At the last conference or event you attended, did you ever wonder how people made connections? How they were able to meet new people and network? Of course, there is always the traditional method of meeting people in person. However, with such a vast number of events being held online these days, this can make it difficult to speak with the right people at them and to make those all important human connections – which is why we’re here to help! Here are some of our top tips for networking at a virtual event.
Don't be afraid to reach out to others.
Networking is all about making connections with people. If you're new to an event, come up with a few questions you can ask people who might be able to help you make those connections. This can include asking someone where they are from, or what they do. If the person seems like they might be helpful in connecting you with other attendees at the event, get their contact information so that you can follow up later on!
The first rule of networking is that you get out what you put in. You can't expect to meet and connect with everyone if you're only focusing on your existing contacts and not reaching out to new people who might be interested in what you have to offer.
It's a good idea to have a few introductions ready before going into the event, so that when someone comes up and asks what your business is about or why they should care about it, you can give them something real right away—not just some generic elevator pitch about how great everything is going without any proof of results.
Don't be afraid to reach out to people you didn't connect with during the event. Even though it can be intimidating, it's worth it! You never know what could happen and how beneficial a second chance meeting could be. Don't hesitate to send a follow-up email or message after the event, especially if there were some people who seemed particularly interested in what you were doing or saying throughout the day. Even if they don't respond right away, don't take it personally—just try again later on down the road when things have settled back down from all of the hustle and bustle of the event itself.
Of course, there's more to networking than just meeting new people. Here are some tips for making the most of your virtual connections:
Networking is an important part of being successful. It's the best way to get new clients, find new opportunities, meet new people and get to know your industry. Networking can also help you build relationships with other professionals in your field and make connections that can lead to exciting collaborations.
Don't forget it's always useful to reach out to the event organiser or the other event speakers after the event itself. Ask questions about their talk and get to know them a little better. Active participation in sessions not only helps pack the event with quality discussion amongst attendees but is also a sure fire way of getting noticed on the day and encouraging others to chat to you. Don't be a background lurker- get involved!
You could always offer to help and support with the next event. Perhaps give yourself an opportunity to be a speaker and share your wealth of knowledge as well to benefit the event community.
The day before the event, send a reminder to your own network that you'll be live during the virtual event to encourage additional sign ups. You can use social media and email to remind people. For example...
A virtual event is a great opportunity to share your own content, after all, the more people who attend the more opportunities you will have for networking with a broader range of people. As the attendee it is in your best interests for the virtual event to be as successful as possible!
While you can’t shake hands or make direct eye contact with your fellow attendees, it is still possible to network at a virtual event. The same skills that make networking in person effective apply just as easily to networking online: they include creating human connections, building trust and forming quality partnerships.
At The Digital Circus LIVE, our annual one day virtual business conference, we strive to make virtual networking one of the core pillars of the day as we see how incredibly important it is. Don't forget, human connections in a digital world is the main theme for the 2023 show!
Throughout the day we will be encouraging virtual networking as much as possible throughout our interactive workshops, the chat and of course the speed networking zone sponsored by our amazing event sponsors ONLE Networking.
And the benefit? Virtual events like The Digital Circus LIVE open us up to a really exciting space. We are no longer constrained by geography with our connections. Virtual events mean a global network of people from all across the world and that is a VERY exciting place to be!
So, if you're new to virtual networking, or just looking to improve your skills in general, these tips can help you. Remember: it's not a competition and networking isn't supposed to be stressful! Just remember that everyone else at the event is there for the same reason: they want to meet people and learn more about their industry. So take a deep breath, reach out when necessary and don't forget about your network before the day even begins (and after).
Do you want to find out more about The Digital Circus LIVE and how you can network virtually with other small business owners and entrepreneurs from across the world?
The Digital Circus LIVE 2023 is being hosted over on Hopin on the 28th March 2023 and is all about human connections in a digital world. It's an incredible one day virtual event designed to help celebrate your digital visibility, business growth and the new opportunities to support that growth. We would absolutely love to see you there!