By Lívia Caixeta
Expanding your network can generate unexpected results. Moreover, meeting new people means learning new things and having new experiences. All this can happen during a simple and informal conversation at a corporate event, for a example. Informal and relaxed environments favour new connections which can turn out to be fruitful in the future.
Corporate events are fertile grounds for new professional relationships. To be able to take advantage of these opportunities, there are a few things that you should keep in mind:
For the organisers of the event:
- Take time to define and develop the content that will be presented;
- Prepare a good reception of the participants/guests;
- A toast is always a good way of welcoming the guests.
For the guests:
- Quantity is not quality: good contacts need to be cultivated. In other words, it is pointless to create a long list of contacts but with whom you have no or little connection;
- Inform yourself about the event: investing time and energy, no matter the activity, requires planning. Analise what the advantages and opportunities that the event in question might present to you;
- A reverse analysis is also important: understand how your company can be relevant to the event and how you can contribute;
- Inform yourself about the schedule;
- Socialize: forget about emails and other activities which makes you stick to your phone, laptop or other electronic devices that take your attention away from the networking focus;
- Mingle at the event and identify who are the people who might be interesting and with whom you could develop a fruitful conversation;
- Save the new contacts and use social networks to maintain the contact.
