In 2011, I went to a marketing event and met a couple who I would go on to make a MILLION dollars from…
I met Marie Forleo and Amy Porterfield before they were huge names.
I’ve met business partners, mentors, friends, and of course – clients!
Actually, all of my clients and ALL of the connections I needed to help me skyrocket my business originated at in-person events and networking face-to-face with real people.
And in this blog, I’m going to share with you 6 secrets for networking like a boss.
Hey, Posse! What’s up? It’s Alex.
Are you ready to take your networking skills and business opportunities to the next freaking level this year or what?!
Whether you’re looking to attend conferences, local meetups, networking meetings, or industry events…
Networking in real life with REAL PEOPLE is quickly becoming a lost art in this age of online… everything.
Especially since the lockdowns of 2020 – right?!
We’ve become so accustomed to staying home in our little bubbles and doing EVERYTHING online.
And we’ve totally forgotten how IMPORTANT and IMPACTFUL making real-life connections is.
I’m finding this particularly harms the people who STARTED their businesses in 2020.
For these people, in-person networking was NOT a thing when they started their business.
So they put their head down and got to work building their business the only way they could – online!
And now that in-person events are a thing again…
These people are TERRIFIED of putting themselves out there.
Maybe they’re naturally introverted…
Maybe they hated high school speech class and think networking is the same…
Maybe they get all sweaty and nervous when starting conversations with strangers and can’t think of what to say.
If you’re one of those people, keep watching, because I’m going to reveal my answer later in this blog…
And if you want even more tips and pointers for building your online business, go ahead and subscribe to my newsletter because I’m bringing you brand-new tutorials like this one every week.
Why Should You Network In 2024?
Now I want to start by clarifying that there is nothing wrong with making online connections…
You can and should be doing that in your business. Of course!
It’s not either or…
It’s yes, AND…
Because here’s the thing…
The connections made at LIVE events are unmatched.
This allows you to meet people in your field, have real-life conversations, and develop an actual relationship that you can continue to cultivate.
Throughout my career, I’ve been lucky enough to know, meet, and converse with some of the best entrepreneurs and marketers of all time – people like Marie Forleo, Frank Kern and Jeff Walker, Andre Chaperon, Jim Kwik, Brendon Burchard, and so many more…
None of that ever would have happened had I not been willing to get outside my comfort zone, put myself out there and NETWORK.
I also landed my first retainer client at a networking event. I was at an event in Phoenix in 2011. I met this couple and we immediately hit off.
Turns out, they owned a company together and were looking for some marketing support, so I did a small project for them…
That small project turned into another one, into a bigger one, a bigger one, and eventually into a 6-figure a year client. Who I worked for 10 years.
And made a MILLION dollars from.
And that’s just ONE of the clients I met at a networking event. I met many, many more clients.
And I met even more people who later REFERRED me to clients…
And even better than all of that… I met friends, mentors, and biz besties who STILL TO THIS DAY are supporting me as I build my business and go through this crazy journey of online entrepreneurship.
Without these events would I have ever developed these connections?
The chances are VERY SLIM.
So I’m telling you…
Networking and attending in-person events is an invaluable way to make new connections and level up your career, don’t ignore it.
Which one thing to SAY but quite another to put into practice.
Am I right?
But don’t worry, I got you!
As an event attendee veteran AND a regular speaker at events NOW…
I have the tips you need to walk into the room with confidence.
5 Tips To Rock Your Next Networking Event
Starting with…
Tip #1 – Attend The RIGHT Events
Okay, so there are lottttssssss of ways you can approach networking.
You can literally find “networking mixers” and social events in just about any major city.
But I do NOT recommend starting with an event like that – especially if you’re introverted.
Because these events are basically just a bunch of people in a room, wandering around and chatting.
Which is super intimidating as a beginner networker!!!
I would ALWAYS recommend that you go to an event where there are speakers presenting…
More like a masterclass type of thing.
This makes it a learning experience for you AND all of the other people there.
Which means when it comes time to chat with your neighbor. You already have something to talk about because you’re both there watching and listening to the same information.
This takes nearly ALL of the work off your shoulders.
You don’t have to come up with some cheesy ice-breaker…
You don’t have to try to initiate a conversation about something that you’re not sure the other person is interested in.
If you’re both at this event, then you’re both interested in the topic of the event.
SIMPLE.
And that brings me to another point about selecting the right events…
Make sure you’re attending events that are industry-specific.
The goal is obviously to meet people whose goals + interests align with yours…
And you’re not going to do that if you’re attending random events just for the sake of networking.
I mean, if you’re extroverted and you just LOVE meeting people then more power to you! Of course, you make great connections anywhere and everywhere you go…
But if you’re networking strictly for the purpose of making professional connections…
Stick to industry-specific events that have SPEAKERS or some other form of masterminding happening.
My upcoming Marketing Event, Posse Fest LIVE, is a great example of both of these things…
It’s a 3-day event for anyone in the marketing industry – so that’s freelancers, copywriters, marketers, business owners, and basically ANYONE who is in the business of making money – either online or storefront…
We’ll have 2-days of conversations by the leading experts in the industry – presenting on everything from funnel strategies…
- Branding…
- Email marketing…
- Copywriting…
- Tech & tools…
- Leadership…
- Purpose…
And lots of stuff in between…
The 3rd day is a VIP Mastermind Day for 1:1 conversations designed to help solve your biggest business and marketing challenges.
And because I understand the importance of networking + connection…
I have literally BAKED it into my event by incorporating something called “break-out sessions”.
So you’ll be interacting with other attendees and you’ll have specific cues and prompts to discuss – which again takes alllll the pressure off of YOU to break the ice.
We’ll have roundtable discussions, an after-party, daily lunches, and LOTS of time for making connections.
Posse Fest is the best of both worlds…
Not only will you absolutely learn and level up every area of your business…
But there is virtually NO WAY you’ll walk away without dozens of new connections.
It’s happening this October 19th-21st in my favorite city – Vancouver.
I highly recommend doing anything you can to make it to this event.
And right now you can get 15% off your ticket before Early Bird sells out!
So after you find the RIGHT event to attend, the next thing you need to keep in mind…
Tip #2 – Don’t Go With The Expectation Of Finding Clients.
While it’s true that I found all of my clients through networking events…
And according to HubSpot, 85% of jobs are filled through networking…
That doesn’t mean you should go to events, resume in hand, job pitch ready, and start talking to everyone you meet like you’re in the middle of an interview…
NOOOOOO.
That is probably the #1 best way to make sure you DON’T find any clients.
When you attend events with a “performance” mindset you’re going to end up annoying everyone else there…
No one is going to want to talk to you because no one wants to attend an event and get “sold to”.
Instead, go with the hope of making new connections (maybe even life-long friends!)
80% of professionals find networking essential to their career success and almost 100% believe that face-to-face meetings build stronger long-term relationships.
So THAT should be your #1 goal.
Regardless of whether those connections turn into clients, future opportunities, mentors, or biz besties…
Just go with the hope of connecting with like-minded people and making some friends.
Which is exactly the advice I gave to my introverted student who was nervous to attend her first event.
And this brings us to my next tip for events…
Tip #3 – Ditch The Pitch
This goes along with tip #2, but it’s so important that it needs it’s own category.
You’ve likely heard it said that when you’re attending a networking event, you NEED to prepare something called “your elevator pitch”.
Which is a short 30-second pitch you rattle off to everyone you meet that tells them who you are, what you do, and how you can help them.
Which might not sound like a bad idea at first…
The problem is…
At the end of the day, this is just a rehearsed sales pitch that’s designed to impress + sell to another person.
Where elevator pitches ARE important is when you’re cold pitching someone in an email or DM and you need to quickly cut through the fluff and let them know why they need to keep reading your message.
But networking face-to-face is MUCH different than cold pitching.
Remember, the whole goal is to build relationships.
And who wants to build a relationship with someone who is going around to everyone in the room rattling off the same exact pre-rehearsed sales pitch?
No one.
Remember: People hire people.
Your quirks and personality are what makes you so appealing to potential clients.
So when people ask you about what you do… just tell them. Be real.
Don’t worry about having the perfect sales pitch or trying to make yourself sound like this amazing and impressive person.
You aren’t trying to impress or woo anyone.
You’re trying to build connections.
You want people think: “Hey that person is cool, I would love to chat more with them later.”
Don’t overthink this part. It’s really so simple!
Alright, tip #4…
Tip #4 – Focus On Learning & Growing Your Skills.
People are at these events to learn something new and grow or advance their business in some way.
And that’s ultimately why YOU should be there too.
When you have the mentality that “everyone here is a student & trying to learn something new”…
It makes it a whole lot less scary to engage and participate.
Because all of a sudden, EVERYONE is on the same level as you are.
No one is “better” than you…
No one is intimating…
No one is beyond your reach.
Everyone in the room is there with the SAME purpose you are.
And I can almost guarantee that you aren’t the only person there who is feeling nervous.
So if you see anyone hanging out alone, go talk to them!
Empower yourself with the mindset that YOU can make someone else feel less alone and more comfortable.
Searing that into your brain before you go will go a long way in building your confidence.
Alright, tip #5…
Tip #5 – Ask Questions
This is such a no-brainer. If you are EVER struggling with starting a conversation…
All you have to do is ask the person you’re talking with questions.
And they can be questions about ANYTHING.
People love to talk about themselves. It’s the easiest thing for us to talk about – right?!
Of course, there are always the classics:
- “What do you do?”
- “Oh awesome, how long have you been doing that?”
- “Wow so interesting so what made you want to start that business?”
- “What did you think about that talk?”
- “I can already tell I’m going to be implementing XYZ as soon as I get home, what about you?”
Ask questions. Listen. Ask questions. Listen.
When you ask good questions and really listen to the responses, it almost automatically leads into another question you can ask or something else you can talk about.
And remember — you don’t HAVE to keep it strictly professional…
Asking about who is a person is outside their business is a great way to make connections with people you really click with!
Alright, and last but not least…
#6 – FOLLOW UP
Some of the most valuable connections are made AFTER an event is over.
When you have more time to have in-depth conversations with people…
This is when things like after-parties can be a HUGE advantage.
So if you ever attend an event that offers an after-party, like Posse Fest, make sure you go to the after-party!
That million-dollar client I told you about earlier I actually met at the after-party of the event we attended.
Anyone you connect with that you’d like to CONTINUE a relationship with in some capacity…
Make sure you get their social handles – and even email addresses if it’s relevant.
Add them on social and shoot them a message: “Hey! It was fun to connect with you at Posse Fest.”
Something as simple as that can go a LONG way for maintaining these hard-earned connections.
And that’s it!
From there you maintain your connections and see where things go…
And if you want to attend the marketing event of the year, network + connect with likeminded community, and learn all the skills and tools you need to build a businesses that feel good – not just for your customers, but for YOU…
My team and I are putting so much time, love & resources into making sure this is the absolute BEST event in the pacific northwest.
Speaking from experience, Vancouver NEVER has events at this caliber and I am SO excited to not only be hosting it, but to participate in it.
I hope to see you there this October!
Until next time, I’m Alex. Ciao for now.
