Are you ready for the 2014 NFPA Conference and Expo? This years conference is in Las Vegas, from June 9-12. Besides all the great presentations conferences are great for building relationships. However, these relationships do not happen naturally. Creating these opportunities has to happen strategically.
Sally Hogshead, from Team Fascinate gives 5 tips for making a conference introduction that will last.
1. Find one way to add value to the conversation.
What problem does your listener have? How can you help? What new process/resource are you utilizing?
2. Ask real questions.
Asking good (real) questions, requires being a good listener. Skip the questions on geography (“Where are you from?”), and ask deeper questions (“What is the main thing you want to get out of this conference?”)
3. Find out how the world sees you.
What makes you valuable to others? What is unique about your personality that will impress or influence someone else?
4. Consider what people will already be thinking and talking about.
What is all the buzz going to be about? Check out the conference schedule in advance, plan your sessions to attend. This should give you an idea of what will be on the peoples mind that you want to connect with.
5. Commit to a strong start.
You start the conversation. Don’t wait for somebody else to. Maintain eye contact with the person your connecting with. Start your introduction with your valuable statement or real question.
Apply these techniques, make some new friends, cultivate valuable relationships. See you in Vegas!
