SpeedNetworking.com’s unique ability to match attendees with the right people who can address their main reasons for attending your event has a significant impact in various ways:

1. Enhanced Networking Opportunities: By providing a structured environment for attendees to engage with a select number of participants in a short period of time at live events or virtual events, members are able to make valuable connections with peers, potential collaborators, or mentors within the association.
2. Increased Engagement: By incorporating speed networking sessions into association events, organizers can boost attendee engagement. Participants are actively involved in brief, focused conversations, which can be more stimulating than traditional networking formats.
3. Efficient Time Utilization: Traditional networking events can sometimes result in participants spending too much time with a few individuals. Speed networking ensures that participants maximize their time by engaging with a variety of people who match their reasons for attending, increasing the chances of finding meaningful connections.
4. Breaking Ice: For attendees who may be shy or hesitant to initiate conversations, speed networking provides a structured and low-pressure environment. The timed nature of the interactions helps break the ice and facilitates more natural conversations during the rest of the event.
5. Knowledge Sharing: Participants in speed networking sessions often share brief insights into their expertise or experiences. This can lead to the exchange of valuable knowledge and ideas within the association, contributing to professional development and collaboration.
6. Positive Event Experience: Speed networking can contribute to a positive overall event experience for attendees. It adds an element of excitement and dynamism to the event, making it more memorable and encouraging participants to return for future association gatherings.
7. Facilitation of Partnerships: Speed networking can be particularly beneficial for associations seeking to facilitate partnerships, collaborations, or business opportunities among members. The structured format allows participants to quickly identify potential synergies in both in person and virtual events.
8. In summary, the SpeedNetworking.com solution of technology and expert services is the best way to positively impact association events by creating meaningful relationships in a short period of time that drives increased value for the attendees and the member’s perceived value of their association membership. For more information click Big Association Survey Reveals Member-Engagement Trends.

The post How Does the SpeedNetworking.com Solution Impact Engagement at Association Events? appeared first on Speed Networking.

Replacing a departing employee is costly. Plus, recruiting and onboarding is time consuming. Your best bet is to shape a solid retention strategy to minimize resource loss.

2. Higher productivity

When your workforce is constantly turning over, it’s difficult  to build teams of productive, knowledgeable, and skilled employees. Ramping up employees toward productivity can take many months, and your other employees will have to pick up the slack. 

3. Better employee experience

Tenured employees have the company expertise needed to solve customer problems and keep them happy. Plus, when you engage employees with an effective retention strategy, they will exude those feelings of happiness to customers.

4. Healthy company culture

Company culture is a key factor behind whether your employees leave or stay. Organizations who have high retention typically have an inclusive culture that celebrates all employees, and you won’t dread logging on or walking into the office everyday. 

5. Increased employee engagement

The relationship between employee engagement and retention is strong. Those with high retention can experience all of the benefits of employee engagement, including reduced absenteeism, better employee health, higher profitability, and happy, satisfied employees. 

6. Improved morale

When your employees leave, it can be a disappointment for remaining employees. But when your retention rate is high, employee morale improves. When morale improves, your workplace will be a better, more positive place to work.

7. Higher revenue and better ROI

It’s difficult to get a sufficient return on your onboarding and recruiting initiatives when experiencing high turnover. But when you have an effective retention strategy, the cost it takes to ramp up employees will seem miniscule in comparison to the outcomes they drive throughout their tenure. 

The post What are some of the benefits of improving your employee retention rate? appeared first on Speed Networking.

Organizations that are looking to do DEI better in the new year may consider ditching a few DEI trends that are more of a hindrance than a help and implement a cohesive DEI strategy that works:

A cohesive DEI strategy includes:

• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – These may include metrics related to the hiring, retention, or advancement of diverse talent. Or, analyzing data based on feedback (surveys, conversations, etc.) about job satisfaction or workplace culture.
• Providing contributors with a straightforward way to track their progress and performance around KPIs
• Clear responsibilities – Who does what?
• Implementation of new tools to assist Key Stakeholders in managing DEI efforts and expectations consistently – Lay out the action plan and the most effective tools and route to accomplish it.
• Highlighting the tools needed to bring the DEI strategy to life – Perhaps coaching or consulting is needed for the DEI professional. Or there may be a need for added collaborators, access to data, knowledge products. Say so upfront!

The main consideration must be towards leaving behind any DEI initiative that does not inspire behavior change and does not address the root causes and systemic issues that lead to bigotry, discrimination, and inequity in the workplace. Check-the-box, compliance-driven DEI activities are not the best use of employee time or the company’s money.

Contact a SpeedNetworking.com specialist to learn how we have assisted prominent organizations apply strategic internal networking that addresses DEI objectives with measurable results.  Check out our article on how year round events can help your DEI initiatives,  Click here

The post What Matters Most in 2023 for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion? appeared first on Speed Networking.

What Are the Advantages of Virtual Events?

Ever since the global COVID-19 pandemic, the world has shifted to a more virtual approach to everyday life. Groceries are being ordered online. Instead of snow days, kids are now experiencing remote learning. The corporate world has shifted from in-person conference room meetings to online conference calls. Even happy hours take place from the comfort of home as opposed to a local bar. 

While virtual event technology has been around for several years, the “new normal” leverages it far more heavily. And for good reason. There are multiple benefits of virtual events. In the following blog, we are going to look at a few of them.     

What Is a Virtual Event?

In plain terms, a virtual event is an online gathering that involves people getting together and interacting within a virtual environment. There is no single physical location where the gathering is held. Virtual event examples can include things like:

• Speed Networking- Where people network in fashion akin to speed dating. Quick, consecutive one-on-one conversations in a low pressure and intentional environment allow participants to expand their network and form meaningful connections in a matter of minutes. 

• Guest Speaker- When an organization wants to bring in an outside speaker or presenter. These events can motivate a workforce, spark intellectual curiosity, inspire change, and educate employees or a community on a variety of topics. 
• Team Building- How employees continue to improve interpersonal relationships with coworkers. Team building activities can improve group morale, communication, and even productivity. 

The list of virtual events is practically endless. Even so, you may be wondering why do any of these events in a virtual space when you could also do them in person? Great point. Let’s take a look at why virtual events are better than in-person events in our next section. 

What Are the Advantages of Virtual Events?

There are several advantages to virtual events. The benefits of virtual events during COVID-19 were perhaps more glaringly obvious in the sense that physical distancing, quarantining, and reducing travel were all at the top of everyone’s mind. However, you don’t have to dig too much deeper to understand virtual events’ advantages, and the disadvantages of in-person gatherings. That’s not to say that there are no advantages to in-person events, just that this blog focuses on the pros of virtual events. 

Travel

With virtual events, there is no travel required. For participants, that means you can attend the event from the comfort of your personal space while also saving time and money. You no longer have to book flights, reserve hotel rooms, or block off big chunks of time to get from point A to point B. 

Lower Cost 

From the perspective of an event host, virtual events are far more inexpensive than hosting something in-person. As opposed to:

• reserving an event center
• organizing different conference room schedules and logistics
• and providing ample refreshments for all attendees

you can simply: 

• create a virtual schedule
• pick a virtual platform
• and send out a link to everyone

Not only does that reduce your costs, but it also considerably reduces the number of moving parts. This makes virtual events easier to plan and execute as well.

Increased Participation and Analytics

With in-person events, you might be limited to a certain capacity for breakout sessions or workshops. That challenge can easily be overcome with virtual events since you are not limited by physical space. Plus, similar to

the lack of travel planning, more people can join a virtual event because it doesn’t require as much time or planning ahead. Additionally with virtual events, people can attend from all over the world.

In addition to increasing participation, with virtual events you can also access analytics in a jiffy. You can see how many people attended each session, how long they stayed, how active they were, and more. This can help you make decisions about how to plan or adjust future events to be even better. 

What Are the Advantages of a Virtual Platform Like SpeedNetworking.com? 

At SpeedNetworking.com, we have been in the connection business for a while. We know networking can take place in all sorts of ways. That’s why we offer virtual, in-person, and hybrid options through our SaaS virtual events platform. 

We use proven algorithms to ensure each event attendee can network with deliberate and meaningful connections through a series of one-on-one meetings. With our wealth of experience and our passion for what we do, we ensure each event’s specific needs are met and that all parties walk away with a positive experience. 

Check out some of our case studies to learn exactly what we have to offer, or go through a live demo today! If you’re ready to get started, contact us! 

The post What Are the Advantages of Virtual Events? appeared first on Speed Networking.

Team building events are important, regardless of the size of the company; whether we are talking about a small tech start-up or a multinational corporation.

5 REASONS YOU SHOULD IN INVEST IN TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES

1. TEAM BUILDING IMPROVES COMPANY MORALE AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

Contrary to popular belief (and as corny as this might sound), team building activities are a great opportunity to have fun. Since employees spend most of their days in front of the computer (and occasionally the water cooler to discuss the latest TV Show), team building activities are a good opportunity for colleagues to enjoy various physical activities, like sports or exploring somewhere new – together.

When companies encourage fun activities, employees are more likely to feel connected to each other and collaborate better once it is time to get back to the office. Another positive aspect about team building activities is that they integrate people who work remotely with colleagues from the office. Team building activities bring people together and can make even solitary employees feel like part of the team and company.

This purpose of bringing people together also helps nurture feelings of loyalty, belonging and partnership between employees who are there just for a paycheck and those in the office that enjoy working and take great satisfaction out of their careers. Even though team building events can be quite costly, especially for smaller companies who are striving to survive in an already overcrowded market, they pay off greatly on the long run.

2. TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES MAKE EMPLOYEES FEEL VALUED

No matter how much you love your job, it is nearly impossible not to get bored from time to time – the monotony and regularity of most of our day-to-day jobs can overwhelm the best of us. People who work for a company that values its people and considers them more than just figures on sheets will feel more than mere cogs in the corporate machine.

As a result, if employee morale is unusually low (it happens in every company for one reason or another), organizing a team building event is one of the best way to increase morale. Anything goes here, whether we are talking about a speed networking event, cooking class, a sports activity, a lunch, or volunteer work at a shelter. These are some of the many activities that most employees can get behind, because they provide people with a mental break from work and gives them a sense of purpose beyond the position they hold at the company.

Furthermore, these types of activities build connections between employees and between employees and upper management. Engaged workers are, in the long term, more productive, and this improves the work output and bottom line for the company. In fact, studies show that employee engagement greatly improves productivity – organizations wherein employees are highly engaged experience 22 % higher productivity, according to a meta-analysis of 1.4 million employees conducted by the Gallup Organization.

In other words, team building activities make employees feel more valued, which, in turn, increases engagement which boosts productivity. Despite the high cost of team building events, they are worth it.

3. BRINGS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER

Team building allows employees from different departments and areas of expertise to get to know each other better. During team building events, people can interact with colleagues that they might not usually see – the marketing team can participate in contests with the financial department, and the tech department can finally find out what Gina from accounting is up to at her office.

Team building promotes diversity because it breaks the barriers created across departments and lets everyone be equal. Furthermore, getting to know each other extends beyond chit-chat and personal pleasantries. Unlike in the past, many people today do not spend their entire lives at a company like our parents did, so chances to connect with other employees are fleeting at best.

However, the networking opportunities that team building events bring are priceless. Networking helps employees grow their personal skills, and create a support network that they can call on at some point during their careers. These colleagues that one gets to know better during team building events are the same ones that may later lend a hand in future career transitions. So, team building events are better at creating connections than tedious industry networking events because it leads to creating connections that are more seamless and natural.

4. TEAM BUILDING ENCOURAGES TEAMWORK

Many famous and successful companies, such as Dell, Reebok, Adidas and Tiffany and CO., use eccentric (and some might say extreme) team building activities to put employees in the position of having to interact and collaborate in an environment unfamiliar to them.

And contrary to popular belief, unusual and elaborate team building activities are not reserved solely for big multinational companies. Even jobs that one would not link to traditional corporate cultures, such as cashiers and the like, can yield great benefits out of team building activities. Take, for example, the Dollar General career portal, where you will see an instance of a company that puts great value in ensuring that employees are happy and feels valued, which is why team building and training sessions are organized on a frequent basis.

During these activities, employees are split into teams and given various ‘’quests’’ (to put it in video game terms) or scenarios, from unusual stuff like uncovering an FBI spy ring to having to escape from a locked conference room using the clues planted there by the organizers (similar to what you would see in an escape room).

These situations, as expected, force employees to think outside of the box (pun totally intended) and work together. The results, and even the fact that they have to collaborate itself, carry on to their office lives. If a group of coworkers can get through a ridiculous and highly improbable fictitious scenario (surviving a zombie apocalypse or escaping the vault of a bank), then they can clearly put together a PowerPoint presentation in due time or finish the monthly reports with no issues.

As tense as some team building activities might be, they actually have the opposite effect of what one would expect – they reduce conflicts rather than increasing them. This is simply because many workplace grudges are usually caused by mere miscommunications or misunderstandings, and team building events allow people to get a full understanding their co-workers personalities, what makes them tick and what calms them down.

When we know and understand another person’s quirks and personality traits, the risk of conflicts getting ignited are greatly reduced. For example, what could be misconstrued as a mean remark might just be the result of somebody’s sense of humor and nothing personal. So, the nature of team building, and the fact that it encourages teamwork and collaboration makes it easier for employees to asses their colleague’s personalities.

5. REVEALS SOMETIMES UNKNOWN SKILLS

Everyone has their own set of unique skills and talent that sits at the core of their personalities. Some people might even be unaware of said skills because they have not had the chance to put them into practice. Team building exercises and programs can reveal hidden skills that may be second nature to people. For example, while some people might be good at putting together the logistics of a given activity, others may have leadership skills that they are not aware of, i.e. the ability to build consensus between people, to mobilize them, to encourage them, to get them out of their comfort zones, and so forth.

Above everything else, these exercises build collaboration and trust between people, which inevitably carries forward into the office. These exercises should be fun, unusual, and as much removed from the activities found in a typical office day, as possible. To conclude, team building activities, as expensive as they might be, are good for the company’s bottom line – because happy and engaged employees are more productive and dedicated to the company’s well-being.

Original post on January 9, 2019 can be read here.

The post 5 Reasons Companies Should Invest in Team Building Activities appeared first on Speed Networking.

1. It’s not Zoom Rooms or Similar!
   Virtual matchmaking solutions are much more comprehensive and offer strategic matching supported by a well-orchestrated process to take attendees through a series of one-to-one private engagement meetings based on pre-defined matching criteria. These solutions save tremendous time on trying to match people up and dealing with the myriad of headaches that can be endured trying to match people together and then place them in a private virtual room.  
2. Solves Inclusion and Diversity Management
   Diversity in the workplace has long since been of paramount importance. Putting aside the social awareness benefit of a great diversity program, the outcomes significantly impact recruitment, retention, innovation, opportunities for new markets, financial outcomes, employee satisfaction and overall corporate culture.
3. Diversifies Attendee Networking Options
   Networking programs are like a financial portfolio; you don’t put all your eggs in one basket and financial professionals strongly encourage diversification. Not all networking programs fit the needs of individuals.  Diversify networking programs ensures opportunities for all types of attendees.  Programs can include buyer/seller, mentoring, leadership training, team building, knowledge sharing, cross department collaboration and much more!
4. Reduce Administrate Time & Stress
   Today’s solutions, such as SpeedNetworking.com, significantly reduce organizers administrative time and reduces stress as the tools today assist with set up, marketing, matching and the engagement of people is an innovative, engaging, and meaningful method.
5. Improve Meeting Quality
   Utilizing match making platforms significantly increases the chances that people meet the right people and helps ensures new smart connections. Additionally, SpeedNetworking.com allows organizers greater control through customization to ensure the best possible matching outcomes. 
6. Increase Attendee Engagement
   Attendees are busy people. When they know there is a solution to help ensure they meet the right people, participation significantly increases as this type of platform provides a greater opportunity of meeting the right people, as such, organizations have seen an increases in participation. 
7. Boost Recruitment / Retention
   Connecting attendees to the right people shows them the organization takes great interest in ensuring matching with the right people is important. In return for the organization’s efforts, attendees show their appreciation in turn by increased loyalty and retaining their relationship and spreading the good word about the organization on to others.  
8. Create New Revenue / Sponsorship Opportunities
   For organizations seeking to increase revenue opportunities, platforms, such as SpeedNetworking.com, offer multiple strategic sponsorship opportunities to maximize their sponsorship dollars and increase the chance for the best ROI.
9. Increase Attendee & Organization ROI
   For the organizers, reduced administrative, production, marketing and sponsorship opportunities supported by increase attendee participation and satisfaction leads to an elevated ROI. Furthermore, with quality reporting, the ROI can be validated to share with other staff and senior leadership.
10. Obtain Real Time & Comprehensive Valuable Data and Analyzing Outcomes
    Identifying a platform that provides smart reporting helps organizers understand the matching needs of their attendees. After reviewing all the data and analytics post an event, organizers can make smarter decisions on how to plan future events as they identify the very specific needs of their attendees.  Additionally, working with a platform that not only delivers the solution but works directly with the organizer to make suggestions for future events….is a no brainer…check out SpeedNetworking.com (we had to end with a plug!!!!)

Interested in learning more about SpeedNetworking.com, we’d love to connect with your.  Please follow “Click Here” to get started to learn how we can help your organization.

The post Top Reasons for Using Virtual Matchmaking appeared first on Speed Networking.

Diversity in the workplace has long since been of paramount importance. Yet we have never before been so keenly aware of the need to create an inclusive culture. With the advancements of social media, movements such as Me Too and Black Lives Matter have raised awareness of the lack of equality across racial and gender divides at an unprecedented level.   These actions have impacted recruitment, retention, company perception and impact to the financial outcomes.    In this article we define three major components:

• Diversity Training Defined
• Notable Benefits of Diversity Training
• Successful Diversity Strategies

Diversity Training Defined
A diversity training program aims to boost participants’ awareness about different types of diversity, appreciating differences among co-workers, and provide knowledge and strategies to enhance employees’ interpersonal and communication skills to help build a positive work environment.  Training begins with developing a comprehensive framework that will work through the entire organization.  You should be offering diversity education to all levels of staff.  The benefits of diversity programs are evidently clear.    Putting aside the social awareness benefit of a great diversity program, the outcomes significantly impact recruitment, retention, innovation, opportunities for new markets, financial outcomes, employee satisfaction and overall corporate culture.

 Notable Benefits of Diversity Training

• Retention and Recruitment Employee Retention Impact
  Retention is one of the most concerning terms to companies and organizations today. Ensuring you are truly fostering internal growth and supporting additional efforts to achieve diversity in your workforce…its absolutely essential.    Mentoring, knowledge sharing, cross-department engagement, and team building are the major ingredients to significantly increasing your retention….and you’ll be surprised to how it impacts recruitment, just consider how more appealing qualified applicants will be once they understand your corporate inclusivity agendas.
• Innovation and Access to New Markets
  Empowering a diverse culture can lead to access to untapped markets. Diverse communities can deliver easier access to markets as team members will better understand different cultures and their purchasing behaviors and knowing the company supports diversity will encourage purchasers.
• Employee Productivity and Corporate Culture Enhancement
  Consistent programming leads to higher employee satisfaction which decreases the need for recruitment, focus on employee growth and over all increasing productivity.    Collectively, a positive and inclusive environment impacts corporate culture, public perception and bottom lines.
• Financial Outcomes
  Reduction in exhausting and expensive recruitment processes, increased employee productivity and access to markets via a more diverse organization can significantly impact the bottom line and minimize stress in your staff.

Successful Diversity Strategies .

• Well Defined Plan for Diversity and Inclusion Training
  Your staff members who will be overseeing your diversity programs are going to need a comprehensive plan to follow to maximize the benefit. Providing a strong plan illustrates to all levels of employees the serious emphasis you are placing on inclusion and diversity. 
• Recommendation of Programs that Foster Inclusivity
  1. Retention and Recruitment
  2. Mentoring Programs
  3. Knowledge Sharing / Team Building
  4. Cross Division Training
  5. Internal Innovation Pitches
     
• Implementing One to One engagement Tools Ensuring Inclusivity
  Technology advancements have greatly provided opportunity to engage our communities.   However, the latest challenge has been ensuring all are participating and engaging.   Hosting zoom calls has been widely popular but fail on inclusivity.   Consider platforms such as SpeedNetworking.com that specialize in structured one to one inclusivity programs and training for organizations of all shapes and sizes.  The benefits are enormous as everyone participates in private one to one engagement based on the matching needs of the client.  This technique ensures participation and is measurable.  Contact us to learn how we have assisted from Fortune 500 to small businesses and organizations with their diversity training. 
• Measuring Metrics and Implementing Improvements
  Tracking your success is critical. Upon creating determining your goals and implementing an application that can clearly track engagement and outcomes is essential.    Holding managers and other team leaders accountable will elevate the organization as a whole.     Ae we all know, many companies outside of the organization monitor and rank a company’s diversity score cards publicly, make sure you are on the top of the list.

Please reach out to one of our team members who can help you implement a comprehensive diversity and inclusion plan.  It’s our specialty!    Click Here To Get Started

SpeedNetworking.com

The post Critical Importance of Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Your Organization appeared first on Speed Networking.

But because you only get a few minutes, you need to make the most of them. There’s no time for fluff or unnecessary small talk.

To really get to know the person across from you, you need to ask the right questions. It’s key to maximizing conversations and creating meaningful connections.

Here are one-hundred actually interesting speed networking questions to help kick off conversations:

(If you’re an event planner, we also have tips + tricks for how to host a successful speed networking event.)

Job-specific speed networking questions:

• What does a typical day look like for you?
• What is your favorite—and least favorite—part of your job?
• What’s the biggest project you’re currently working on?
• What is the most challenging part of your job?
• How do you overcome those challenges?
• How long have you been working in this job?
• How long do you see yourself continuing to work in this job?
• What are you most proud of accomplishing?
• What is an example of a time you failed in this job?
• What did you learn from it?
• What would you change about this job if you could?
• Do you have any advice for someone who wants a similar job?
• What does the future of this job look like for you?
• What types of teams do you work with?
• How many people are a part of your team?
• Do you have a mentor at this job?
• How about a mentee?
• Is there any way I can help you land a similar job?

Company-specific speed networking questions:

• What does your company do?
• Where is the company located?
• Do they have more than one office?
• How many people work for your company?
• What is your favorite—and least favorite—part of your company?
• What kind of perks does your company offer?
• Have you met the CEO?
• What types of professional development opportunities does your company offer?
• What is the organizational structure like at your company?
• How would you describe your company’s culture?
• What advice would you give to management at your company?
• How does your company measure success?
• Is your company meeting its mission?
• What is the most unique thing about your company?
• What would you say to someone who wants to work for your company?

Career-specific speed networking questions:

• What made you choose this career?
• Did you always know you wanted this type of career?
• What sparked your initial interest?
• What is the most challenging part of your career?
• What is the most rewarding part of your career?
• Do you have any advice for people who want to follow a similar career path?
• What is the most helpful information you’ve learned in your career?
• What hard and soft skills help you succeed the most in your career?
• What do you wish you knew more about?
• Where do you see yourself five years from now?
• Where were you five years ago?
• How can I help you in your career?

Industry-specific speed networking questions:

• What does the outlook of this industry look like?
• Is it growing or shrinking?
• What industry-specific tools have you found most helpful?
• Are there any industry certifications that I should be aware of?
• What advice do you have for building connections within this industry?
• Have you attended any industry conferences?
• And if so, what did you learn?
• What is the best way to break into this industry?
• What hurdles is this industry currently facing?
• How has technology affected the way this industry works?
• What is the best way to stay in the know about industry happenings?
• What is the biggest change this industry is undergoing?
• How can I help you in the industry?

Productivity-specific speed networking questions:

• How do you stay organized?
• What tools or software do you use to increase your productivity?
• Do you use a project management software?
• What kind of communication platforms do you use? Email, Slack, instant messaging, etc.
• Do you have any routines that have helped increase your productivity?
• How do you decide which tasks to tackle first?
• Do you make a to-do list every day?
• If so, how do you organize it?
• What’s the best advice you received that has helped you be more productive?

How-to-get-hired speed networking questions:

• What do you look for in a candidate?
• What should I include in my resume?
• What shouldn’t I include?
• Are there specific skills that need to be on my resume?
• Do I need an online portfolio?
• What can I do to set myself apart from other candidates?
• What do you look for in a cover letter?
• What interview tips do you have?
• What is the biggest mistake candidates make in the hiring process?
• What questions should I ask in an interview?
• What do you think is more important: previous experience or a willingness to learn?
• How should I follow up after an interview? With a hand-written note or an email?
• Is there anything I can do to help you get hired?

Event-specific speed networking questions:

• What brought you to this event?
• What are you hoping to take away from it?
• Are there any specific people—or types of people—you’re hoping to meet?
• Have you attended a speed networking event before? How did it go? What did you learn?
• Do you have any speed networking tips?
• How can I help you meet your networking goals at this event?
• Is there anyone here I can introduce you to here?
• Is there anyone in my network I can introduce you to?

It’s important to remember that networking isn’t just about you. It’s important to ask the questions you need answers to, but don’t forget to ask how you can help too.

Here are some helpful networking tips + tricks.

You should focus on long-lasting relationships, not short-term transactions.

Networking is really just a fancy word for relationship building. Care about who people are—not just what they can do for you.

Remember that you must give before you get. There needs to be cultivation before solicitation. Sell through the room, not to the room.

And never underestimate the importance of a thoughtful thank-you note. Your follow-up is just as important as your first impression.

So, there you have it. Speed networking questions that are actually interesting.

If you’re one of the many people who dread networking, just remember to stay curious. Ask questions you actually want to know the answer to. Be your authentic self so you don’t feel phony or fake.

If you’re interested in hosting a speed networking event, we’d love to help. Not only do we have years of experience under our belt, but we also have a special technology up our sleeve.

Allow us to introduce you to the idea of matching software. Rather than having attendees rotate each round to the next chair, we match based on mutual interests.

Attendees can quite literally pre-select the types of people they’re interested in meeting. Need we say more?

To learn more about us (and our technology), give us a call or schedule an online demo. We’d love to learn more about your organization and networking needs.

The post Speed Networking Questions: 100 (Actually Interesting) Things to Ask appeared first on Speed Networking.

Call us crazy, but we are passionate about what we do and believe that everyone should have the ability to host a successful speed networking event (with or without partnering with us). For event planners who choose to produce their own event (although we hope you consider SpeedNetworking.com), we have created a cheat sheet of critical elements to planning and executing a successful speed networking event. 

This is a partial list of crucial items we discuss with our clients.

If you want a more complete list, download our free Ebook.  

Room Set-up:

Tables:

We recommend classroom-style seating for the best results. This is typically done with 72” x 18” tables and 4 chairs (2 meetings) at each table. We’ve provided a diagram at the end of this post to illustrate an ideal room set-up.

Table #s:

Our events include customized schedules that direct participants to different tables, which means our events require table’s. We strongly recommend putting table #’s out, even if you aren’t using customized schedules. It makes the event more manageable and you can help direct people more easily with table numbers as guides. We encourage the use of 12” table number stands as well.

The speed networking event is going to produce a lot of energy and body heat. If you are in a room or designated area, try to make the room cooler than normal at the start of the event. It may feel chilly at first but as the event gets going, the room temperature (and the conversations!) will start to warm up.

Water:

This is possibly the single most important item to have at the event but is oftentimes overlooked. If you can, put multiple water stations around the room for participants to fill up glasses. This typically works better than providing bottles of water ahead of time, as participants often leave these at tables and/or spend time filling up the entire bottle in between rounds.

Audio:

For simplicity, we recommend only having a wireless microphone for the event facilitator (with speakers, of course). This enables you to walk around the room and manage the event while on the move.

Video:

We discourage our partners from incorporating any sort of video/screen at the event. A timer on a video board tends to take away from the event, as participants are more focused on the timer than the conversations. It also gives you more control over the event when you can manage the timing. If you need to extend a round by 60-seconds or cut a round short by 30-seconds, you can do this on the fly without anyone noticing.

Event Check-In:

Pre-Registered:

Our schedules are arranged in alphabetical order by last name, which allows us to easily find individual schedules when they arrive at the event. If you aren’t using schedules, print off the names of everyone attending the event (make a few copies) so that you can track who has arrived and who has not. This Event Video also helps act as a guide.

Info Sheet:

In an effort to expedite the check-in process, we hand out a 1-page information sheet to each participant that explains how the event will work. This is important if you have a first-time event, as it will answer a lot of questions for participants and allow you to focus on running the event.

Mingle:

Participants will arrive at different times (typically over a 15-minute time window) and during this time we encourage everyone to mingle with those around them. After all, it is a networking event! Let them know that this is a “bonus round” of networking before the event starts.

Moderating:

Control:

As the moderator, it is critical that you maintain control and set the tone for the event. Once everyone has arrived and you’re ready to begin, it’s important to provide clear instructions/announcements about the event. Give an overview of the structure of the event, objectives (peer-to-peer, mentoring, buyer/seller, etc.), how to maximize the conversations, and what to expect from participating. Try and limit the instructions to 10-minutes.

Commands: 

One critical element to the success of your event is maintaining control, and as silly as some of the commands below may seem…..you’ll be amazed at how well people appreciate structure.

Begin Round x:

This signals that the round has begun.

Half Way:

Inform participants that they are halfway through a particular round. This gives them an idea of how much time is left and it also is a signal to allow the other person to have a chance to talk.

30 Seconds Left:

Let participants know that the round is coming to an end. They should finish their conversations and exchange contact information to connect after the event.

Rotate:

As you can guess, this signals participants to move to the next round.

Rotation Notes:

Reminder participants to take their personal belongings with them and quickly move to their next meeting. If you are timing the rotations, let them know when they have 30 seconds and 15 seconds left to finish rotating.

Wrap-Up: 

Upon completing the event, it is important to provide wrap up announcements. You should remind your participants to follow-up with their new connections to continue building the relationships. Always discourage them from sending a blanket email to everyone and instead, write a personal note to each of the new connections. We encourage you to host additional networking after the event to allow participants to continue their discussions or meet with others that they did not meet during the event.

If you are not up to the task of running your own event or you simply want to elevate the networking experience for you and your attendees, we would love to talk to you.

Give us a call for a free consultation or schedule a demo to learn more.

The post How to Run a Speed Networking Event appeared first on Speed Networking.