As a follow up to my session at Product Camp 8 (Austin), here is a copy of my 8-page essay on creating a better atmosphere for networking at business events

1. How to Create an Atmosphere for Better Networking
By Thom Singer, The Conference Catalyst
The impact from three years of uncertainty in the economy has had a substantial
impact on the meetings industry. Conferences, trade shows, seminars, training
programs, and conventions have faced a harder time attracting attendees and
sponsors. With corporate budgets under scrutiny those who regularly participate in
these gatherings have had to limit their number of shows, or have been absent
altogether.
The days of the “cookie cutter convention” are in the past. It is no longer enough
to simply provide the venue and agenda and let the human-to-human connections
take care of themselves. People are hungry to attend amazing events, but the
plethora of mediocre options has created an entire class of skeptical attendees.
Organizers often spend their attention on the aesthetic aspects of the agenda,
design, location, etc… without giving enough thought to creating a conference
culture that will transform the event from common to spectacular.
A major reason that is cited for attending business events is “networking
opportunities”, but once they arrive at the conference people fail to instigate the
types of conversations and interactions that lead to long-term and mutually-
beneficial relationships. Humans are experiential beings, and when they are
engaged in the experience of attending, it goes beyond just a good event and
becomes one of the great and memorable parts of their year. When this happens
they not only plan to return again the next year, but they tell their co-workers,
friends, vendors, customers and everyone else who will listen.
Certain events have thrived during the recession years. South by Southwest
Interactive (SXSWi) has doubled in size over the last few years and the TED
Conference and TEDx phenomenon exploded during the same time period. These
conferences, and others, have become “must go” events to their loyal followers
while others have seen numbers shrink. The experience created before, during and
after the event is paramount to the success. The most memorable are physical
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2. events that have created a sense of community that goes far beyond those who are
sitting in the seats at the location.
The use of the internet is part of the success equation that has propelled SXSW and
TED, but that is just part of the story. The atmosphere for making connections is
real and energetic. People are happy to be there and they are excited to network
with the other attendees. Contacts are made and deals are born in the hallways at
the best conferences. When attendees are not engaged they tend to pass the time
on their SmartPhones or back in their hotel rooms on conference calls.
The Intangible Matters
Tracking the return on investment is important for both organizers and those who
attend conferences. Everyone is actively looking to justify their expenses and
show proof of value for money and time invested in the event. But any time you
are dealing with people there is an intangible part that cannot be ignored. You
cannot track the power of the culture created at a conference, and the atmosphere
that encourages better networking will never be quantified on a spreadsheet. But
the most successful events never ignore the intangible.
I encourage organizers and attendees to create plans to maximize a conference.
Knowing ROI is part of this plan, but only seeking that which can be counted is
short sighted. I once shared a taxi from the airport to a resort hotel with another
couple who were heading the same direction. These nice people were not
attending the meeting where I was speaking, but they both had experience in the
meetings industry. I have since been in touch with them, and there may be
opportunities to speak for their companies in the future. While meeting people in a
taxi was never part of my plan, it may prove to be the most profitable part of the
trip if it leads to future business. Had I not been open to jumping into their cab, or
had I been Skyped in to deliver my presentation, I would never have had this (or
several other) serendipitous encounter.
You cannot plan on whom people will meet or how they will interact with each
other at the event, and this can drive everyone crazy who is seeking up front proof
of value. Many forgo attending conferences and trade shows because of the lack of
a measurement of these intangibles, but they forever miss out on the upside that
comes from participation at meetings, conferences, seminars, conventions, and
trade shows.
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3. The best analogy for the value of this intangible part of a conference was
mentioned in a March / April 2011 article in Association Leadership Magazine.
The topic was about calculating the value of event sponsorships, and author Estes
Sher, senior sales manager for Hilton Americas – Houston, compared the value to
the assignment of “goodwill” in the sale of a business. Goodwill is a legitimate
accounting term that expresses the value of an ongoing business beyond its assets,
resulting perhaps from the reputation the firm enjoyed with its clients. The
creation of an experience that produces a real atmosphere for positive networking
has to be calculated in the value of the ROI.
The long-term impact from the conference is often in the little things that come up
by surprise. While this can be difficult to plan and measure, creating an
atmosphere for networking and educating the audience in ways to take advantage
of making connections with each other will have a huge impact on how everyone
experiences the event.
The Speakers Set the Tone
Selecting the right speakers for your event is important. The speakers set the tone
for the whole experience, and too often how they will engage an audience is
overlooked in the selection process. There is an ongoing argument of “content vs.
style” when it comes to speakers for the main stage and breakout sessions. As the
push is toward being able to quantify all value, organizers are talking a lot about
content. Additionally in an effort to save money they are seeking industry experts
who will come to promote their business, rather than looking for professional
speakers who charge a fee to present. The combination often leaves audiences
bored in their chairs.
One meeting planner told me their board had forbidden any “motivational
speakers”, while instead only wanting “content speakers”. While I understood the
purpose behind their statement, I was curious what is the opposite of motivational?
Boring? Dull? De-Motivational? Lazy? The reality is that all speakers need to be
motivational. I am not claiming that you just want a high energy, but fluffy
presentation. Instead I am advocating for both! Just because someone is smart or
has done something cool – it does not mean they belong on your stage. You need
to ensure that all speakers have experience presenting at conferences or you take
the risk that it could undermine the whole event.
"Topics" or "types" of speakers do not always translate into impactful
presentations. If the organizer (or someone they trust) has not seen a specific
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4. speaker live on stage, they need to pay more attention to the selection process and
check with references from other conference organizers.
In the planning stages there are so many details to be taken care of that speaker
selection is often a matter of filling the slots. Speakers are sometimes selected
because they are famous or they have accomplished something amazing in their
industry with the hope that they will help sell tickets, and this is often a good
strategy. But if nobody has ever seen the speaker present, the message might not be
in alignment with the meeting's purpose or they have not perfected their public
speaking skills, and it can leave the meeting flat on its back.
Many speakers also do not like to socialize with the audience before and after their
presentations. This is not only true of the celebrity speakers. Attendees like to
meet and mingle with the speakers, and even those who are not celebrities are
famous to the audience while they are present at the event. If the speaker intends
to speak and leave it can impact the atmosphere. While scheduling conflicts often
mean that you have to allow a speaker come in, speak, and leave right after they
are done, it is best to seek speakers who are willing and able to spend some time as
an active part of the conference community. Their presence at meals, breaks and
happy hours help bring excitement to the event. If the speaker is an author,
providing a copy of their book for everyone (if your budget will allow or you can
find a sponsor) and then hosting a book signing also inspires people to talk to each
other about their experience with the speaker and his message.
Crushing the Cliques
Many events that have been going on for years have clusters of the usual attendees
which include board members and other volunteers who make the gathering an
annual reunion. These people often are VIP’s in the hosting organization and have
historically contributed to the success of the conferences. Honoring those who
have had an impact is important to keeping them engaged, and in encouraging
others to get involved, but often these people can accidently create “power broker
cliques” that are exclusive to only a chosen few. This can leave newcomers and
others on the outside feeling like it is not a welcoming atmosphere or an inviting
place to which they would want to return.
These cliques often will have influence over those who organize the conference
and are adverse to any changes in the agenda. They are happy with the way things
have always been and they resist letting the event change with the times. Not
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5. being open to new formats and other changes can create a feeling that the
conference is the same old thing each year.
Cliques exist anywhere you find large groups, and we cannot expect that they will
ever be eliminated. However, the best way to crush a clique is to expose the
harmful side effects that come from having a closed society. Organizers need to
engage the long-timers as the ambassadors for the future, and get them to lead the
charge in making people feel welcome. Host pre-event meetings for those who
might otherwise be part of cliques and encourage them lead the charge for a better
conference. Get them to go beyond socializing with old friends by inviting people
who seem to be standing alone, or new attendees to the event, into their
conversations.
One conference I witnessed let the board and former board members know that
they were failures if anyone was ever seen standing alone. There was a personal
challenge made to seek out the new attendees, and the folks who made up the
“power broker cliques” were given special welcome packages to hand out.
Everyone bought into the challenge and those who had previously been responsible
for creating a negative and closed-out mood instead became the ones who were
leading the charge to make all feel included.
External Social Parties
There are often rules that vendors and others cannot host unapproved parties or
other gatherings within the days of the show. While organizers like to sell
sponsorships and have full control of the activities that the attendees are engaged
in, tighter budgets have cut back the amount of social events, leaving more and
more free time for those in attendance. However, the rules about no outside parties
have remained in place.
The best atmospheres come with some relaxing of the rules. Allowing vendors,
who are part of the conference society, to host events that are not sanctioned or
regulated often has a positive effect on the culture of the event. Not everything has
to be on the official schedule and often people like the idea of being invited to VIP
events that are not part of the main program.
One major annual industry awards event I attend is followed by an “After Party”
sponsored by a local law firm. The after event is not “owned” by the host of the
awards program, and they do not regulate who is invited, the entertainment, or
what is on the menu. Over several years the after party grew in size and took on a
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6. life of its own. Several people skip the main event and only attend the after party,
but this does not take away from the program. Instead it has improved the
experience for everyone involved and made it easier for the host of the awards
program to sell more tables.
TED has allowed local groups to utilize its brand with the creation of TEDx, and
while there are some regulations, they are mostly open to interpretation by the
organizers in the local communities. SXSW has become legendary for the parties
hosted by large technology companies and music labels at nearby restaurants and
bars. The best ones are often the ones that are not part of the SXSW schedule.
Having too much control is not always in your best interest. Find a way to let go
of some of the social aspects of your conference and trust that the community will
have more fun and a better experience. It is often at these informal events where
the most meaningful networking connections are created.
Be Inclusive of Vendors
Many large conferences and trade shows could not exist without the support of the
vendors; however there is often an invisible wall between vendors and attendees.
The reality is that a conference is a mini-society and everyone who is present is
part of the mix.
The organizers need to work to break down these walls in advance of the show to
help the vendors stand shoulder to shoulder with the attendees, but this involves
investing to educate both sides on the value of the vendors to the attendees.
Too many people avoid the trade show floor because they do not want to have the
vendors pouncing on them to sell them something or add them to their mailing list.
Too often the vendors behave as hungry wolves that assume everyone they
encounter has pork-chop hanging around their neck. This historical assumption
that all trade show vendors are overly aggressive has made it difficult for
organizers to find ways to bring the two groups together.
The first step is to not set up artificial boundaries. Some conferences limit access
to keynotes and breakouts to attendees only. This sends a message to both sides
that vendors are a subset of the mini-society. I am sure this policy has come about
because of attendees feeling pounced upon by vendors, but instead of harming the
whole interaction between good people who should know each other. Attendees
should be informed that aggressive sales behavior is not to be tolerated and that
they should report pushy vendors who are trying too hard. At the same time
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7. vendors need to be educated on how they are expected to behave if they are going
to participate as a sponsor.
Organizers should work with the vendors in advance on how to integrate into the
society of the conference. Too many times sponsors avoid all the main stage
keynotes, networking breaks and meals. They either do not want to socialize with
the attendees (which is weird, but true) or they are utilizing that time to be online
or on other outside sales related activities. While present at a conference vendors
must participate if they wish to be seen as part of the group. Skipping the keynote
presentations means that you do not have an understanding of what everyone else
heard that day.
I had one vendor tell me that once she began attending the opening keynotes it
gave her a more natural starting point for conversations when people came to her
booth later in the day. Instead of looking for strained small talk or “how are you
today”, she was instead able to ask meaningful questions about how they felt about
the opening speeches. She later even began attending the breakout sessions, as she
could go deeper into talking about the interesting technical learning that took place
in one of the tracks. Even when someone did not attend the same breakout session,
her participation made them more equal than just “vendor and attendee”.
Continuing the Culture
There must be a commitment from the organizers and the attendees if you want to
extend the culture of the event beyond the meeting. Online tools, LinkedIn
Groups, Twitter hashtags, webinars and other communications are ways to
encourage ongoing dialogues after the attendees go home.
The National Speakers Association’s 2011 Winter Conference, “The Un-
Conference”, included a series of webinars that were hosted by attendees who had
participated in the “Un-Agenda” portion of the event. Event co-chairs Gina
Schreck and Neen James wanted to insure that the learning opportunities continued
each month after the event leading up to the organization’s Summer Convention.
The webinars were marketed as an extension of the Winter Conference, and were
available for free to attendees and other association members. Presentation topics
were a combination of stand-alone and follow-up discussions designed to help the
membership continue to learn, and extend the brand of the conference.
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8. Make the Commitment
Decide in the early stages of planning your event that you want to foster an
atmosphere for better networking and create a conference culture. Engage all the
people who are involved with the conference and ensure that everyone buys into
the importance. It takes very little to undermine these efforts or to simply make
them a lip-service while continuing to promote more of the same. A commitment
to culture needs everyone to participate. Plan for the unexpected and realize that
some of the best value can come from the intangible aspects of participation at
your event.
Select speakers who are dedicated to advancing the whole purpose of your
meeting. Do not just fill slots with anyone who has an interesting topic and make
sure that they have the right combination of content and public speaking skills.
Work with speakers who are willing to interact with your attendees and help you
advance your networking culture.
Try to lessen the influence of cliques by getting your long-time attendees to be the
ambassadors for the future by enlisting them to welcome new members and strike
up conversations with those who appear shy.
Invite vendors to the table as full participants in the event and help them get past
the stigma of being pushy in regards to their sales tactics. Position sponsors as the
conduit to more connections and educate them not to be too aggressive when they
meet prospective clients. When everyone remembers they are all people who can
cultivate long-term and mutually beneficial relationships, then there is no wall
between attendees and vendors.
Allow and encourage more social activities beyond the agenda. You do not need
to regulate every gathering that takes place within the time span of your event. If
attendees are discovering value from being at your event, they will not worry about
how hosted the after party. Your culture benefits when there are more options for
people to make meaningful connections.
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9. About Thom Singer
Thom Singer is known as “The Conference Catalyst”. He is a professional speaker
and the author of eight books on the power of business relationships, networking
and public speaking skills. With over 20 years of sales, marketing, public
relations, business development and networking experience in the business
community, Singer has worked for several Fortune 500 Companies, AM LAW 100
law firms and entrepreneurial ventures. He is an experienced observer in how
people make, grow and keep their business relationships.
Singer regularly speaks at conferences, conventions, trade shows and company
meetings around the country teaching professionals the importance of cultivating
business relationships to further their careers. His “Conference Catalyst” programs
transform the culture of events and create an atmosphere for better networking.
More information at: www.thomsinger.com
What people are saying:
"We hired Thom Singer to serve as the "Conference Catalyst" for our annual user
conference. His program added a whole new element to the conference, igniting a
sense of urgency in the attendees to meet each other, and resulting in a better
experience for everyone. I highly recommend Thom if you are looking to create a
memorable event." - Bertrand Hazard, VP of Marketing, Troux Technologies
"I have never been to a technology conference that included someone specifically
focused on the inter-personal aspects of a conference, and it really did make a
difference in the whole tone of the event! I walked away with many more good
contacts than I ever have at similar events. After the conference, I spoke to the
event organizer about how much I enjoyed your presentation and the overall
difference you made to the whole atmosphere… She wholeheartedly agreed!"
-Brice Austin, VP and Division CIO, (Major Financial Institution)
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