Seven networking tips if you are attending a major tech conference

Are you attending Web Summit or other big tech conferences? PANIS PIERI offers his advice on how to network and build relationships.

After attending more than 1,000 tech, startup and innovation events locally and globally over the last ten years I decided to share seven networking tips.

First, start tweeting a lot. Use gifs, mention influencers with lots of followers, and use all the trending hashtags of the event in your tweets. Use TweetDeck to schedule posts, especially on the days of the events. Create a Twitter strategy that will cover your online presence before, during and after the conference you are attending or exhibiting.

Second, all the events have networking apps. Choose the 100 investors or partners that you want to approach. Send them a message for a meeting as early as possible. If you are exhibiting then during the day of exhibiting send them a quick message (3 lines max) to pass by your booth to review your product. Send the messages via the networking app. Preferably early in the morning that you are exhibiting.

Third, when people approach your booth, then talk with them. Don’t wait for them to make the first contact. Talk to them, make the first contact and find out if they are visitors or investors. Then pitch them accordingly with your sixty seconds elevator pitch. Get their details to build up your newsletter.

Four, investors can bring guests in restricted investor areas. Try to hack your entrance by asking an investor friend to let you in as his guest and pitch your startup.

Five, All these tech conferences are huge. Focus on what you want to achieve. Use their networking app and research the people you want to meet. Send them a message for a quick chat. If they don’t have an app and they have a guest list, then use LinkedIn and start connecting with people.

Six, it is absolutely necessary to have an elevator pitch of 60 seconds. The goal is to make people get more interested in your product and then arrange a meeting with them or invite them to talk more.

Seven, go for quality networking and not quantity. Build meaningful relationships.

Have a happy month and productive networking.