Attending NYC networking events can be very beneficial to your business, but you don’t want to waste your time going to the wrong ones. As always, these types of events can help you to: increase your visibility, network with others in your niche, stay up to date on current trends and connect with those who can help your business grow. You must, however, make sure to show up at those events which will actually help you to improve your business. These events are not just for show. They serve a purpose, and that purpose, for you, is building your business, your knowledge, your skills, your contact list, and your name. How can you choose the right NYC networking events for you? Here are a few tips.
- Be Choosy – While attending these events can sometimes be the best thing that you could do for your career, at other times they can turn out to be just a waste of time. It is important to pick events which will feature experts and other attendees who share the same interests and goals as you, and work in the same field. You will want to choose events where your chances of meeting prospective clients, employees, and customers are high. Will there be classes or conferences which will help you to gain knowledge that will build your career? Will you have the chance to meet others in your field? Is there an opportunity to showcase your products, services, or ideas? If not, then the show could be a waste of your time. Choose those events which will.
- Understand What You Want to Get from the Event – Understanding what it is that you hope to gain from such an event will help you to be able to do so. You might want to grab a pen and write down a list of things that you feel this event should supply for you. Schedule your time at the event to meet the goals that you set in this list. Find out which conferences, workshops, shows, etc. are going to be held that are beneficial to your particular needs, and write out what times you can visit each one. This keeps you from wasting a lot of time wandering from event to event and finding yourself attending workshops or conferences which won’t really help you. Attend those events that will have the highest total of the things on your list.
- Prepare to Deliver Your Message – Most networking events will give you the opportunity to deliver your message, showcase your skills, introduce your product, or share your services. In order to pick the right events for your business, find the ones that will best cater to your need to deliver that message. Most times, you will have less than a minute to show people who you are and what you have to give. Prepare that message and choose which events to attend with that message in mind.
The best thing to keep in mind when choosing which of these events to attend is, “Which ones offer me the best opportunity to build my career.” That is what you hope to gain from the experience, and, therefore, should be foremost in your mind.
