Over the previous 12 months, I’ve had the chance to talk at outstanding occasions akin to WebSummit, EU-Startups Summit, slush, and several other different influential conferences. These appearances performed a pivotal position in serving to me safe investments, forge partnerships, and acquire important media protection for my startup. Every look not solely expanded my community but in addition offered a platform to showcase our imaginative and prescient to key stakeholders.
Attending occasions that align together with your targets can have a transformative affect in your startup. Whether or not you’re in search of buyers, media protection, or potential partnerships, these occasions supply unparalleled alternatives to attach with the proper individuals, construct credibility, and create momentum. Listed here are my prime ideas for maximizing success earlier than, throughout, and after a tech occasion.
Earlier than the occasion
Apply to talking and pitching alternatives to achieve extra visibility. Many conferences open speaker functions months upfront, providing an opportunity to safe a spot on stage fairly than simply attending. This transforms your participation into an lively platform for showcasing your work and increasing your community amongst different audio system. Apply for pitch competitions even if you’re not actively fundraising. Pitching periods not solely put you in entrance of potential buyers but in addition enable you refine your pitch by real-time suggestions. All the time seize the possibility to pitch—you by no means know who is likely to be watching or listening.
Join with individuals you need to meet in individual upfront. These may very well be buyers, journalists, fellow founders, prime accelerator representatives, or potential purchasers. Eugenia Dunaeva, Angel investor and former Director of Ecosystems Partnerships at Meta EMEA stated: “In case your objective is to really have significant negotiation/dialogue to occur in the course of the occasion, join with the proper contact 3-4 weeks prior, and squeeze as a lot as doable out of this chance BEFORE your assembly. Current a demo, even ship a contract proposal—all with the thought of utilizing this chance to fulfill face-to-face in the course of the occasion to create some urgency.”
Through the Occasion
Attend aspect occasions. Don’t restrict your self to simply the primary venue—attend aspect occasions to foster deeper private connections. Keep in mind, you possible received’t shut a sale or get an investor to signal a test on the primary assembly.
Ancillary occasions may even yield higher connections than the primary present as a result of they’re extra about constructing real relationships with extra alternatives for invaluable face-to-face interactions. Eugenia additionally suggests to “assume mid-funnel”—use the time at occasions for deepening current relationships, not specializing in new ones. A handful of significant connections is much extra highly effective than 100 surface-level interactions with individuals who received’t keep in mind you. Networking isn’t nearly who you realize–it’s about who is aware of you.
Leverage the team-building energy of occasions. Startup occasions and summits don’t simply join you with potential buyers and companions—they’re additionally nice for strengthening inner relationships inside your staff and together with your present buyers. On the Ladies in Tech World Summit, a number of of our buyers had been capable of meet one another in individual for the primary time and construct connections amongst themselves. The Summit offered the proper backdrop for these introductions, stuffed with facilitated social occasions and networking alternatives.
Julia Sabitova, COO & Co-founder of CloEE, stated: “Attending occasions collectively covers a number of wants of the staff without delay: communication, planning, and team-building. Collaborating in occasions additionally has a optimistic affect on staff dynamics and permits buyers and prospects to get to know these behind the startup’s improvement.”
Your staff can even play a pivotal position in constructing new connections. I attended the EU-Startups Summit with considered one of our angel buyers who occurred to be with me once I met a potential investor by the occasion app. That preliminary interplay allowed the brand new investor to achieve speedy exterior validation from one other professional, and only a month later we closed the deal. Robust relationships inside your staff and between your buyers could make your startup extra engaging to potential backers, exhibiting that your organization isn’t just an concept, however a tightly-knit operation constructed on belief and shared imaginative and prescient.
After the occasion
- Share your impressions: The occasion doesn’t finish when it’s over. The true worth is commonly realized later. A well-crafted LinkedIn publish with footage from the occasion may also help maintain the momentum, holding your community engaged with key insights and takeaways from the convention.
- Comply with up with connections new and previous: This may be so simple as a brief thank-you word or a suggestion to attach them with others in your community that is likely to be a great match for his or her pursuits. If you could find a approach to shut a loop on potential alternatives and assist strengthen your community within the days following an occasion, everybody wins.
In-person occasions are uniquely positioned to fulfill many individuals multi function place and create a way of urgency, particularly amongst potential buyers. The excitement, pleasure, and face-to-face interactions construct an environment the place buyers don’t need to miss out on a great deal. By creating a robust technique earlier than, throughout, and after startup occasions, you possibly can assist make it simpler for them to grab these alternatives and create nice reminiscences alongside the best way.