It is good to read and research through the topic of discussions before the conference so that you are knowledgeable enough. While attending the conference, please actively participate, but do not dominate the discussions, give others a chance to speak. Listening and speaking must be connected together. It is also good to mention that make new contacts, and keep in touch. Learn from each other and see areas of collaborations.

Preparing before a conference is key to building lasting professional relationships. Being prepared enables you to turn brief encounters into meaningful connections: - Knowing what you aim to achieve allows you to focus on relevant connections. - Researching the speakers and attendees lets you identify key individuals you'd like to meet. - Familiarizing yourself with the agenda ensures you don't miss important sessions and networking opportunities. - Preparing a concise introduction of yourself can help start great conversations.

To build a lasting impression, one must have confidence and be authentic with those around you. It's not a good idea to talk about a subject you are not interested in or know little about - organizers tend to push you to discuss subject matters prepared for a conference. Work on your strengths, focus on topics you thrive in, and have a keen interest in sharing knowledge. You can always tell the ones reading from a piece of paper. Building lasting professional relationships requires ongoing effort and genuine interest in others. By being proactive, maintaining professionalism, and nurturing connections over time, you can develop a strong network that contributes to your professional growth.

To build lasting professional relationships at conferences and events, focus on genuine connections. Actively listen, ask insightful questions, and exchange contact information. Follow up afterward, share relevant insights, and seek ways to collaborate or support each other professionally.

I do find this a challenge to maintain. I typically go to conferences and events with the purpose of learning something new or being exposed to different thinking. With networking in mind, I do also attend with the goal of finding opportunities to help others, whether it's sharing my expertise, offering resources, or introducing them to relevant contacts.

Embrace empathetic engagement. Listen actively, ask deep, insightful questions, and share relevant experiences to foster meaningful connections. Genuine interest and understanding are key to building lasting business relationships. The other key is to follow-up on conversations afterwards, be the person who does send through the article, podcast link you chatted about or contacts you wanted to share. You'll me much more memorable and genuine at the same time.

Get rid of the small talk quickly. People hate it. There is too much of it at events and conferences as is, so being authentic will make the event days more meaningful. Seeking to understand by actively listening vs. waiting to say only what you want to say is crucial. People see right through that and now you've lost connection, credibility, and any right to ask more questions.

If there is one thing that Covid-19 showed us, it was that relationship building is essential and, without face-to-face conferences for more than two years, some of our most reliable and long-standing relationships were severed because of layoffs, terminations, and other reasons. We no longer had our trusted relations to ensure that conference and event matters were handled in a professional manner.

Absolutely trust your personality and yourself. You are not going to be for everyone and that's ok. Stay true to yourself, listen intentionally and don't be afraid to ask questions. Listen to understand not to respond.

I truly value connecting authentically, and for me, that means engaging in genuine conversations and asking thoughtful questions. It's all about building that eye-to-eye connection. So, my advice is to embrace your genuine self because that's the key to forming lasting professional relationships. Just be you, and the rest will fall into place!

Following up and staying in touch with conference attendees can turn initial encounters into lasting connections. - Connect as soon as practicable on professional social media platforms to continue communication. - Provide a brief recap of your meeting and yourself. - Share relevant and helpful resources: articles, conferences, webinars. - Find opportunities to collaborate. These actions plus many more will show that you valued the connection made and hope to establish a professional relationship beyond the event.

The best approach is to confirm and book a follow up date right in the moment. So often I see people say they will connect and then never take action. You will stand out as someone who takes action if you take networking seriously.

One thing that I’ve found super helpful is immediately after I have met someone, I find them on LinkedIn and send a connection request with a note letting them know that I appreciated meeting them earlier and look forward to continuing the conversation. This immediate action helps me to not let too much time go by from the initial meeting and it allows me to stay top of mind with the other person.

When someone I’ve met or a conversation I had comes to mind, I try to immediately send that individual a note to check in. Sharing “you came to mind today” or “our conversation we had came to mind” can help you keep those long-term partnerships. You may not go deep, but you’re allowing yourself to widen your network for the purpose of continuously improving and benchmarking. It may remind you to seek additional perspectives on things you’re currently working on.

Exchanging contact information, hosting lunches or dinner away from conference and following up with conference attendees have worked for me.

Conferences can be overwhelming - lots of sessions, tons of information, networking....it is a lot to keep organized. I like to find a few new friends at the opening cocktail party or keynote and offer to exchange our notes from the sessions we attend. It's a great way to make a connection and get insight into some of the sessions you aren't able to attend!

LinkedIn is a wonderful way to stay connected to those in your field and collaborate in research. I love the articles that are shared to further learn about the newest tech.

Emotional Intelligence has been huge for me ! So much so that I decided to become a Certified DISC Trainer. I understand that everyone has a unique approach to life. So while we both want to go to the beach in the summer, depending on our wiring, we will prefer a specific way to get their. Being able to observe and quickly understand someone's personality I can then aim to not only get them to the beach but ensure that I got the right transportation for them. Having a serve first mentality has reap more than I could ask for. You can find this principle in nature. If you take care of the apple seed, you can a full tree of them to keep the doctor away, make juice and delicious apple pies.

I have found that I Iike encouraging others. I want the best for others because I may one day need their expertise or connections. One mentor suggested that I try to find someone to take my place. They feel good that someone cares for them and their efforts.

Not every networking results in a business opportunity. Keeping this in mind, always offer support and add value to their systems, processes and needs. Building relationship is the key in a networking event. It gives an opportunity to showcase your passions, skills and abilities. Be open to advice and do not enforce yourself so that the other person view you as a sales person.

Demonstrate generosity and support in a networking event by actively listening to others, showing genuine interest in their experiences and goals. When chances arises, you can offer assistance or insights where relevant, and connect people within your network if you identify opportunities for collaboration or shared passion. It is important to spread positive vibe in a networking session rather than trying to achieve 100% personal agenda.

Building lasting professional relationships at conferences and events involves a commitment to continual learning and improvement. Showing a genuine interest in ongoing education enriches my knowledge and forms the basis for deeper professional connections. In conferences, I engage in discussions to share my insights and learn from others. This attitude of being a lifelong learner often leads to more meaningful conversations and connections, as it resonates with like-minded professionals who value growth and development. Additionally, by continuously improving my skills and knowledge, I can offer more value in these relationships by sharing the latest industry trends or offering insightful solutions to challenges.

Nurture initial connects that are established at conference with consistent touch points Many of us attend conferences, exchange visiting cards, email ids, send LinkedIn invites & then go completely passive. This results in fostering a connect but not a relationship. To establish relationship, triggering periodic conversations, having some small engagements are quintessential. Conversations could be on mutual topics of interest, engagements could be sharing blogs, podcasts, & inviting them to comment. Yes it will be bit intimidating & uncomfortable initially to nurture a connect into a relationship. Networking is not suitable for shy people at all. But, you don’t have to do this with every contact and connect. You can use your discretion.

Building lasting professional relationships at conferences and events requires patience, authenticity, and a sincere interest in others. By focusing on the people you meet rather than transactional outcomes, you can create a network that adds value to your career over the long term. 1. Having a clear goal before hand is helpful : are you seeking potential clients, collaborators, mentors, or job opportunities? 2. Take time to research the speakers and fellow attendees to learn about their professional backgrounds to help identify which individuals you want to truly connect with. 3. Be active and participate in discussions and workshops to share your knowledge and expertise when relevant.

Two things work for me: Being authentic and really being interested in people. People can spot a 'fake' a mile away so avoid coming across as if you're only speaking to people because you either want to sell them something or you're after them because of their job titles.

I recommend setting a goal to make a certain number of new connections. Approach others with a positive attitude, genuine smile and open body language. Pay attention to what others say by repeating words and phrases and following up with a question of interest ("You just moved here from New York? How long ago?"). I also like to wear obnoxious name tags and when I introduce myself, I point to it and joke that I should be easy to remember. That physical association always does the trick when I follow up. I say, "I was the one with the obnoxious name tag". I also send personalized emails or messages and reference at least 1 item we discussed. "Hope you make it home to NY for the holidays!" Primarily - be authentic in your interactions. :)

There are two things that I try to do to make time spent at professional events more valuable. First, remember people’s names. I whatever I have to do to remember someone’s name. Play a name game in my head. Write it down with a descriptor in my phone. I just do what it takes to remember so that when I run into someone again, I can identify them by their name (and even better if I also remember something they told me). This makes people feel seen and recognized, leading to stronger connection. Second, don’t undervalue the power of snail mail! If you made a strong connection with someone, send a card in the mail to follow up. It’s such a welcome surprise to get a handwritten, personalized note. It will make you memorable.