As event season kicks into high gear, marketers are presented with a wealth of opportunities—not just to gain knowledge and inspiration from diverse event formats and memorable touches (in some cases permanent, à la Pinterest’s tattoo station at Cannes last year), but also to elevate our professional networks.
This is the time to connect, learn, and grow, and you can master the art of networking by applying some PR best practices and maximize these experiences. Here are a couple you can use this summer and beyond:
- Reverse-engineer your comms and connections: Just as you define PR campaign goals, clarify your networking objectives. Are you looking to place yourself as a thought leader, pitch a collaboration, or conduct market research on industry trends? Being strategic with who you’re chatting with and why will help push new convos in the right direction, and ensure the connections you’re making are meaningful.
- Mine conversations for follow-up gold: Treat each new connection like a valuable interview. Here’s how you should play it: start with more open-ended questions that both encourage a response (people love being asked about themselves!) and show genuine interest—this is a core PR skill for uncovering compelling stories and building rapport. You should be actively listening for any insights and details that could create an inroad back into their inbox later.
- Turn one-time meetings into ongoing relationships: Develop a concise media soundbite—your elevator pitch—that clearly articulates your value without being sales-y. This makes you memorable and accessible. Then, manage that relationship you just built: follow up promptly and personally, referencing specific points from your conversation. This solidifies the connection and shows you were paying attention and eager to connect, much like maintaining strong media relationships post-pitch.
Networking like a pro isn’t about collecting as many business cards as possible. It’s about building genuine connections to learn and share with other people. So be prepared, but be yourself! And if you need any more pointers, or want someone to build and maintain relationships on your behalf, you know who to call.