You’ve been working your networking strategy – attending events, perfecting your elevator speech, and following up. Even with all of that coffee, you’re starting to feel like you’re not meeting the right people or the events in your area aren’t exactly what you’re looking for.

Maybe it’s time you take charge and host your own networking event! As the host of your own event, you are in charge of the guest list, flow and feel of the event, and, of course, the logistics (time, place, etc).

BONUS: hosting and sponsoring an event, sets you up as a business leader in the community and gives you and your business a huge boost in exposure!

So, let’s make it a success!

1. Keep it simple. For you and your guests, using a pre-registration tool like Eventbrite, makes registration and guest tracking easy. Pre-registration boosts the attendees commitment and makes it easier for your to estimate and track attendance. Check out Eventbrite options, including email reminders and calendar invites.

2. Consider the details. The time and place you choose will set the feel and flow of your event. Consider the type of event you’d like to host – decisions, such as time of day, location, and food/beverage will impact the overall feel of the event. In choosing your event space, don’t forget to consider ease of access and parking options for your guests!

3. Meet EVERYONE and facilitate connections. As the host of the event, make sure to meet everyone and thank them for attending. Take a genuine interest in their goals and find out more about them and what they’re looking for in networking. As the host of the event, it’s your job to help people connect, so use this information to introduce guests. Your event will be a huge success if people walk away feeling like they’ve accomplished a networking goal and left with a new, meaningful business connection.

4. Have a team behind you. You can’t manage everyone yourself! Have a few business colleagues who are great connectors and business leaders ready to help manage the crowd. These people will be on the lookout for stragglers and help to get them involved in the conversation.

5. Follow up. With your registration list in hand, reach out to all attendees to find out how they liked the event and if they were successful in developing their connections. If they were unsuccessful, this is a great one-on-one opportunity to find out more and personally introduce them to someone in your network. Be sure to invite them to your next event!!

Ready to take the next step in your networking journey? Give us a call at Piccolo Marketing at 615-348-7768 to get started planning your big event!