So...you're a lawyer at a huge industry conference. Ready to network. 😬

How the heck will you find the people you want to meet? There may be 1,675 attendees. Or perhaps 11,239.

Your goal -> identify 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝟯-𝟱 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 at any conference you really want to talk to.

*** 𝟯 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 + 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 ***

𝟭. 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 + 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗲𝘀

• ID the speakers you want to connect with
• ID any attendees you know / want to know

𝟮. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

• Reach out to people you know - arrange to connect in a specific way
• Connect with a few speakers on their topic in advance:

-> why topic is important to you/your audience/clients
-> share any research or impact, examples
-> tell them what you're keen to hear about

𝟯. 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀' 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
(𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝟭-𝟮 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 -> 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗹 = 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘆)

• Chat with speaker before, tell them why you're keen on their topic
• Sit near front, in middle, listen actively. Be a friendly face.
• Ask a thoughtful question during Q&A. Speakers appreciate that.
• Share before/after on social media topic + picture of the panel

𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼.

-> They want to be sure they know their audience
-> They get nervous before their speech or panel, like the rest of us
-> They may need a friendly face in the (often stone-faced) audience

This is another way you can show up as a friendly human, with common interests!