Tech Conference Networking

I’ve been having lots of conversations about LinkedIn for events from organisers wanting to drive visibility and engagement, to exhibitors heading to upcoming tradeshows, and everyone in between. Whether you’re hosting, exhibiting, or attending LinkedIn can help you get more out of every event: ✨ More visibility 🤝 More connections 📈 More business outcomes Yet LinkedIn is often underused in the event space. A one-and-done post. A quick thank you. A flurry of activity... then silence. But here’s the thing: the event isn’t the beginning and it shouldn’t be the end. To get the most value, LinkedIn should be part of your strategy before, during and after the event. Here’s how to make the most of it: 🌠 1. Be LinkedIn Event Ready Your profile and company page shape your first impression often before anyone meets you. They should tell a clear, credible story that aligns with your event involvement. Organiser Tip: Create a LinkedIn Brand Kit for your speakers, exhibitors, and team – banners, hashtags, talking points, and example posts. Exhibitor Tip: Use an event-themed banner to show your stand details or branding. 🌠 2. Build Relationships Before the Event The most valuable connections rarely start cold on event day. The lead-up to the event is prime time to increase visibility, build familiarity, and position yourself as someone worth connecting with or visiting at the stand. Organiser Tip: Spotlight speakers, exhibitors, and sessions early and use tags to amplify. Exhibitor Tip: Shortlist people you want to meet - clients, prospects, collaborators, media and start connecting early. 🌠 3. Maximise the Event Experience Use LinkedIn to take people behind the scenes, amplify moments as they happen, and make your presence visible to those who couldn’t attend. Organiser Tip: Have someone live post from the floor, tagging participants and sharing session soundbites. Exhibitor Tip: Make it easy for people to connect with you it creates immediate pathways to keep the conversation going. 🌠 4. Keep the Momentum Going This is the stage where most people go quiet, but this is when the real relationship-building begins. Use LinkedIn to keep the conversation going. Share your takeaways. Follow up with new connections. Repurpose content into future posts. Organiser Tip: Share a highlight post and set the stage for what’s next even a “Save the Date” works. Exhibitor Tip: Send a personalised follow-up message referencing your chat. 🌟 Key Takeaways LinkedIn is one of the most powerful tools you have to extend your event beyond the room. It allows you to build relationships before the first handshake, stay visible throughout the event and strengthen credibility and connection long after the banners are packed away. And if you'd like support to develop your own LinkedIn event strategy that's more than one and done, I’d love to help. Because showing up is just the beginning. #linkedin #events #eventmarketing

In a world where every executive has a firm handshake and a stack of business cards, how do you become the person everyone remembers after a conference? After attending dozens in the past decade, I've developed a strategy that transforms conferences from transactional meetups into relationship goldmines. ♟️Pre-Conference LinkedIn Strategy The real networking begins weeks before the event. Review the speaker and attendee lists, then connect with key individuals on LinkedIn with a personalized message: "I noticed we’re both attending the Stand & Deliver event. I'd love to connect. See you soon." This pre-conference connection creates a warm introduction and significantly increases your chances of meaningful engagement. 👗👔The Memorable Wardrobe Element In my early career, I blended in at conferences. Now? I'm known for wearing a little more color (often D&S Executive Career Management teal) or patterns that are professional yet distinctive. When someone says, "Oh, you're the one with the great dress," you've already won half the networking battle. 🤝Contribute Before You Collect** Instead of collecting business cards, focus on providing immediate value in conversations. Can you connect someone to a resource? Share relevant research? Offer a solution to a challenge they mentioned? The executives who stand out aren't those who take the most cards—they're the ones who solve problems on the spot. What networking approach has worked for you at recent conferences? Share in the comments below! #ExecutiveLeadership #NetworkingStrategy #ConferenceSuccess #ProfessionalDevelopment

This is especially for the academic conference warriors! Can you believe it's that time of year again? Yep, the #AcademyOfManagement conference season is just around the corner, and I can already smell the coffee and picture the sea of name tags worn by brilliant management scholars and practitioners from across the globe. But before you jump on your plane – are you actually ready for this conference? I mean, really ready? I used to think I was prepared just because I remembered to pack my laptop and a stack of business cards. Oh, how naive I was! 😅. So, let me share my ultimate AOM conference prep checklist. Trust me, this goes way beyond remembering to pack your laptop, an extra phone charger, and your presentation slides (though that's important, too!). 1. Read the program strategically ↳ Identify key sessions, PDWs, and symposia in your research area or the ones you're interested in. Plan your schedule, but leave room for serendipitous discoveries! 2. Craft your research elevator pitch ↳ Prepare a 30-second summary of your current research focus. Keep it short, simple, and engaging - your goal is to spark curiosity and invite further discussion! 3. Update your socials and academic profiles ↳ People will look you up. So, ensure your LinkedIn, university page, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate profiles are current. 4. Prepare thoughtful questions ↳ For each session you plan to attend, prepare at least one insightful question. It's a great way to engage and be remembered. 5. Set strategic networking goals ↳ Identify potential collaborators or mentors you want to connect with. Research their work and plan your approach. It helps if you can email them in advance to set up a meeting 6. Pack your digital toolkit ↳ Have relevant papers, your presentations, and a digital business card on your devices. You never know when you may need them! 7. Plan for self-care ↳ Conferences are intellectually intense, not to mention the socials. Schedule breaks, find quiet spots, and don't forget to hydrate! Bonus point: remember not to drink too much in those socials! 8. Be Authentic ↳You'll find yourself in a room filled with superstars and research idols. Some might even walk past you on the street. Always stay calm, say hello if you want to, smile, and most importantly, be yourself! Remember, you're human first and a scholar or practitioner second. Authenticity can lead to more meaningful connections than any rehearsed pitch or trying to force connections. What's your top AOM conference preparation tip? Share below and let's learn from each other! See you in Chicago! ---------- If you find this helpful, ♻️ share it to help someone. #AOM2024 #ManagementResearch #AcademicNetworking #ConferencePrep #AcademicLife #NetworkingTips #ResearchCommunity

Over the next 3 months, I’m hosting 4 major events in France, UK, USA and KSA. Beforehand, I want to share my top tips on how to get the best out of networking. 1. Set Clear Targets Action: Make a hit list of the top 10 companies or people you need to meet. Research what they care about—know their wins, pain points, & what they’re hunting for before you walk through the door. Outcome: These conversations won’t just happen by chance. By doing your homework, you’ll turn a five-minute chat into a deal-building moment. Schedule meetings in advance, & after the event, send a tailored follow-up email that shows you were listening. 2. Take the Stage (Literally) Action: Get on the agenda. Whether it’s a keynote, panel, or fireside chat, nothing says “I’m the one to watch” like holding the mic. Use this time to address the industry’s biggest challenges & position yourself—& your company—as the answer. Outcome: Speaking builds instant credibility. It’s not just exposure; it’s authority. Post-event, share the highlights on LinkedIn & invite attendees to continue the conversation, turning an audience into a lead pipeline. 3. Own the Floor Action: Don’t just lurk—work the room. Engage with key exhibitors, ask questions, & position yourself as a resource, not just another pitch. Be direct but curious: “What’s your biggest challenge this year?” and “How can I help?” are powerful openers. Outcome: You’ll stand out as someone who listens. Take notes during conversations, & follow up within 48 hours with a personalised message. Not a generic “great meeting you”—send actionable insights or specific ideas that move the ball forward. 4. Host the Inner Circle Action: People bond better in a more relaxed setting than over Wi-Fi. Organise an exclusive dinner, roundtable, or cocktail event for a curated group of heavy hitters. Keep it intimate—this is about building relationships, not just showing off. Go easy on the heavy sell. Outcome: People remember who brought them value & connections, not who handed out free pens. Post-event, share any key takeaways & book one-on-one follow-ups to solidify what you started over drinks. 5. Hack the Tech Action: Use every tool at your disposal—event apps, LinkedIn, QR codes. Pre-event, reach out to attendees & book meetings. At the event, swap contacts digitally to keep things seamless, & use a CRM to track every interaction. Outcome: You’ll leave the event with an organised roadmap of leads, not just a stack of business cards destined for a desk drawer. Follow up strategically with segmented, value-driven emails & keep the momentum alive. The Bottom Line: Trade fairs & exhibitions aren’t just networking. Preparation, presence, & follow-up separate those who close deals from those who just collect swag bags. Be human. Don’t think of this as just a branding exercise but an opportunity for long term partnerships. Be genuine - your new contacts will become close contacts, if not friends. Make it count! #revenuegrowth

Your best lead? It might come from a handshake or a hashtag. Trade shows once ruled industrial sales. Three days of booth duty, a stack of cards, and a few follow-up calls could keep the pipeline full for months. Fast forward to now: your next high-value lead might come from a LinkedIn post that took five minutes to write. Why traditional still works: 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲-𝘁𝗼-𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 Shaking hands still builds rapport faster than a thousand impressions. 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 Conversations at your booth uncover pain points data can’t. 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗵 In-person meetings cement bonds digital alone can’t match. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝘀 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗿 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 Your message is working while you’re sleeping—or flying home from that show. 𝗛𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿-𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 Find exactly the right people, in exactly the right roles. 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 See what’s moving the needle and double down. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿: 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗯𝘀 Record demos, snap photos, share them online while the energy’s high. 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 Follow up with content that addresses the questions people asked in person. 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Book meetings before the show starts to maximize floor time. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 Use email, LinkedIn, and gated resources to stay in their world long after the event ends. Trade shows give you the spark. Digital keeps the fire burning. When you connect the two, you don’t just generate leads, you build a growth engine that runs all year. --- Follow Michael Cleary 🏳️🌈 for more tips like this. ♻️ Share this with someone still relying only on trade shows.

LinkedIn QR codes are cool, but I prefer Blinq - and here's why it's a game-changer for networking 🔗 At a recent event, someone shared their LinkedIn QR code with me. While LinkedIn's QR feature is handy, I've been using Blinq for years, and it solves a networking problem we've all experienced. The Problem: You scan 10+ QR codes at a conference, connect with everyone on LinkedIn, but three months later someone asks "Do you know anyone at Company X?" You see you're connected to someone there, but have absolutely no idea how you met them or what you talked about. Sound familiar? 🤔 How Blinq Works: ✅ Digital business card that connects to all your social profiles ✅ Tracks when and where you met each person ✅ Lets you add context notes about your conversation ✅ Multiple cards for different contexts (I have personal + work versions) The Real Value: Last week, I was looking through my Blinq connections and realized I met two potential leads at eLive (my company's conference) back in April, but I'd completely forgotten! Instead of a generic "Hey, we're connected" message, I could reach out with "Hey, I met you at eLive in April..." That context transforms a cold outreach into a warm conversation. 💡 Why This Matters for LinkedIn: Imagine if LinkedIn's QR code feature included location tracking and context notes. The networking follow-up game would be completely different. Instead of wondering "How do I know this person?" you'd have the full story of your connection. There are other digital business card tools out there (HiHello, CamCard, Dot, etc.), but Blinq's ability to capture the story behind each connection is what sets it apart for me. For fellow networkers: If you're going to conferences, events, or meetups, consider tools that help you remember not just WHO you met, but WHERE and WHAT you discussed. Your future self will thank you when it's time to follow up! 🚀 What's your go-to tool for staying organized with networking connections? I'll share my work version on Blinq for reference: https://lnkd.in/eSgNbkEA #Networking #DigitalBusinessCards #Blinq #ConferenceNetworking #LeadGeneration #LinkedIn #ProfessionalNetworking #TechTools #TechTips #WomeninTech #BlacksinTech

You're about to spend thousands on a conference ticket, flights, and hotels. And your plan is to "figure it out when you get there." That's insane. I ran THAT Conference for 15 years, 2,000+ attendees. If I were still running it today, I'd be building AI-powered tools to help every single attendee do what I'm about to describe. Let's call it "Clark's Conference Playbook". 𝗕𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧 Start weeks out. Have AI do deep research on every speaker, their topic, their previous talks, and what others have said about the subject. Then rank every session against your actual short, medium, and long-term goals. Not what sounds interesting. What moves the needle. Build a social contact list. Watch the event hashtag, the event's social accounts, speaker profiles. Find out who's going. Start connecting before you ever walk through the door. Now do the same thing with sponsors. Have AI research every single one, what they sell, who they serve, whether they're relevant to YOUR goals. Sorry, but I don't need to visit 40 booths when AI can tell me in five minutes which 3 actually matter. I'd rather spend that time with the right sponsors. Use Claude Cowork to create detailed calendar entries, not just "Session at 2pm" but the why, who the speaker is, what you want to learn, and who you want to connect with nearby. I'd double up every timeslot. Map your hallway time intentionally ;) The best conversations at conferences don't happen in sessions. 𝗗𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧 Voice record every talk. Save the transcript. Have AI generate a summary and action item list on the spot. Then go deeper, have it research the topic further so you leave smarter than the talk alone could make you. After each session, prompt AI with "based on this talk and my goals, what questions should I ask this speaker in the hallway?" Turn every session into a networking launchpad. End each day with a debrief. Feed AI everything: transcripts, notes, conversations, and new contacts. Ask it: What should I prioritize tomorrow? Who should I follow up with tonight while it's fresh? What did I learn that changes my plan? Let your schedule evolve in real time based on what you're actually learning. 𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧 Take every transcript, every note, every contact, and build a full conference brief. Key insights, action items, and a follow-up list: who you want to reach out to, why, and what you talked about. This is where 95% of conference ROI dies. People go home, get busy, and never follow up. Your AI-built brief makes that almost impossible to screw up. Here's what most people miss: AI doesn't replace the conference experience. It strips away all the low-value information gathering so you can spend every minute on the one thing AI can't do. Being human. Shaking hands. Building real relationships. That's the playbook. Save it for your next event. What would you add to this? What's your move at conferences that most people miss?

No matter where I've worked, conference season has always been one of my team's biggest lead gen opportunities. And no matter what team I've sat on, we'd come back with the same problem after every conference — a mix of business cards, notes scattered across physical and digital docs, and half-remembered insights that eventually had to be cleaned up and manually entered before anything could move forward. So I built a system in Airtable to fix that. Here's how it works: 📸 An AE snaps a photo of a badge, business card, or handwritten note, and an AI agent automatically pulls in the name, company, role, and LinkedIn profile. No manual entry required. 🚩 If two AEs capture the same person, an automation flags the duplicate before anyone reaches out twice. This is especially useful for teams doing pre-conference prospecting and for managers who need a bird's-eye view into their team's pipeline. (Duplicates are matched by name, company, and screenshot upload time.) 🗓️ AEs can also screenshot session details and an agent paired with an automation extracts everything into a shared calendar view so everyone on the ground knows who's going where. (Handy for anyone who needs to report back on how their conference time was spent.) 📲 While on the ground, the team can also consult Omni, Airtable's built-in AI assistant, to surface details on the go so no one gets caught off guard. Post-conference, rather than leaving with a pile of unprocessed leads and scattered notes, we walk away with pipeline already consolidated and structured. When the admin takes care of itself, your team can show up fully for what truly matters at a conference — connecting with people. #AirtablePartner