With COVID-19 almost behind us, many are eager to get back to live events to hear great public speakers and for networking. Let’s face it, we all know that live events are where you gain the most insights about your industry and connect with movers and shakers.
So if you are interested in planning your own networking event, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Identify Your Goal
Before you do anything, make sure that you outline a clear goal for the event. “Setting goals will help you stay focused on the task at hand so that you don’t distract yourself with useless work that overwhelms you” suggests Sean Adams of Motivation Ping. Organizing an event can be quite stressful so if you have a clear goal in mind, then it will make it easier to stay on the path to achieving your objective.
- Create An Invite List
Networking events are useless if they are not organized well with a carefully selected demographic. Determine the type of professionals or social group you want to gather in advance when planning a networking event. Focusing on a specific group will help to make decisions about further aspects of the event.
If your networking event is business-related, invite other professionals in your industry. Focus on potential customers, vendors and competitors to have a nice mixture of opportunities for all guests. Social networking events can include men and women from certain geographic locations.
- Identify Your Speakers
Bringing in the appropriate guest and keynote speakers is going to be essential for the success of your event. These individuals are going to set the tone of your event and make sure that your guests will want to attend. Websites like Keynote Speaker are a great place to find the best industry leaders who will help you draw a large audience to your event. You can also visit the website Motivational Speaker to find an inspiring guest speaker. You will have to make sure that the schedules of special guests and your event match up to make this work. Special guests also give you an opportunity to raise funds by charging higher admission.
- Choose Your Location
The venue where networking events take place should be conducive to the type of crowd expected to attend. An ideal networking event location includes adequate parking, seating, restroom facilities and personal space for invited guests.
If food is being served, there should be enough room to separate it from guests who are mingling. There are venue options for many industries and specialty groups including art galleries, cruise ships and hotel banquet facilities. The comfort level of guests should be a top priority when learning how to plan a networking event.
- Create Workshops
All successful business events have some form of a workshop where attendees can learn something specific. Topics such as leadership, corporate culture, customer experience, and so on are all hot topics that every person wants to learn no matter the industry they are in.
To have a successful workshop, it is important to bring in some coaches and trained professionals who can help facilitate. Companies such as the Coaching Institute have a wide variety of business and life coaches who can help with such a task.
- Send out Invitations with Clear Requirements
Some networking events are more formal than others but a dress code should be determined in advance. List any special requirements for guests such as RSVP deadlines, dress code and age limitations on every invitation.
Many professional or career-related networking events also require guests to bring business cards. Doing so helps to separate men and women who can provide job opportunities from those who do not offer these benefits. Invitations to a networking event should also explain ticket fees if admission will be charged.
- Select a Food Menu that Conducive to the Networking Goals
Food served at networking events should be made available in moderation. Do not serve messy items or full coarse meals that can become a distraction at the event. Appetizers are more suitable than large menu items at networking events. These food options keep guests satisfied while socializing with potential colleagues. Hire a professional caterer to ensure a high-quality menu will be available for guests.
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