors. It also has a comprehensive list of seminars and workshops to cater to everyone's needs and tastes.


If you are an Event Manager within the tourism industry and fancy a trip to Berlin, check it out: http://www.itb-berlin.de/en/

Net and Tech

Now it’s not all just about events. Enter LinkedIn, networking’s online charge coming to a well-designed end. This site will allow you to not only exchange details with people you have already connected with on a personal level, allowing you to continue relations even if you met on an international conference and are now worlds apart. It will also allow you to find professionals with experience that you require; think of it as the “professional 118 118”. It allows you to find people in a specific sector, with the right qualifications and introduce yourself to expand your network without necessarily meeting the person face to face. It’s a brilliant way for busy events industry professionals to keep in touch.

Check out my profile and say hello!

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/david-hill/5b/534/b9b

IMEX Seminar- 'How to be social at an event'

IMEX America is one of the biggest trade shows in the US and is considered the biggest worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events. In this post I will be having a look at one of the seminars that were held last year with some of the most important points.

Now we all know how much of an impact social media has on today's industry and how important it is to create an online social presence. At IMEX 2014 Elizabeth Glau conducted a seminar on 'How to be Social at an Event'. Elizabeth goes through how best to utilise social media during the different time stages i.e. before the event, during the event and after the event.

Firstly what Elizabeth calls 'Pre-event Planning'. This consists of finding out all the information of an event beforehand. This will include things such as checking Facebook/Twitter pages and reading reviews from previous attendees. When it comes to me, I want to know all about an event before I commit myself to going so this is an essential procedure to me. So I will suggest find the hashtag and stalk, stalk, stalk!! That way you can find out all you need to know about the event.

Another aspect of pre-event planning comes after you have made your decision to attend.  As previously stated in another post, networking at an event can be a very daunting experience. However if you are well prepared it makes the experience somewhat easier. Elizabeth stated in her seminar that it is essential to plan and prepare for what you want to get out of the event. What sessions do you want to do attend? Who do you want to see? What do want to take from the experience? These are all questions you should be asking yourself with the social media pages aiding you to make your decisions.

Next up, during the event. As I have previously said it is very important to create a social presence for yourself in order to make your way through the industry. There is no easier way to do this then during an actual event. By using the event's social platforms you are immediately linking yourself with event professionals that are also in attendance. When uploading pictures/status' make sure to tag away! Make sure to use real time sharing by tweeting and upload pictures and videos to Instagram and Facebook at the time they are taking place.

Finally, after the event. Although the event is over it is so important to remember to keep those relationships that were established. Add the people you have met to your Facebook/linked in or follow them on twitter for the ease of contact. If you have a blog make sure to post your opinions on the event and upload pictures and videos if you have any.

I hope these few tips have helped, if you have any more please leave a comment! 

Networking with FACE seminar

 

During the Confex, Alessandra Alonso, a consultant of 20 years conducted a seminar on networking. The main points that she wanted to convey were those of:

• Learning & self-development
• Relationship & business development
• Effective communication

Alonso came up with the concept of Networking through FACE:

Focus

Approach

Conversation

End

Focus is the key starting point to any networking. If you don't know what you want to achieve then how is someone going to be able to help you to do it?! Alonso outlines 6 main reasons that people network which helps to narrow down what you may be looking for:

Now obviously everyone is going to have a different approach to networking, some people can just turn up without much preparation and find out as well as inform people what they need to know. Most people, myself included however, will need some degree of planning. The first thing to do is make sure you know who you're talking to! There's no point talking to someone who works on set design about your problems with security for 20 minutes! Preparing an introduction for yourself can also help, although you may feel a bit silly saying it for the 20th time in the day. But by then it will seem natural and with your pre-planned objectives and a prepared list of questions, you will look extremely professional. Of course, everyone wants to work with professional people!

Next up is the approach. In short conversations, only 30% of how people will react to you is down to what you say! The other 70% is actually how it is said and how we look. These exhibitors are going to be seeing hundreds of people a day, the ones that stand out are going to be the ones who engage with them, looking enthusiastic and being passionate about what they're talking about.

Conversation is where the main work will be done. A simple list of do's and don'ts can cover this:

Do… 

• Be curious 
• Be authentic 
• Build rapport 
• Look the part 
• Actively listen 
• Reach out to many 
• Take Note 
• Show appreciation

Don’t… 

• Use and Abuse 
• Presume /dismiss people 
• Go on about yourself 
• Go into selling mode 
• Ask without giving 
• Forget your business cards 
• Forget to thank people 
• Lie – it’s a small world! 

For networking to be worthwhile, it never actually ends. If following the meeting you feel that the person is someone you can work with, which would be mutually beneficial, then follow it up!!! Stay in touch and review the outcomes so that both parties can be happy. 

Got any other networking tips? Write them down in the comments!

http://www.international-confex.com/page.cfm/Action=fileDownload/formatFor=seminar_2_fileupload/fileName=806489_fileupload/fileExt=pdf

Semi-Interesting Seminars

A lot of trade shows and virtually all conferences include seminars as part of their programme. Why? Do people seriously want to sit there and listen to someone stand at the front of the room and talk at them for an hour?

I mean, honestly now, don’t you get bored? Wouldn’t you rather walk around and talk to people? See things? Drink coffee???  I don’t know maybe it’s just me... Must be that leftover ‘kid in the back of a classroom’ mentality.

And yet I turn up to them. More than that, I enjoy them. On occasion of course ;)

So it got me thinking, what is it that actually makes people go to seminars. Is it the speaker or is it the content? Would you be willing to sit through a boring delivery if the content was strong? Or would you rather listen to a good speaker discussing an utterly useless to you topic?

I think that for me, much like a lot of other people, it’ll be a mixture of the two. You’d want the speaker to be engaging and fun and not have a horribly annoying voice but at the same time you’d want him/her to talk about something interesting to you or at least something that will help you in your job or life. Otherwise, what’s stopping you from getting up and going to the nearest Starbucks?

Interview with Young Networking

If you were paying attention to Friday's Posts, specifically my spotlight on networking, I told you that I would have the pleasure to talk to Ash Phillips from Young Entrepreneur 

Networking Association. I wanted to ask him about his thoughts on networking and his experiences. This is what he had to say...

Q: Let’s start off with a bit of an introduction for our readers. What’s your name and what do you do?

My name is Ash Phillips. I’m a serial Entrepreneur and the Founder of YENA, a social enterprise that 

supplies young people with a non-intimidating networking environment. We run free events to bring 

people together in order to increase their network size and opportunities. 

We also supply exclusive access to many business services, and are working on integrating a mentor 

scheme within the group.

Q: And how long have you been attending and running networking events?

I’ve been attending networking events since I started my own business 4 years ago. These range from 

long running institutions, to bank-run events. I’ve been  running YENA for around a year now we’ve 

learnt a lot in that time but time is a resource you can’t buy and can only learn from. 

Q: So in your opinion, what makes a good business networking event? (examples from ones you 

organise/attend, good practice)

From what I’ve learnt from other events, and running YENA events, there are many aspects that balance 

an event and make it great. 

Location - this is important in getting the right people involved. Our Bristol event is based at a quirky 

hotel/bar which is luxurious but not pretentious. This has helped people feel important but not out of 

place. The team there is also fairly young but very good at what they do so this helps us with the quality 

of our event. 

Content - what your event consists of is important. Regardless of how relaxed it is (YENA is very relaxed) 

is still needs some format. This makes people feel comfortable with the organiser, and with what they 

should be doing at the time. 

The People - the most important aspect of the event, undoubtedly, is the people in the room. This 

doesn’t even mean the organisers it means the people who are there. YENA has been a success and still 

exists because of our wonderful community. The event is an event without people and the right people 

make it great. We love our attendees, and we tell them that at every event. 

Q: Why do you think it's important for businesses to attend networking events?

Yes. In attending a networking event, you’re not selling to the people there. Whilst they could become 

clients, what you’re really doing is winning advocates of what you do. You have a potential workforce in 

that room who can recommend you to their network so in a room of 10 people you’re potentially connected 

to over 1000 people. If you make those 10 people love you and want to give you work, it’s likely it will 

come. If you spend your time pitching all of them to get turned down, you’ll likely never hear from them 

again in the way you’d like. 

Q: What about people who don’t run a business? Is it worth their time to network with businesses?

YENA is one of the only events I know of that promotes the use of networking to improve opportunities. 

Giving professionals, students, and NEETs (not in education, employment or training) somewhere to 

increase their connections, gives them the chance to increase their opportunities. They say it’s not what 

you know it’s who you know, and whilst I believe it’s both, you’re not going to get far with all the 

knowledge but no contacts to help that turn into something. 

Q: Finally, what would be the best piece of advice on business networking that you would give to our 

readers?

My best advice is to give. Give advice from experience, lend an ear and listen to the other person, actively 

think about who you can put them in touch with to increase their opportunities. The more you can give 

someone, the more they’ll want to give back, and that’s when you gain from networking. 

So that was Ash, the real question is what do you think? If you want to find out more 

about YENA, take a look at their website http://www.yena.co.uk, follow them on twitter 

@YoungNetworking or on Facebook 

UK to USA Networking

As mentioned in the previous post, the International Confex is an ideal place for the traditional networking to take place and a chance for attendees to maximise networking opportunities. The type of networking generally seen in this environment is all quite formal with extra workshops and a 'practical networking session'. To me this seems quite intimidating and tends to put a lot of pressure on those that may be quite new to the networking scene. There are many events out there that take this same approach of the typical formal networking. This maybe one of the reasons why networking was once deemed 'scarier than death' (http://www.accountingweb.com/topic/social-networking/fear-factor-networking-scarier-death)

Having done some research on events overseas it appears that the United States tend to take a more informal approach with networking. It is quite similar in the sense that there is a dedicated time and place for attendees to network and everyone is there for the same reasons however  it is done in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Looking at the '2013 Event Solutions Idea Factory' the programme included 'A Welcome Reception' located at the stunning Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. Attendees were able to introduce themselves and get to know event professionals from all over the world, against the backdrop of the beautiful pools with drinks flowing all evening. Now I don’t know about you, but this seems ideal to me!

By event organisers' creating a more relaxed atmosphere attendees are able to put the aside the negativity and fear associated with networking and have the ability to enjoy themselves a lot more.

In my opinion I believe it's about time networking became a fun part of business instead of a dreaded one.

Let us know what you think. Should networking stay strict and formal or should the atmosphere be a little more hassle-free and comfortable?

Leave us a comment below giving us your views on networking! 

Networking at the Confex

                         
With over 300 exhibitors at the International Confex, it is an ideal place for b2b networking for events companies. With a large central networking area, as well as the countless stands set up with exhibitors just as keen to make partnerships throughout the day, there's very little chance that you won't meet someone who will be able to assist with your business! As I'm sure most readers will be aware, the events industry is one which relies on being proactive which means that most people attending this event will be willing to go straight in to interact with others. This leads to the networking performing really well, although can leave some of the shyer types behind very easily.

Along with the central networking area, following each seminar session there were opportunities to network with fellow event professionals that have similar interests, leading to potential connections. 

In terms of how to approach networking at these events, which can often be a daunting experience, Greg McKeown of the New York Times wrote just before the Confex of 3 mistakes that people make when networking:

The first one is to not go crazy with business cards, although it may seem like a good idea to spread your bets and try to make a contact with everyone you meet, one meaningful relationship built can be worth far more than 20 business cards handed out after a two minute conversation. Try to focus your efforts on the potential partners that would mean the most to your business.

Secondly is to make sure you are listening to whoever it is you're talking to. This might sound obvious but with so much going on at these exhibitions its very easy to be distracted. This will show to whoever it is you're talking to, and they won't be keen to do business with someone who won't listen to them for 10 minutes!

Lastly is not to fear missing out. Sometimes the most natural relationships can be formed when not 'on duty'. Talking to people while taking a break can be when the conversation flows most naturally. McKeown spoke of a time at the World Economic Forum for Latin America when he tried to attend everything, but ended up with nothing until the last day, when he took some time off to go to the pool, where having casual conversations actually ended up with business relationships that are still strong to this day!

Do you agree with Greg? Have you got a different method? Let us know

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03UkpkrFHrI

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140307191106-8353952-the-top-3-networking-mistakes-people-make?trk=tod-home-art-list-small_3&utm_content=buffer8b5c3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Spotlight on networking

While initially people thought of networking as a nice side benefit to attending events and didn’t really place much emphasis on it there has been a big culture change in recent years. People are recognising that “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. They realise the importance of having a good professional network because it can really get you places. Knowing the right person can get you jobs, training opportunities, put you further up the list for promotion and help you out of a tight spot with various work tasks.

There are now millions of networking events all over the world, both face to face and online. If you type into Google ‘networking event’ and your city you are bound to come across some happening in your area. In fact you may need to type in exactly what kind of networking event you’re looking for, to narrow down your search otherwise you may well be hit with far more results than you’re willing to look through.

But what does a networking event have to do with business? Well, that’s what I asked Ash from Young Networking. Stay tuned to find out the answer!

Top Three Business Networking Opportunities in London

As mentioned in one of my previous posts, there are thousands of networking opportunities in London but who has the time to go to all of them? That’s why, I’ve had a look at what opportunities there are for Busy Event Managers in London to network and come up with this list of what I think are the best ‘value for time’ business networking events for you.

     

  The International Confex – well we think the Confex is pretty wonderful hence using it as a sort of case study of what an events event should look like. For more reasons about why, check out Ed’s post here.

    BNC Global Event Show – it’s pretty similar to the Confex but on a smaller scale. One of the highlights for this year was …. While you’re of course welcome to stay for the entire day, I’d personally say that you can probably take a good look around and speak to a number of other event planners in about two or three hours, depending on what demands on your time are like on the day.

    House of Events Evening Drinks Reception – as the name suggests, it’s an evening drinks reception so means you don’t have to spend all day on it and get a nice glass of bubbly with it too! The slight downside is that the focus is mainly on venues round London and little else so it’s not as well-rounded as the other two.

What do you think? Post your comments below, I’d love to read them!

The International Confex

The International Confex

When looking for ways to improve or expand on your events business, there aren't many better places to start than the International Confex. Over 7,000 visitors from organisations large and small attending agree that this is the best place to be in order to discover the latest in events technology and trends, for networking with like-minded people and companies, or simply just for inspiration for an upcoming event that you have on the horizon!

The Confex covers four areas within the events industry:

• UK venues & destinations
• International venues and destinations
• Something special
• Logistics

Whether looking for a country house to host a formal dinner, the most innovative gadgets to stay ahead of the competition and leave your guests and clients speechless or security to ensure that your events flows with maximum efficiency, the chances are that the International Confex will have something for you and your events company. 

If you missed out on this year's event, this blog will keep you informed on all the important information from the event, as well as looking at how you could use these within your business. 

Whether you attended or not we look forward to hearing any comments on what you made of the event, as well as if you think there is something that could be added to it to make it even bigger and better!


http://www.international-confex.com/page.cfm/Link=21/t=m/goSection=1_141