Getting the Most Out of Every Networking Event

I always advocate attending as many real estate networking events as you can, especially when you’re first starting out. But I’ve also received feedback from people who say they were disappointed in the results after their first event. There are definitely some strategies for making your time worth it. Here’s how to get the most out of every networking event you attend.

Attend the Right Kind of Event

It sounds obvious, but double check that you’re attending the right kind of event. It’s not enough to see that it’s a real estate event. You might find yourself surrounded by real estate agents trying to learn how to increase their client list. What you want to look for are real estate investment groups specifically. You’ll find these on Meetup.com, through your local chamber of commerce, advertised in local fliers and online through social media groups.

Arrive Early

There’s a lot of action that occurs before the event officially begins. Most networking events have extra time before they start where everyone introduces themselves. They share a little about what they do, and you can do the same. The good part is, you can kind of narrow down whom you want to connect with during the event as well as identify those whom you don’t necessarily need to meet that particular day. Arriving early also gives you time to acclimate yourself so you can feel more comfortable in case you tend to get nervous in social situations.

Bring Some Business Cards

Exchanging business cards is a big part of networking events. It’s fast and easy to hand over a card or ask for one from someone else. You can enter the details into your device on your own time at home. If you don’t have a business and you don’t know what to put on your card, just put your name, contact information and a line about what you’re interested in. You could just, “Jane Smith, investor, (555) 555-5555,” if nothing else. Have some simple cards printed up through VistaPrint.com or some other company. Slip several into your pocket so they’re ready to give out to anyone who asks.

Bring a Pen

Again, obvious but important to remember. The pen is so you can write a little note to yourself on business cards you get from others. Let’s say you like what someone has to say about joint ventures. You think they might be interested in a deal you’ve been looking at. Get their card and write “JV, Mason St.?” on their card and tuck it away in your pocket. When you get home and you’re trying to make sense of all the cards you collected, you’ll be better able to organize your follow up tasks.

Don’t Take People Hostage

You might really clique with someone at the event. They might be very interested in learning more about you and vice versa. But to get the most out of every networking event, you’ve really got to mingle. Don’t spend more than, say, 10 minutes talking to one person. Otherwise, they might resent you taking up their time and not want to appear impolite by ending the conversation. Also, you would be depriving yourself of meeting others who could make good connections. Think of it like a cocktail party where it’s considered polite to mingle.

Listen

Since you’re new to networking it stands to reason that you have a lot more to learn than you have to teach. Listen as much as you can and just try to take it all in. You can get the most out of every networking event by using it like an open classroom where everyone is a teacher. Even if someone is telling you something you already know, chances are there is some little gold nugget of information in there that you didn’t know. If you go home after a networking event having learned just one new thing, then your time was well spent.

Don’t Be Shy About Asking Questions

Whether it’s a formal setting where there’s a speaker up front or an informal stand up networking event, don’t be shy about asking questions. Raise your hand and ask the speaker anything you’re curious about. Chances are there’s someone else in the audience who was wondering the same thing. In a standup setting, ask others about what they do and what deals they’re into right now. Ask about their past experiences and if they have any good tips for your project. People enjoy talking about themselves, and they also like to be helpful, so don’t hesitate to ask lots of questions.

Finally, don’t just go to one strange networking event after another. Try to attend the same ones on a regular basis. People will get to know your face and even if they didn’t approach you the first time, eventually they’ll get around to introducing themselves. Plus, if you keep going back, you’ll run into local real estate investors who couldn’t make it the first time and your network will keep growing. Just hang in there and use these tips to get the most out of your time.