So I attended the Web 2.0 Expo in NYC last week and I learned a few things about events like this. Being the 1st major conference that I have attended I really wasn’t to sure on what to expect. I knew the main goal was to try and network but I didn’t have much of an idea how to do that. Here’s a few tips on improving your networking experience when attending a conference like this.
Use The Website!!!
This was my biggest mistake. I didn’t know until about 2 days before the conference that there was a social network set up on the web 2.0 expo website called crowdvine. Here you can do just about anything you want to do in terms of a social network make a profile, friend people, message people, search people. It really allows you to see who’s at the event and can help you make some connections before you ever get to the event. You can also see what people are attending what sessions. This is a great tool and is crucial to making your networking experience meaningful at a conference as large as this one. My advice would be to get on a network like this for your event ASAP. The sooner your on there the more likely you are to make contacts and find people you might be interested in meeting. I don’t know if every conference has a network like this set up but its something you should keep in mind and look for when you sign-up for something.
1. As an event like the web 2.0 expo nears Twitter starts lighting up with tweets from people going to the conference. It’s key here to not only tweet about your plans but to also follow what other people are saying about the event and then research them. If you see someone say they are attending the event check out their profile and then also see if they are on the “crowdvine” to find out more info about them. If you think you want to meet them send a message back to them on twitter as well as friend them on whatever social network is set up for the event.
Two simple ways to search on twitter.
- Twitter search
- Tweetdeck – lets you open up multiple searches at the same time
2. Twitter is also an easy way to stay in touch with people at the event. If you didn’t get the chance to exchange email addresses or phone numbers simply monitoring your direct messages through your cell phone can help you talk to people. Easy way to keep yourself connected while wondering around the event, just make sure your twitter account has your phone enabled.
3. Throughout the day attendees meet-up to tweet about sessions they saw or didn’t see. Usually you can find these groups either by monitoring twitter or meeting people on something like the “crowdvine”. Attendees will pick a time and place to meet to discuss sessions they saw so you can take key points from a session you missed or discuss something you saw. By joining in on these groups it provides you with another great way to network as well as learn about other happenings at the event.
Be Social
The simplest way to network is just by being social.
-Get involved in every conversation you can.
-Approach people at their booths and ask them about their products or what they do.
-Collect business cards and give out your own.
-Hit the bar at the hotel your staying at and strike up a conversation.
When attending events this large it can be easy to get lost in the crowd. However by preparing and researching beforehand you should be able to organize a few meaningful meet-ups and make some valuable relationships.
Remember even though there’s a lot of people at an event like this they are all there because they have an interest in web 2.0 or whatever topic your event is for. So in the end every single person is like-minded to some degree and could make for a meaningful contact.
Check out the Web 2.0 website to see the upcoming events in Germany, Japan and San Francisco.
