Julia Palmer of the Business Networking Academy has attended thousands of business conferences. She helps people learn how to build strategic networking skills so that the cost of a conference does not go to waste.
“One of the first things we want to look at is ‘What do you need to get out of the event and who do you need to meet?'” Julia recently said at Kochie’s Business Builder’s Boot Camp in Sydney. “You can meet your colleagues and catch up with them any time, so you need to be a little bit more strategic when it comes to maximising the outcome or the value of a conference like this.
“We’ve had some amazing entrepreneurs, incredible speakers, great sessions and amazing sponsors here. If you look around, everything you need for small business is actually here, and yet a lot of people won’t maximise that. You have to say, ‘Okay, I’m here. How can I feel more comfortable and confident to actually meet these people?’ The more strategic you are, and the more tools you have, the more comfortable you get over time.”
Even shy people can learn how to maximise the value of a business conference through savvy networking, Julia explained: “I actually think shy people network better than the overt ‘card collectors’. Shy people should get very excited by this — because shy people are good at listening. I think the key thing with shy people is to arrive early to a room so that you’re not overwhelmed by walking in and seeing lots of people. If you’re there early, a lot of people actually come up to you, so it does take the pressure off a little bit. And at the end of the day, if you have a strategy, you do feel more comfortable, regardless of whether you’re an introvert or extrovert. The key is to have that strategy and get out of your comfort zone. The relationships you make at conferences help take your business to the next level, and we’ve got to keep that vision in mind.”
“I love technology. I think it’s an enabler and a great resource. However, I think we’ve become too technologically focused when it comes to networking. There’s a big presence of social media and we need to find that balance.
Julia also explained that although social media is great for networking, it should not overshadow face-to-face connections: “I love technology. I think it’s an enabler and a great resource. However, I think we’ve become too technologically focused when it comes to networking. There’s a big presence of social media and we need to find that balance. The great thing about social media is that you can use it to say, ‘I’ll see you at this conference.’ Then you’ve got to follow through with the face-to-face to take that relationship to the next level. I do think social media has a place, but I think we need to find the right balance and make sure that we don’t dismiss the face-to-face side because that’s where to really get the trust, and the deeper conversations happen face-to-face.”
Enjoy this interview with Julia Palmer!
Kochie’s Business Builder’s Boot Camp was supported by the Australian Businesswomen’s Network.
