The Handy Guide to Cashing in the Currency of Networking

1. to Cashing in the Currencyof NETWORKING THE HANDYGUIDE

2. Table ofContents 04 13 17 24 30 39 An Insight into EventNetworking Different Stakeholders Involved in EventNetworking TheInsandOutsofanEventNetworkingPlatform How Technology is Helping in Setting ‘BusinessDates’ WhyEventNetworkingPlatformisanExcellentInvestment Bonus Chapter: 10 Unconventional Ways in WhichEvent Planners have Facilitated Networking atEvents THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

3. INTRODUCTION Humanbeingsaresocialanimals.Weareinterdependent. This is a fact that applies to almost every aspect of our lives. From a pro- fessionalperspective,aneffectivenetworkiscrucialtosuccess.Thepeople you know domatter. But,howexactlydoyoubuildthesecontacts?Howexactlydoyounetwork? Worrynot,forinthisbookweshallcovertheessentialbasicsofnetworking. From essential tips to networking technology, here’s your ultimate guide to cashing in the true currency ofnetworking. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

4. 1 AN INSIGHTINTO EVENT NETWORKING Meetings, conventions, conferences, and trade shows are the market lead- ers of the event industry in the 21st century. The US alone accounts for 1.8 millionbusinessmeetings,conferences,tradeshowsetc.withmorethan205 millionattendees. Beingapartofanycorporateindustryintheworld,youtoomusthaveno- ticed and attended many local, national or even global conferencesand events of your industry. But despite these numbers, most attendees often fail to answer one simplequestion: Whatlong-termbenefitsdoyougainfromattendingaconference? Googlesearch‘Benefitsofattendingconferences’andyouwillcomeacross nolessthana100ofthem.Buthowmanyofthosebenefitsdoyouactually find applicable in yourcase? Attendingalarge-scaleconferenceisnobigdeal.Yourcontactandyour company’sextendednetworkswouldhelpyoufindanentryinmanyex- travagantevents. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

5. ANINSIGHTINTOEVENTNETWORKING • Businesseventsareagreatsourceforbuildingcontacts.Networkingisone ofthemostessentialaspectsofattendingsuchgatherings.Good,meaning- fulbusinessrelationshipsareanimportanttakeawayfromanyevent. • Event planners have realized the importance of networking for attendees. Thatiswhyamajorityofeventplannersthesedaysmakesuretofacilitate networkinginsomewayortheother.Itcouldbeanice-breakingeventora networkingsession. • Butinordertoensurethatyouactuallyyieldsomethingoutofit,oneneeds • toprepare.Letusunderstandwheretobeginwithforthesepreparations. • Understanding theAchievable • Beforebeginningthepreparations,jotdowntheanswertothisquestion: • Whatdoyouaimtoachievefrom • attending a professionalevent? • Goonwiththisblogifyourlistsome- what matches to thisone. • Expanding industryknowledge • Long-termNetworking • Nowthatwehaveonhandourrequirementsandtheachievablebenefits, we can begin with thepreparations. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

6. ANINSIGHTINTOEVENTNETWORKING • Expand your knowledgehorizons • Whilethebooksandblogsyoureadhavean enormous amount of knowledge, learning things from your industry speakersand influencers is a totally differentthing. • Not only do you get to find out the deeper insightsoftheindustry,youalsogettolearn about the recent trends, technologies, and innovations in the industry. But the question remains, how to retain theirdeliverables • for a longtime? • KnowledgeManagement • A recent survey says that the amount of information received by a person every day is equivalent to reading 174 newspapers daily. Adding to it, you havetheinformationgivenbytheseconferencespeakers.Suchinformation overdosepreventsyoufromperceivingmorethan80%ofwhatisreceived. • Thus,ifyouwanttoactuallyyieldsomethingoutofwhatthosespeakers saidinthelastevent,managetheinformationyoureceive.Afewsimple steps would help you dothis. • Record thesessions • Useaudio/videorecordersorsimplytakedowndigitalnotestorecordthe information received. Store them and keep themaccessible. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

7. ANINSIGHTINTOEVENTNETWORKING • Onceyouhaveallthedeliveredinformationavailable,youcandecidewhich thingsmakesensetoyouandwhichonesdon’t.Plus,thiswillhelpyouhave arevisionoftheinformationlong-timeaftertheevent. Allyouneedtodois go back to yourrecords! • Filter andchoose • Everyeventwouldhaveanumberoftalksandpresentations.Itishumanly impossibleandpracticallyawastetoattendeverysingleoneofthese. • Thatiswhy,itiscrucialthatbeforegoingtotheevent,gothroughtheses- sions’detailsandfilteroutthesessionswhichwouldbeusefulforyou. • Getthedetailsofthespeakersandanalyzetheusefulnessofthesession foryou.Thisway,youwouldsaveyourtimebyskippingtheunnecessary ones. • Question, learn,network • Industryleadersfunctionasthespeakersofprofessionalevents.Thisisthe reason the speakers aremasters in the field. • While attending their presentations, feel free to interact with them and comeupwithquestions.Notonlyduringthepresentation,youcancontinue the conversation after it as well. This will not only help you learn but also network with thesepioneers. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

8. ANINSIGHTINTOEVENTNETWORKING • Have your owndiscussions • Never limit yourself to the discussions taking place in the event. Bring out your learning and use the information to have other discussions as well. Interactwithyourofficecolleaguesorotherpeersandunderstandthetopic waybetter. • Build long-term businessnetworks • Though learning is a benefit of attending professional events, it is the secondary goal of most of the attendees. The primary goal, however, is to build anetwork. Meeting people from various domains of your industry can help you build crucial long-term relationships for your professionallife. • Thesenetworkscanhelpyougrowyourclientele,findyounewsponsorsor justhelpyouinvariouspartsofyourbusiness.However,youneedtostrate- gizeyournetworkingbeforehandinordertobuildonlyusefulcontacts. • Afterall,youdon’twanttowasteyourtimewithpeopletotallyunrelatedto • your industry andbusiness. • The Mere ExposureEffect • Familiarityprincipleorwhatpsychologistscallthe‘mereexposureeffect’is averyefficientmethodofnetworkingatprofessionalevents. • Thisprinciplesaysthatwhenexposedtoaperson,ideaorthingrepeatedly, our inclination towards it increases and we find it more preferable. You can usethisprincipleefficientlytobuildusefulnetworksatyournextprofession- al event. How? Let’ssee: THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

9. ANINSIGHTINTOEVENTNETWORKING • TheStarters • Beforeintroducingyourselfandmakinguseofthefamiliarityprinciple,you • need somepreparations. • First of all, recognize the people you wish to build contacts with. There are going to be a lot of fellow attendees and speakers. Building contacts with allofthemisnotpossible.Thatiswhyitisessentialtofilterouttherelevant people. • Findtheindustriestheybelongtoandunderstandiftheircontactcanhelp you. Shortlist the people you wish to network with and learn more about them indetail. • TheExecution • Nowthatyouknowthepeople,itistimetointeract and execute the principle wediscussed. • Begin this process before the event. Create small relevant surveys or polls on the event community. Ask questions from the speakers sessions which mightbeusefultootherattendeesas well.Orsimply strike up a discussion on a significant topic. This will help other attendees recognizeyou. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

10. ANINSIGHTINTOEVENTNETWORKING • Suchknowledgedistributionwouldplaytheroleofthesecondtriggerinthe familiarizationprocess.Itwillnotonlyhelpyougetrecognizedbutalsogive yousomeperspectiveaboutyourfellowattendees. • Itwillhelpyoubuildapositivereputationforyourselfandotherattendees wouldlookuptoyourknowledgeandfindings. • After having these conversations and discussions, you have now become known to other attendees. You can also use the networking platform to set upmeetingswithattendeesyoufindimportant.Yourpre-establishedrecog- nitionwouldhelpyousetupthesemeetingseasily. • Sidestep theBummers • Evenafterallsuchpreparations,youcanstillendupwithnoorminimalre- sults.Everythingdiscussedfornetworkingtillnowisthepreparatorystage. Theactualresultsaregainedpostthemeetingsyouhave. • There are a lot of mistakes you can create in these meeting. Make sureto sidestep them. • a. Network with aplan • Don’t just go on networking with people from your industry. Ensure to filter out the people before you begin networking. If not, youmight end up in a meeting without any goal atall. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

11. ANINSIGHTINTOEVENTNETWORKING Get thedetails Inordertounderstandthemutualbenefitsthatyouandyourpotential networkcanprovide,youneedtoknowthem. Findoutthedetailsoftheirbusinessandunderstandhowyoucanbehelpful to eachother. Define thepurpose Onceyouchooseyournetworks,definethepurposeofthemeetingto yourself and to them aswell. Thisincludesthingslikewhydoyouwishtonetworkwiththemorwhatben- efits can they yield fromthis meeting. Be ready with thecontent Have some topics in mind and ensure that you are reaching the meeting withyourcontentready.Thoughitmightnotbeameetingwhereyouare presentingsomething,butgiventhefactthatyouhaveapproachedthem, you need something to workon. Youcaneitherhavemutualideastoshareoryoucanbriefthemwithyour businessmodelandaskthemforthesupportthatyourequirefromthem. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

12. ANINSIGHTINTOEVENTNETWORKING Networkingandlearningaretwoverybroaddomainsofbenefitsofattend- ingevents. Asanattendee,inordertoensuretomakethemostofanevent,justclearly defineyourgoalsandmotivesbehindattendingtheseevents.Onceyouare clear with that, you can prepare accordingly and make sure that another event attended won’t be invain. Asaneventplanner,itiseasytofindwaystofacilitateeventnetworking once you learn the workings of the process. Understanding how your attendeesaimtogainmaximumROIthroughyoureventusingthesenet- workingtipswillhelpyouworkondeliveringthesame. Overall,thereareanumberofstakeholdersinvolvedintheprocessofevent networking.Letusdiscussthesestakeholdersinthenextchapter. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

13. 2 STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVEDIN EVENTNETWORKING Contrary to popular belief, networking is not just about the attendees. Therearealotofotherstakeholdersaswellthatneedyourattentionwhen it comes to event networking. While the basics of networking remain the same for all, the goals they are trying to achieve through networking are usually verydifferent. Thetargetstakeholderstheywishtoworkwithalsodifferaccordingtotheir motives. Identifying these different stakeholders of event networking and under- standingtheirrequirementsisverycrucial.Onlyaftersuchathoroughanal- ysiscanyoudevelopnetworkingtoolsthatwouldbebeneficialforthemall. Letushaveaquicklookatallofthesestakeholders: 1.Sponsors: The mutually-benefiting relationship between aspon- sor and an event organiser goes beyond the aspects of money. While a sponsor can add to your event’s success in many different ways, you can also impact their ROI by considering their role innetworking. Theprimarygoalofsponsorsisusuallytonetworkwiththeirpotentialcus- tomers who usually are yourattendees. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

14. STAKEHOLDERSINVOLVEDINEVENTNETWORKING Companies wish to sponsor events because unlike traditional advertise- ments,theygettohavealiveinteractionwiththeirtargetaudience.Thatis why,sponsorsusuallywishtoinfluencetheminanimpactfulwayatevents ratherthansimplyputtingupproductorservicesadvertisements. Beinganeventprof,itisyourresponsibilitytoensurethatthesponsorsget alltherequiredchannelsforsuchpromotionalactivities. Exhibitors/Traders: If you are organising tradeshows or exhibitions, the traders or exhibitors will also be added to your list of networking stakeholders. While the formalsettingofsucheventsprovidesthemwith some audience exposure, it is usually notenough. They need other ways as well to showcase their ideas, products, services,etc. Theyneedsomemoreinteractivewaysthatwouldhelpthemnetworkwith theirtargetaudiencebeforeoraftertheformalexhibition. Thisisnecessaryforthembecausesuchextrainteractionshelpthemcon- nectwiththeirtargetaudiencebetterandfulfilltheirgoalseasily. Speakers/Performers: Speakers or Performers are also instrumental in drivingalotofattendeestoyour event. Youmight evencallthemthefront-end“starsoftheshow”. However, there is one prominentmisconception about eventspeakers. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

15. STAKEHOLDERSINVOLVEDINEVENTNETWORKING Eventprofsusuallybelievethatspeakersattendeventsonlyformonetary benefits. Whilefinancesconstituteoneofthefactors,itisdefinitelynottheonlyrea- son. Each speaker or performer wishes to make their “brand” even more popular and preferred by frequently reaching out to new people. Your eventsworkasoneoftheplatformsforthemtodothis. Thatiswhy,theywishtointeractwiththeattendeesapartfromtheirformal session. Interactions with speakers or performers can also be a profitable andinterestingwayofincreasingtheaudienceengagement. 4.Attendees: Attendeesaredefinitelythecentralfocusofevent networking. Attendees aim to network with other attendeesofyoureventwhomightbetheprofes- sionals from their industry. They also wish to net- work with the traders, speakers and other people whomightbeapartofyourevent. Asaneventprof,youalsoneedtounderstandthatthenetworkinggoalsof the attendees are anything but uniform. They might just wish to know other people from their industry, they might wish to learn something better from thespeakersortheperforms,theymightwanttolookforpotentialbusiness associatesortheymightsimplywishtoincreasetheircontacts. Whatever be their motives, you need to ensure that your attendees get the requiredplatformforinteractingandnetworkingwiththeirfellowattendees and all the other eventstakeholders. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

16. STAKEHOLDERSINVOLVEDINEVENTNETWORKING 5.Organisers: Aneventorganizerhasvariousmotivesofhosting the event. They might have certain goals and ambitionsintheirmindthattheyplantofulfillwith the event. Whatever they might be, it is essential for organisers as well tonetwork. They need to interact with all the other stakeholders of the event in order tofulfilltheirindividualgoals.Thatiswhy,wheneveryouareworkingonthe networking tools of your event, always make sure to include them as a crucialstakeholder. These were the general categories in which you can usually classify your eventnetworkingstakeholders.Networkingisacrucialaspectofyourevent whichisusuallythefocusandgoalofalmostallofthestakeholdersofyour event.Makesuretocomeupwithsomethingthatwouldhelpthemall. Onewaytodothatisusingeventtechnology.Itisoneofthemostpopular way of facilitating efficient event networking, fulfilling the requirements of all the stakeholders involved. In the upcoming chapters, we shall discuss various tech-tools that event planners opt for in order to optimize networking atevents. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

17. 3 THEINS&OUTSOFEVENT NETWORKINGPLATFORM “Networking is not about collecting contacts. Networking is about plantingrelations.” People attend events for all sorts of multiple purposes. From generating leadstocollectingfunds,eacheventhasitsownagenda.Sodothepeople who attend suchevents. Personally, I like to interact with and meet new people whenever I go toan event. That stack of business cards received along with the new connec- tions gained across Social Mediaplatforms always give me a sense of satisfactionintermsofmakingthemostoutoftheeventIjustattended. Socialcontactsareoneofmyfavouritetake-awaysfroman event. Somepeopleattendeventsforthesakeofgettingnewexperienceswhile othersattendsucheventsforgettingtoknowmoreaboutaparticularin- dustryandgetmorecontacts.Networkingisoneofthemajorreasonsfor whichpeoplesign-upforandattendsanevent. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

18. THEINS&OUTSOFEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORM What exactly is the purpose ofnetworking? Dictionary defines networkingas “Interaction with others to exchange information and developprofessional or socialcontacts.” So, what exact purpose do these ‘contacts’serve? Be it any business or profession, networking is key to growth and devel- opment.Affiliatingwithpeopleinthesamefieldwithyouwillleadtomore opportunities. Itwillalsopavewayforexchangeofideasandknowledgealongwithfruit- fulcollaborations.Aneventisagatheringofpeoplefromallfacetsoflife. Hence,itmakesupforaperfectplacetonetworkandmeetmorepeople. Attendeesataneventinteractwithfellowprofessionalsandbuildcontacts for mutual benefits. Initially, this was done through offline platforms. Even today,certaineventsareorganizedsolelyfornetworkingpurposes. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

19. THEINS&OUTSOFEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORM Withtheevolutionoftechnology,theeventsindustryhasseensomemajor technologicalinnovations.Adirecteffectofthisisamajorshiftfromoffline to online platforms for carrying out major tasks related to event planning such as registrations, feedback,etc. Event websiteand event appare some of the most important event tech trends that have taken over the industry. Seeing the increasing rate of event websiteand event app adoption, developers of such SaaS products havetakentointegratingthenetworkingaspectwithsuchonlineplatforms aswell.ThishasledtotheriseoftheEventNetworkingPlatform. The NetworkingPlatform: So,whatexactlyisanetworkingplatform?Itisanonlineplatformdesigned for registered attendees of an event. It is a platform where attendees can connectandinteractwitheachotherprior,duringandevenaftertheevent. Think about it, isn’t it better to explore the event community virtually before youattendtheevent?Connectwithfellowattendees,haveachatwith them, share information and interact. It makes it much easier and much more efficienttonetworkatanevent,savingupyour time. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

20. THEINS&OUTSOFEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORM The nitty-gritty of the NetworkingPlatform: Theattendeescanchatwitheachother,findfellowattendeeswithsimilar professionorinterestsandinteract.Socialmediaforthatone event, ifyou will. But, it is far more professional andefficient. There are various kinds of networking platforms in the market. Some dis- tributestandalonenetworkingplatformseventorganizerscanuseforone particularevent. Networkingplatformshavetakeneventnetworkingtoawholenewlev- el. With a plethora of features, such platforms can aid event attendees net’work’ their way through theevent. Someofthefeaturesofnetworkingplatformscurrentlyexistinginthemar- ketare: 1.Chatting: Integrating chat-bots with networking platforms makesiteasierfortheattendeestohaveone-one conversations online. People can talk, chat and discussideasandproposalspriortothe event. Italsomakesiteasierforpeopletogettoknoweachotherandtodecide whetherornotthepersonontheotherendoftheconversationisafruit- ful contact to build upon. Only after the conversation can people decide whetherornotaface-to-facemeetingisrequired. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

21. THEINS&OUTSOFEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORM Engagement: Engagementis one of the key features in a net- working platform. Apart from its obviousbenefits, engagement is one way to increase your net- working platform adoption. One way to engage the attendees is by sending out scheduled push notifications. Gamification is another way to reel in the attendees. Networking games integratedwiththeplatformwillsurelyinterestandengagetheattendees and also help break theice. Correct B2Bmatchmaking: An event will have all sorts of attendees from different domains and with different purposes. One thing that makes such networkingplatform convenient is accuratematchmaking. Be it investors looking for entrepreneurs or clients looking for vendors, a goodnetworkingplatformscanhelpfilterrelevantattendeesandsortthem accordingly. One-on-onemeetings: According to Hubspot, 95% say face-to-face meetings are essential for long-term business relationships. It is necessary to arrange face-to- facemeetingsfortheattendeesdespitethechat- botfeature. Networkingplatformsfacilitateschedulingoneononemeetingand developsaschedulebasedonthesame. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

22. THEINS&OUTSOFEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORM Maintainingschedule: Attendees might interact with quite a few fellow attendees. They would want to set up meetings while simultaneously managing sessions thatthey would like toattend. A networking platform that allows the attendees to maintain a track of the meetingsthattheyhavesetupandsessionsthattheywouldwanttoattend is really beneficial and convenient. Adding a ‘reminder’ feature is an added bonus. ContentSharing: Some Networking platforms also facilitated content sharing through an Event feedfeatures. Attendees can share usefull articles, photosand videos with thecommunity. Thishelpsincollectiveknowledgesharingthroughoutthe event. Discussionforums/Polls: The true measurement of audience engagement istheamountofinputgainedfromtheattendees. One of the purposes of networking too is to gain inputsandideasfromfellowattendeesinorderto increaseknowledge. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

23. THEINS&OUTSOFEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORM Networkingplatformshavediscussionforumsandpollingfeatureswhereby attendeescansharetheiropiniononaparticulartopic,asessionor aspeaker. 8. Communitybuilding: Community feature in anetworking platform has multiple benefits. It makes it really easy to find people in the similar field as yours and connect with them. People can post, comment, like just like in any social media group. These postscanalsobemoderated.Thuscommunitybuildingfacilitatesrelevant and simplernetworking. Aneventnetworkingplatformisaboontoeventorganizersthathasalot ofbenefits. As technology develops, new updates are introduced. Some networking platforms even integrate virtual assistanceto further the convenience of theattendees,guidingthemintermsofwhomtoapproach,whichstallsto visit,etc. This is just the beginning. Networking platforms areconstantly evolving and developing, helping the organizers to optimize their event and take it to a whole newlevel. Youknowthewhat’sandhow’s,learnwhyaneventnetworkingplatformis a worthy investment in the upcomingchapter. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

24. 4 HOWTECHNOLOGYISHELPINGIN SETTING ‘BUSINESSDATES’? Technologyoftengetsabadreputationforlimitingourface-to-facehuman interaction.However,moreandmoreattendeesthrivetobuildnewconnec- tions at events, we see that technology has actually helped in enhancing the communication withothers. With the advent of technology in our daily lives, the line between physical andvirtualcommunicationisgettingblurred.Whilethisdoesn’tsimplymean thatyoukeepyourselfgluedtoyoursmartphone. There are many tools at your disposal that you can use to expand your networksandaddtoyourexperience.Here’showtechnologyisshapingthe future of networking atevents. 1. Connecting Attendees through the NetworkingPlatform Manyofusaren’tskilledwhenitcomestonetworking.Walkingintoahuge event can be massivelyintimidating. To whom you should approach? Where do you meetpeople? Howdoyouconnectwiththespeakerswhomyou’vebeenfollowingon Twitter since 4years? THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

25. HOWTECHNOLOGYISHELPINGINSETTING‘BUSINESSDATES’? Eventtechnologyisthesolutiontosuchissuesandanswerstoalltheprob- lems that attendees face duringnetworking. Withtheexcessofinformationavailableonseminars,showsandspeakers available at a single touch, mobile, in particular, can help people aware about the events from the areas of their interest. And where like minded connections gather, connections are bound tohappen. Large-scale events can be adifficult place to form concreteconnections, but a networking platform can help you get past the initial hurdles and awkward introductionstage. Through a networking platform, attendees are empowered toknow other attendees even before they enter theevent. Youcansetupbasicintroductoryinformationincludinginterestsand professionalbackground. This makes it easier for people to form a personal connection when they finally meet.Andwhenyoubuildpersonalizedconnections,therearegreater chancesyou’llwanttodobusinesswiththem. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

26. HOWTECHNOLOGYISHELPINGINSETTING‘BUSINESSDATES’? 2. Fostering Discussion &Participation Meetingpeopleisstepone,butengagingwiththoselike-mindedpeopleis going to add another level of value to the event experience. Networking platformsprovideasimpler,moreintuitivewayofmakingthishappen. Whether through real-time polling, Q&As, or discussion boards, it can provide a road for your attendees to make their voice heard andget feed- back on theirideas. One of the hottest technology this year is iBeacons, aproximity detection technology has been transforming events by triggering location-specific prompts forinteraction. Attendees are actually encouraged by this technology to “Join the Con- versation” when they enter the specific part of the venue. Networking plat- formsenablethemtohaveaccesstootherattendees’profilesandareable tosendmessagesdirectlywithintheapp,eliminatingtheoftenintimidating taskofapproachingstrangersatanevent. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

27. HOWTECHNOLOGYISHELPINGINSETTING‘BUSINESSDATES’? 3. Inspiring the Most RelevantConnections It is equally critical for a networking platform to set up right kind of people apartfrommakingthemjointheconversation.Withdeeperpersonalization andtheuseofin-apprecommendations,eventtechnologycanhelpattend- eesconnectwiththosewhoaremostlikelytomakethathappen. Let’s take the example of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit tounderstand this conceptbetter. Organizers of Gandhinagar based Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2017 event wantedtofacilitatetheabovediscussedprocessofbuildingarobustnet- workingscene. Organizers with the help of Hubilo created a specifically customized net- workingplatformintegratedwiththeireventappalongwithavirtualassis- tant which not only matched people’s requests and offers for knowledge butalsohelpedinscheduling“businessdates”atevents. Youcanhavealistofnamesandtitlesofotherpeopleattheevent,butit’s difficult to do the actual business with a good number of people from the international market. This is where we gotinvolved. Our mission was to help attendees in breaking the ice and facilitate a commonplatformtonotonlynetworkanddobusinessbutalsoplantlife- longrelations.” MayankAggarwal CTO and Co-Founder ofHubilo THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

28. HOWTECHNOLOGYISHELPINGINSETTING‘BUSINESSDATES’? Hubilo offered the matchmaking service as a part of its in-built event app networkingplatform,whichalsoincludedadvancedfeatureslikeeventinfo, speakers, schedule, agenda, sponsors, meetings, venue, polls, discussions, social activity stream, exhibitors and soon. Working with Hubilo, organizers were able to send emails to attendees ex- plainingthematchmakingprocessandinvitingthemtocreatetheirrespec- tive profiles indicating people from specific areas they are looking for or have tooffer. Attendeescanthenbrowsetheseoffersandrequestsandsendinvitations to meet people at theevent. Vibrant Gujarat Summit, the international business summit conceived by Gujarat Government, experienced the spike in networking with Hubilo’s EventAppwiththousandsofattendeesschedulingone-to-onemeetings. Networking platform is one of the highest-ranked elements of Hubilo’s EventApp,andwhenwetalktopeoplewealwayshear,‘Yournetworking platform is sogreat, Whatmakesthisnetworkingplatformsospecialis…thealgorithmthatisfar moreadvancedthananythingelsewe’vemanagedtofind. - Representative ofIndexTB Tocomplementtheonlinematchmaking,Hubiloprovidesstaffateachevent who create a dedicated space so people know where to come for their ‘businessdates’andtoassistattendeesinmakingconnections. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

29. HOWTECHNOLOGYISHELPINGINSETTING‘BUSINESSDATES’? We find that it’s an interesting and relevant networking tool for our attend- eesbecauseitcreatesserendipitousmeetingsbetweenpeoplewhomaynot otherwisecrosspaths,butobviouslyhavealottolearnandoffermutually, - Representative ofIndexTB Hence,anetworkingplatformisoneofthebestwaystooptimizenetwork- ingatyoureventandgiveyourattendeesafruitfulandmemorableevent experience. Youknowthewhat’sandhow’s,learnwhyaneventnetworkingplatformis a worthy investment in the upcomingchapter. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

30. 5 WHY EVENT NETWORKINGPLATFORM IS ANEXCELLENT INVESTMENT? InarecentsurveydonebyEventManager’sBlog,itsurfacedthat22.5per cent of Event Planners are not using technology at all. That might come asashocksinceweliveinsuchanupdatedworld,butunfortunately,that’s true. Most of the event plannerswhen asked about what sort of event tech- nologiestheyhaveincorporatedintheirevents,repliedsaying“bigflat screens” or “power pointprojectors.” Thosethingsareobviouslyimportantbuttheyarejustthetipofthetech- berg we are talking about. Also, many event planners shy away or are uninterested when it comes to using event technology which is either due to lack ofknowledge or ignorance. Due to this, they miss out on important opportunities. And hence, it makes their event adull and mundane experience. In a recent article, we talked about 8 technologies that every organizer mustembrace.Andtodaywearegoingtodiscussaboutoneofthem:event networkingplatform. Sincenetworkingisoneofthecorereasonswhypeopleattendevents,it has emerged as a tool which increases the value of your event exponentially. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

31. WHYEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORMISANEXCELLENTINVESTMENT? Two most common problems faced by attendees at anevent: Most of the time, there are so many people at an event that attendees don’tknowwheretostartandwhomtoapproach.Andhence,endupmak- ing no connections atall. Attending an event is like a fortune cookie. Nobody knows who all are goingtobepresentataneventandwhetherornotwouldtheybeofsame interest. What is an event networkingplatform? It is an online platform exclusively forregistered attendees. In other words, it is an independent social network of your event where people can discover each other, interact, set up meetings, share their experiences and muchmore. Why should you invest in an event networking platform? Are you are still confused whether to invest in this eventtechtoolornot?Wehavesomeprettystrong reasons why you should. Check themout! THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

32. WHYEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORMISANEXCELLENTINVESTMENT? Benefits from Attendee’sperspective: 1. Get to know the “correct”people. Howmanyofyourattendeesactuallyknowaboutthebackgroundofthe peopleattendingyourevent?Notanyoneapartfromtheirfriends,isn’tit? This is when networking platform comesinto the picture as it helps in discovering new people. It does not only let people connect during the event but before and after the event aswell. This serves as a great marketing and engagement toolfor the organizers topro- mote as well as create a buzz around the event, a total win-winsituation! Withthehelpoftheadvancedfiltersattendeescanactuallyfilterpeople according to their designation, organization, industry, recently added, interests and people who viewed theirprofile. Soundslikeamatchmakingprocess,doesn’tit?Itdoes.Theadvancealgo- rithmsuggestseveryattendeeprofilestheyshouldbeconnectingwithand meetingataneventbasedontheirinterestanddesignation. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

33. WHYEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORMISANEXCELLENTINVESTMENT? 2. Break theice. Isn’t it fascinating that half of the attendees are introverts whilemost of the meetings are designed forextroverts. Extroverts charge themselves by talking to people while introverts get discharged whenthey talk to people. And hence, theyprefer virtual communication over in-personinteraction. Nevertheless, the networking platform helpsboth the introverts and extroverts break the ice by connecting with people firstvirtually. Theycanintroducethemselveswithoutanyfearortimidityandletfellow attendeeknowwhattheyhavetoofferandwhattheyarelookingfor. Thiswayorganizerswillbeabletoknowhowwelltheireventisperforming in terms of return of objective and whether they have attracted the right people ornot. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

34. WHYEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORMISANEXCELLENTINVESTMENT? 3. Increase the engagementquotient. Engagement is the key factor which will set your event different from otherevents.Interactivityisarisingtrendintheeventindustryandmore andmoreemphasisisbeinggiventoitfromtheorganizer’sside. Wouldn’t you like to know why and for which partyour attendees are excitedabout? Ormaybeyouwantopinionsregardingyoureventvenue? This is when discussions and polls come to your rescue. Not just that, all your at- tendeescanalsocreateforumsandpolls regarding their doubts and queries, ask questions and postpictures. After all, more the information, easierit willbeforyoutotaketheperfectdecision. Everyorganizerwouldliketokeeptheiraudiencegluedandinteractiveat an event, isn’t it? Well, this is yoursolution. Enable live engagement during speaker sessions with the help of network- ingplatform.Letpeopleasktheirquestionsandsharetheiropinionsdirectly to thespeakers. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

35. WHYEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORMISANEXCELLENTINVESTMENT? 4. Meetings madeeasy. Wouldn’t it be amazing if your attendees could set up meetings with fel- low attendees without much of ahassle? Well, setting up meetings is easier than ever with an eventnetworking platform. Booking meetings with people or texting amessage for appointment is just a clickaway. Help your attendees in finding the right people who they actuallywant to connectwith. Wouldn’t you like if you could set up meetings at a pre-decided time and agenda? Well, that’s how it works otherwise, right! Let yourattendees expandtheirhorizonofnetwork.Afterall,yourattendee’snetworkistheir networth. “By selling your event ticket, you convert an audience into your event attendeesbutbydeliveringthemaworthwhileexperience,youmakethem your event brandadvocates.” THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

36. WHYEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORMISANEXCELLENTINVESTMENT? 5. The Ultimate touchpoint. Most of the organizers don’t know the potential of keeping in touch with theirattendeesallthroughtheyear.Beinganeventorganizer,tellmehow oftendoyouinteractwithyourattendeesoncetheeventisover? Most ofthe events that I have attended are dead once they are over. No follow up emails or any- thing at all. Does this make a good impression and a strong influence on attendees? Obviously not. Hence,keepyourattendeesgluedtoyourevent not only when it is happening but also before and after the event through the event network- ingplatform. Influence your attendees or interact with them and let them know what are you up to or which neweventyouarecomingupwithandwhatyou could do better this time. It not only builds the trust but loyalty towards yourbrand. Youwanttoknowhowengagingwithyouraudiencehelpsincreatingan amazingevent experience during the event? Check here. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

37. WHYEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORMISANEXCELLENTINVESTMENT? Benefits from Organizer’sperspective: Haveyoueverthoughtofsecuringsponsorsandattractingmoreexhibitors byprovidingthemwithnotjustaphysicalspacebutadigitaloneaswell? I think you know the answer bynow! Let your attendees connect with the sponsors and exhibitors directly by letting them fix meetings andsorting them according to theirinterest. Secure your sponsors by actually showing them the importance and transparency they will get byconnect- ing with yourattendees. Let your exhibitors showcase their product andservices. Makethenavigationeasierbyshowcasingtheeventvenuelayoutwithstall numbers. Also, leverage Push Notifications. Keep your attendees informedabout the live event proceedings during theevent. Withintuitiveeventanalytics,monitortheengagementateachpointto keep up the spark ofthe event. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

38. WHYEVENTNETWORKINGPLATFORMISANEXCELLENTINVESTMENT? Fromsocialmediashares,engagementratio,totalreachandimpression, eventanalyticswillgiveyouin-depthdetailabouthowyoureventisper- forming. Andhence,thisistheperfectrecipeforkeepingtheeventmomentumcrisp andlively. What shall be theconclusion? Ifyoudon’tprovidethetechnologytoletattendeesnetworkatyour event, theywillfindthetechnologyandneweventtonetwork. Wouldyouliketodisappointyourattendeesoryouwouldliketogivethem a wow experience? Choice isyours! THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

39. 6 BONUS CHAPTER:UNCONVENTIONAL WAYS TO CONNECT YOUR EVENT ATTENDEES Mostoftheeventplannersmakesurethattheireventsarereadyfornet- working, but it’s not the same with attendees every time. It might sound easy but it isn’t always easy to get strangers- or even professional col- leagues to get alongwith one another. Ironically,networkingisoneofthetop5reasonswhypeopleattendbusi- nessevents.Andhence,sinceages,plannershavetotrytheirbesttoad- dress that interest by hosting cocktail parties or providing networking lounges and whatnot! Buttimesarechanging,indeed.Therearenewerandmoreeffectiveways tofostermeaningfulconnectionsforyourattendees. In this section, we will discuss some fantastic andout-of-the-box ideas which organizers have implemented and you can surely take some inspiration. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

40. UNCONVENTIONALWAYSTOCONNECTYOUREVENTATTENDEES Share YourRecipe! IMEX, an organization that serves the global meetings, incentive travel,and eventindustry,tooktheirnetworkinggametothenextlevel. They came up with the concept that love for food is shared by ev- eryone, and therefore arecipe can be a great conversationstarter. The organization invited its 6fellow partners to submit their favorite recipes. All these recipes wereshowcased on the blog andwere available forfreepublicaccess.Itincludedthecontributor’sphotoandaquote.The organizationalsocreated#IMEXRecipestoreceivesubmissionsviaTwitter and a dedicated Pinterestpage. Smellslikeadeliciousidea?Goaheadwithit! Dine WithStrangers Back in 2001, Exhibitors Show noticed that many people who came to their showalonewereoptingtoeatdinnerintheirhotelroomsratherthangoing out. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

41. UNCONVENTIONALWAYSTOCONNECTYOUREVENTATTENDEES Hence, they started offering “Dinner with Strangers.” Organizers make groupreserva- tions at about 6 restaurants for each night of the show. You’re wondering how itworks? Well, signup sheets at the conference registration desk list the name ofthe restaurant, type ofthefoodtobeservedand registrationtime. Attendeessignup-andtheyshowup! Wecouldneverevenimaginethatwine&dinecouldbetransformedinto such a big networkingopportunity. 3. PhotoMap TheExhibitorShowcameupwithanotheramazingideaof‘PhotoMap.’ With the idea to connect people from the same geography, The Exhibitor Group invitedattendees to attach their photo to a large map to indicate where they are from. The map was used 10 years ago and participation increaseseach year, reaching more than 500 photos from 60countries. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

42. UNCONVENTIONALWAYSTOCONNECTYOUREVENTATTENDEES To assist the attendees with photographs, photographers were stationedat themaptotakeinstantthumbnailphotosofattendees.Organizerssaythat the map is an easy conversation-starter as attendees look for others from theirareaorfromcitieswheretheyhavelivedinthepast. Putupabigmapandgiveanetworkinggroundtoyourattendees! 4. DestinationNetworking The 2013 World Mobile Congress held in Barcelonasurprised around 70,000 attendeeswith8newvenuescreatedespeciallytofacilitatenetworking. The “Networking Gardens” were created a Fira Gran Via, a large convention center within the event location itself. To make it simpler for attendees to designate a meeting place, each garden was given a separate name and decor like Mediterranean, Water, Wod,etc. Eachoneofthegardenshadaspecificsignagewhichwasusedthroughout eventbranding. All these gardens were outdoors with special arrangements to tackle un- pleasantweathersothatnetworkingdoesn’tgetaffected.Thefirstnightof the conference witnessed a cocktail reception for attendees hosted by or- ganizersasanintroductiontotheirnewnetworkingconcept. Indeedafreshidea.Whatdoyousay? THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

43. UNCONVENTIONALWAYSTOCONNECTYOUREVENTATTENDEES Social MediaContests Metropolitan Events & Production Company used the budding use of Social Media for creating a networking campaign forthe Makeup Shows in Chica- go andOrlando. Organizers asked attendees to upload their pictures with their name, which could be posted, with the #EventHashtag onTwit- ter, Instagram, Tumblr & Face- book. The concept behind this unique concept was to create a sense of community and provideface recognitionaspeoplesteppedontotheshowfloor.Organizerssortedthe picturesandsharedthemaswellontheshow’ssocialmedianetworks. FortheOrlandoShow,theyturnedthispracticeintoacontestbyaddinga giftbagasawinningprize. Soundsfun?Don’tforgettoincorporateitintoyournextevent? Social NetworkingApps It’sasmartworldandwhodoesn’thaveasmartphone?Everyone,right? So, why not make the smart use ofit? THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

44. UNCONVENTIONALWAYSTOCONNECTYOUREVENTATTENDEES Social Networking Apps is one ofthe hottest trends in the event industry. Event NetworkingApps like Hubilo and many others, allow attendees to use their phone and tablets to find each other, schedule meeting and many otherthings. MostoftheappsaskuserstosigninusingtheirLinkedInaccount,sothe systems can classify people and match them up with people of similar interest. Additionalfeaturesoftheseappsaremorethanyoucanimagine.Toknow moreabout them, holdon, we’veanentiresectiondedicatedtoit. 7. Post aPicture AtI.B.MConnectinJanuary,thecompanycreatedaTwitterphotocontest to encourage event attendeesto interact with its “I.B.M Champions,” a group of about 75 bloggers, clients, analystsand businesspartner. This group is highly active on social media and peoplewere willing to share their genuine experiences regarding the companyproducts. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

45. UNCONVENTIONALWAYSTOCONNECTYOUREVENTATTENDEES Theconferencewelcomedthemwithapacketsizedyearbook-stylepage ofphotosoftheI.B.MChampionswhowereatthe event. Alltheattendees wereaskedtotakeapicturewithanyofthemandpostitonTwitterusing the #IMBChamp to enter thecompetition. TheChampionwhohasthemostpicturestweetedwasalsorewardedwith theprize. Organizers met with the Champions before the conference to give them anin-depthunderstandingoftheconcept,sothattheycouldreinforcekey concepts as they interacted withattendees. Lookslikeyourattendeescanhavealotoffunusingthisconcept. 8. Digital BusinessCards Exchangeofbusinesscardsisobviouslyanintegralpartofthenetworking but how about we make it paperless? I ain’tkidding. Have you not yet heard about Poken? Well, it is that technol- ogy that has revolutionized the traditional manners in which the exchange of information isdone. Poken is a tiny device which comes in various sizes andforms including panda bear, a ninja, bumble bee and manymore. But you must be wonderinghow it works actually? THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

46. UNCONVENTIONALWAYSTOCONNECTYOUREVENTATTENDEES Well, it is based on the technology of near-field communication and hence asimpletappingoftwoPokensexchangestheinformationstoredonthem, such as contact details, social media handles, profession, website, hobbies, etc. Oncetheeventisover,attendeescanplugitintotheircomputer’sUSBport to see all the people and information collected. These days, it’s even easi- ertointegratethee-cardsfeaturedirectlywithyoureventappratherthan goingforaseparatetooltodothat. TaketheGES2017eventappforexamplethathadthe‘v-cards’featurein- tegrated within.Itmakesitreallyeasyandconvenientfortheattendees. 9. Group/Community BasedActivities At the Clean the World in Orlando, more than 100 attendees from the Pro- fessional Convention Management Association’s Convening Leaders Con- ference assembled hygienekits. These kits were later given as a charitytoalocalhomelessshel- ter. Charity Services such as this facilitates an opportunity for event attendees to worktogeth- er towards a commongoal. Foreventsofalargerscale, planners can offer multiple choices to the attendees from which they can choose one at the time of registration.Youcanseekthehelpfromalocalgovernmentbodytofind outinformationabouttheorganizationsthatareinlookingforanyassis- tance. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

47. UNCONVENTIONALWAYSTOCONNECTYOUREVENTATTENDEES 10. ScavengerHunts Mashable, a global multi-platform media, andentertainment company hostsatwo-dayconferenceeachspringatWaltDisneyWorld. This event includes about 300+ senior-level executives, manag- ers and head of departments, marketers, tech enthusiasts and entrepreneurs, ends with asocial media based scavengerhunt. Attendees were grouped in a teamof5andtheyhavetowork to identify things inside the des- ignatedplacebasedonasetof cluesandthenposttheywereaskedtopostthepictureoftheirfindingson Instagram with hashtag#Mashcon. Thus now and again, planners get creative in order to facilitate effective networkingateventsinordertomaximizeattendeeROI.Afterall,Attendee ROI=EventROI. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

48. ABOUT THEAUTHOR Jay Sitapara is an engineer having aninclination towards innovation in technology. Currently, associated with Hubilo, an event-tech startup which aims to change the way how events are organisedandpeoplenetworkatevents. Jayis particularly passionate about crafting stimulating, resourceful and in-depth guides for Event Planners to keep them updated and acknowledged about latest event industry trends. He is specifically interestedineffectiveuseofeventtechnologyandsocialmediafor greater ROI through innovative thinking andskills. JayisalsoaDigitalMarketer,Editor,CommunityManageranda regular contributor to HubiloBlog. Hisphilicnatureispronetodogs,poetry,coffee,friendsandcoffee with friends. If you’re on Twitter, say Hello to him @jsitaparaand follow his articles onblog.hubilo.com. AndJaysays,donotforgettosharethisEbook! THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

49. ABOUT THEAUTHOR Hemani Sheth is a Mass Communication major andan event enthusiast. She is currently associat- edwithHubilo,acloudbasedeventmanagement platform that aims to help event professionals create exceptionalevents Hemani strives to create resourceful guides that pave way for insight- fuldiscussionbuiltaroundvariousfacetsoftheeventindustry. She has a keen interest in event technology and how multiple innovations in thefieldcanhelptransformthewayeventsarecreated,marketedand executed. HemaniisalsoacontentmarketerandakeycontributortoHubilo Blog.Gocheckoutmoreofherhandyarticlesonblog.hubilo.com. Anavidreader,travellerandamoviebuff,sheisopentoconversations on any topic under the sun! Go ahead, say hello to her on twitter @HimaniSheth. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING

50. ABOUT THEAUTHOR Hiteshree Dudani is an event tech enthusiastwho has successfully organised many eminentevents. The list includes charity events, youth fests, sem- inars, workshops and a lot more. She is currently associated with the event technology company Hubilo. SheisoneofthekeycontributorstotheHubiloBlog.She strivestocre- ate a wide range of useful content for event planners, event techies and eventmarketers. Adogloverandanavidreader,sheiscurrentlypursuingherloveof literature anpsychology. Gosayhellotoherontwitter@hiteshreed31. THE HANDY GUIDE TO CASHING IN THE CURRENCYOF NETWORKING