Top 10 Tips for Networking at Franchise Conferences

Have you ever been to a conference and wished you had gotten more out of it? Here are the Top 10 tips to make sure that you are on top of your game the next time you head to a big conference this year.

Know Your Goal

This can apply to many parts of your life, but we will focus on conferences here. Going into a conference with your goals in mind is critical to networking successfully. The main question to be asked here is why you’re going to the conference in the first place. Are you going to visit with a client, look for new investors, looking for a new supplier for your latest widget, or even meet up with some old friends in the industry? No matter what the reason, you should be going into the event with an overarching goal in mind that will leave you feeling accomplished at the end of it.

Research

This tip goes hand in hand with knowing your goals. Going through the list of attendees, reaching out to friends and other industry professionals can make your conference experience. For example, if you’re going up to the Samsung booth to make new connections with one of the world’s largest technology companies, you better know their latest products.

Watch the Clock

Depending on how long you plan on spending at the conference, you should use your time wisely. Every opportunity that you have to meet someone new should be taken into account and turned into a potential lead or contact. With that being said, this could be a great opportunity to spend a considerable amount of time with someone and build a relationship that could take your business to the next level.

2 W's

You could meet five, twelve, or even cross path with hundreds of conference goers, but it isn’t all a numbers game. Making sure to make quality connections that can take you closer to your goal is essential. The most important of the five W’s here is "what" and "why." What are you discussing and why is this important to your goal? If you can answer both of these questions and feel good about the answer then you are in the right spot, but if not, it’s time to move on.

Leverage

Using your current contacts to help you network with more people can be very beneficial. Asking for an introduction to contacts that your friends or colleagues know can be a much more meaningful connection than someone you meet randomly. This is especially beneficial if they know them well and can give you a great introduction.

Listening

Honing in on the people you are talking to can make a difference. The more you listen to what people are saying the more you can apply that back to your business or find out more about how you can work together with that person in the future.

Business Cards

Asking for or handing out a business card is a fairly classic way to exchange contact information with someone, but what happens when you get back from your trip with hundreds of cards? How do you remember each person and what you talked to them about? I personally think that taking simple notes on the back of a card can be one of the single most important things you can do at a conference. By writing notes down about what you talked about and action steps beyond that, it can turn any simple introduction into a rock solid contact.

Early Bird

The best time to get to a conference and network is early. By getting to a conference early you have more opportunities to connect with people on a one-on-one level. Not only can you network early, but you can get an actionable plan for the day to tackle the show floor.

Meals

Offering to treat someone to a meal for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a drink, can offer a more relaxed setting to socialize and build rapport with new connections.

Have Fun

It’s easy to say, but much harder to do. The level of fun you’re having can translate into how many people you end up meeting. I don’t mean hanging out by the bar the whole time, but stepping out of your comfort zone and taking advantage of opportunities that present themselves can offer new networking opportunities.