One of the most valuable parts of attending flower industry conferences is networking and building relationships with others in the industry. However, what you get out of attending flower shows depends on the effort you put in. Follow these networking tips and tricks to make the most of your visits to flower industry conferences and build lasting relationships that can help you grow your business.
Prepare beforehand
Research the conference and the people you’re going to meet beforehand. While you’re obviously going to make spontaneous connections, it’s a great idea to research the speakers ahead of time so you know exactly how to start conversations. Check out their LinkedIn posts or tweets or even engage with them online before meeting at the conference. This helps break the ice and makes the in-person meeting more comfortable.
Utilize social media
Use social media to your advantage by posting about the conference while you’re there. Commenting on talks and sessions and tagging people you’ve met in pictures helps build relationships and can even help you find others at flower industry conferences. Use the flower show’s official hashtag to get as much exposure as possible.
Offer value
Instead of talking about yourself and your business the entire time, take the time to listen to the people you’re connecting with. Then, talk to them about how you can offer value to them. Approach people by suggesting how you can help and you’re sure to build a network of people you can rely on in the future.
Follow up
Don’t just meet people and then wait for the opportunity to contact them when you need their help. Follow up after the conference by messaging them on LinkedIn or sending them an email. Always make sure to mention something from your conversation so that you’re cemented in their mind and not just another person they met at a flower show.
Read the complete article at www.newbloomsolutions.com.