MAKING COMPANY EVENTS COUNT

© Copyright Alexander Group, Inc. 2008
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Event Networking
Regardless of the size of your business, it either has already happened to you or it is going to happen to you. You plan an event, outing, or a meal with clients. You invest a significant amount of time and money in the preparation and delivery, and when it is all said and done, you look back and wonder just how much and when you will actually profit from the effort.
Depending upon your business type and your approach, results from extremely well done events can vary from highly beneficial to hardly noticeable. One thing is certain; it does not matter how great your event is, if you have not prepared yourself and your employees to recognize, and act upon the opportunities that present themselves in the moment, you will not benefit beyond being known as a generous host.
There exists a very fine line between appearing to be too commercial and being appreciated for the information and opportunity that you put forth. If you have blank contracts in your sports bag, or a trunk full of product in your car in the parking lot, you will probably be viewed as too commercial. However, if you are available to answer questions, engage in both business and non business conversations, offer suggestions, and generally become a problem solving resource, then you will be welcomed into every conversation and be seen as an advantage and a class act.
The purpose of this paper is to give you a general overview of what is necessary to prepare and execute a great event. Your goal should be two-fold:
• To always maximize the business opportunities available through effective networking.
• To get the most from Corporate Event Marketing Dollars by securing leads, referrals and opportunities from those in attendance.
About the Author
Paul Alexander is the author of many white papers which apply to the financial industry. He is the creator of the bank process ADvantage-SOLutions and programs such as RealtyReferral, RealtyConnect, Customer Service as A Sales Tool and Negotiation is a Foregone Conclusion. Paul brings more than 22 years of highly diversified experience in the Performance Improvement Industry to his writings.
EVENT NETWORKING
A White Paper about How to Capitalize on Client “Face Time”
By Paul D. Alexander
One thing is certain; it does not matter how great your event is, if you have not prepared yourself and your employees to recognize, and act upon, the opportunities that present themselves in the moment, you will not benefit beyond being known as a generous host.
Your goal should be two-fold:
• To always maximize the business opportunities available through effective networking.
• To get the most from Corporate Event Marketing Dollars by securing leads, referrals and opportunities from those in attendance.

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Event Networking
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NETWORKING
Networking is the act of meeting new people, re-establishing relationships with acquaintances, existing clients and past clients in a social or casual setting, with the intention of exchanging ideas and developing mutually rewarding relationships that will ultimately lead to new selling opportunities. In the case of more retail oriented businesses, it can include the promotion and sale of new products and services.
Extroverts and Introverts will approach the opportunity to network from completely different points of view. Too often extroverts have the tendency to be overly boisterous to the point of making some people uncomfortable. Introverts, on the other hand, must force themselves to make conversation and in the end they will be the ones who are uncomfortable about the interactions. It is important for every one, regardless of their personality traits, to prepare to interact in such a way that is comfortable and advantageous for all; your employees, your managers, the clients and the customers. This typically requires practice and preparation along with commitment and determination.
PREPARATION
It is impossible to be too prepared. Preparation should include a wide array of activities from the initial concept to a detailed itinerary of all of the activities in the planned event, as well as specific goals and objectives for success. The following bullet points can act as your planning guide.
PRIOR TO:
Be ready to make the most of every networking opportunity:
• Prepare yourself both intellectually and emotionally.
• Have the proper tools and know how and when to use them.
Know who you can expect to attend.
• Know their proper name (or nickname if they prefer).
• Have a good idea of their business; both its nature and condition.
If you have personal invitees, follow up with them and confirm whether or not they plan
to attend.
Prioritize your contacts:
• From your list of invitees or expected attendees, make a list of those people with whom you would most like to do business. This should include the possibility of increasing business with certain existing customers or winning new business.
Be ready to make the most of every networking opportunity.
Know who you can expect to attend.
If you have personal invitees follow up with them and confirm whether or not they plan to attend.
Prioritize your contacts.
Bring plenty of business cards and any other relevant items of interest.
Visualize how you can help your customers.
Prepare a hook that will get the customer’s attention.
PRIOR TO:

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• If what you are after is a conquest (a business which currently belongs to another company), think through your subliminal selling strategy. Consider committing your strategy to paper to ensure that you have it clear in your mind. For example:
o If the client is interested in Excellent Customer Service or has been put off by your competitions’ service, offhandedly mention how important customer service is to you and your entire organization.
o A very effective method is to tell an anecdote about some third party customer service experience and then inject your opinion of the outcome.
o This process should showcase your propensity to put customer satisfaction and service above all else.
Bring plenty of business cards and any other relevant items of interest.
• If your list of priority customers includes someone who you really want to win, try to bring something of interest for the person. It is the thoughtful details that make all of the difference in relationship management. For example;
o If you know that the individual is interested in organic farming, bring a current copy of “Mother Earth News” and mark a specific article that you think will be of particular interest. This is the process of knowing your customers. DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
Visualize how you can help your customers.
• If you know that one of your customers is thinking of expansion, or some business change that will offer an opportunity for you, be prepared to talk about how you can help.
• What products and services can you offer that will make your customer’s life easier, his business more profitable, and achieve his goals? This is the process of truly focusing on your client’s success.
Prepare a hook that will get the customer’s attention.
• The hook should be intriguing, timely, appropriate, advantageous, and easy to describe in simple terms, in the casual environment of an event.
• The customer should never feel that you are fishing or maneuvering.
EVENT DAY:
Make it a point to speak to everyone.
• Welcome each person.
• If they do not know who you are and/or what you do, introduce yourself.
• Be sure to pass out business cards whenever possible and
Make it a point to speak to everyone.
Be excited and positive.
Do not spend time with just your friends.
Look for Proactive Networking opportunities.
Make sure that the people, customers and clients, with whom you network, know exactly what you do.
EVENT DAY:

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appropriate.
• Do not thank people for coming. Be happy that they came, and tell them how pleased you are that they were able to attend. If your event is well planned and well delivered, they will be grateful for having been invited.
Be excited and positive
Do not spend time with just your friends; this is the perfect opportunity to talk to everyone. It is not always easy to make casual conversation with people that you do not know well; however, this is your chance to get to know those people and for them to know you and the business advantage that you can provide.
Look for Proactive Networking opportunities.
• If you know of individuals who might like to do business together, not necessarily with you, rather with each other, set the environment by speaking with both separately, then introduce them with a brief recap of what you are thinking. (This helps build your intrinsic value with two clients at the same time.)
Make sure that the people, customers and clients, with whom you network, know exactly what you do.
• Do not assume that everyone knows what your job function is and what products and services you provide.
• Talk about things that you do, give examples of how you help people. Make your conversation and explanations relative to your audience. Again, focus on your customer’s and client’s success.
INTERPERSONAL DYNAMICS
Good, effective Networking is a challenging task. It is something with which many of us are not really comfortable. However, if your job involves customer contact, it is essential not only that you do it, but you must do it well. Depending upon the depth of your personal discomfort with networking there are things that you can do which will make the task much easier for you.
You have probably heard the term “wingman” often used for applications in social settings. For many, a wingman can provide a great balance in a networking environment. This is someone who can take the pressure off of you during those conversational lulls, look for things that you might miss, and someone who can provide emotional support. This is not an accidental occurrence. You should choose your wingman carefully based upon his/her personality and the type of understanding and relationship that you have. You should discuss,
Good, effective Networking is a challenging task. It is something with which many of us are not really comfortable.
For many, a wingman can provide a great balance in a networking environment.

in advance, potential scenarios and how they should be handled. You must be comfortable enough with your wingman to be able to review and discuss the circumstances that made you uncomfortable at networking events in the past.
The dynamics of group conversation are often much more comfortable than one on one. With a wingman, you will be assured that any given conversation will always include at least three people; you, your potential client/customer, and your wingman. Your co-worker/ wingman can be your security blanket.
Observing and understanding body language can be very helpful in business. There are volumes and volumes of research available about body language. In election years, body language experts report on their interpretation of what the candidates really meant based upon their movements and physical behavior. Be aware of subtle body language and minimal indicators, some pointers are:
o Is the individual focused on you or continually glancing away?
o Is he/she willingly making eye contact?
o Is he/she breathing normally, not too slow (bored) or too fast (anxious to break away from you)?
o Does he/she ask you, more than once, to repeat what you have just said?
If you interpret the body language of the person that you are trying to engage as negative and inattentive, there are several things that you can do:
o Change subjects, look for something business related or personal that will capture the other person’s attention. It is obvious that what you are talking about is not interesting to the other person, so change.
o Interject some new, subject related key words into the conversation and gauge the other person’s reaction. This may give you a topic of interest for that individual.
o If it appears that the real problem is timing, arrange to talk at another time.
o If whatever changes you make are ineffective and/or make the situation worse, look for a way to gracefully disengage from the conversation. The other person
will be silently grateful. It is much better to have no conversation than to have one that includes negative connotations.
Be aware of subtle body language and minimal indicators.
Be aware that while other people’s body language is obvious to you, yours is also obvious to them.

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Be aware that while other people’s body language is obvious to you, yours is also obvious to them. Be conscious of, and careful with, your own body language:
o Try to keep your arms open and generally receptive.
o Listen actively to all that is said and make comments that demonstrate you are listening.
o Be attentive, make eye contact.
o Do not continually glance away. This action clearly states that you would rather be somewhere else.
o Be casual and relaxed, do not act like a salesman on the hunt.
At our events, we are there to serve our clients and customers. We should always do our best to make the event memorable in a positive way:
o Make sure everyone gets to participate in whatever activities they wish.
o If food is part of the event make sure they get plenty to eat.
o Make sure everyone is comfortable, emotionally as well as physically (you do not want your clients standing when they need to sit, and you do not want them to feel like they are out of place).
START YOUR OWN BUZZ
Buzz is a term often used when referring to the incredible amount of talk about an individual or an event. When an actor wins an Oscar the media reports daily on every aspect of that actor’s life and daily activities. That occurrence is true buzz. The end result is that every movie that the actor has starred in will be viewed more, and that actor’s box office value will increase exponentially. For most of us creating a Hollywood type buzz will probably always be just a dream. However, we can do things that will cause people to talk positively about us and our business. To make this happen we must do things that are buzz-worthy. Things that are special, unique, advantageous and short lived are a good place to start
If you would like to start your own buzz, you should:
o Make a list, and commit to memory, all of the great things that are happening in your business. Be excited about these things and be prepared to talk about them in detail.
o Be prepared, if appropriate, to include facts and figures in your conversation. Talk about the benefits and importance of what you have to offer. This will ensure that attendees will remember the salient information that you have provided.
At our events, we are there to serve our clients and customers. We should always do our best to make the event memorable in a positive way.
START YOUR OWN BUZZ
We can do things that will cause people to talk positively about us and our business.

BOTTOMLINE
Depending upon your type of event and the number of attendees, there can be considerable cost related to your company sponsored events. What you want is to have measurable results which will justify the need and value of the opportunity. Without wanting this to sound too abrupt, you should expect to get something in return from the attendees. After all, you have given something to them. They should anticipate that there is no such thing as a free lunch. The something that you expect in return is not necessarily them sitting down and writing a check. At the same time, it is not something that will just mysteriously present itself to you. It will be necessary for you to analyze each contact and decide how to best obtain some immediate result. If what you decide to do is not done soon, it will be much less effective because the memory of your great event will begin to dissipate quickly. Results that you can expect might include things such as:
o Future lunch for further discussion.
o Future meeting.
o Increased business
o An introduction to someone with whom you would like to do business (this introduction should include a personal endorsement from the contact).
o Referrals (you should always ask for them at every opportunity).
o An opportunity to make a proposal for future business
A great event is an opportunity and it is a terrible thing to waste. It is only through careful planning, preparation, and execution that you can expect to reap results which are relative to your investment. When an event is well planned, it will be well attended and as the events of the day unfold, they will seem natural, unhurried and unplanned.
It is only through careful planning, preparation, and execution that you can expect to reap results which are relative to your investment.

MAKING COMPANY EVENTS COUNT

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