NETWORKING – HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE SUMMIT

Kristen L. Lewis, Senior Manager, Marketing, Amper, Politziner & Mattia, LLP, Jenkintown, PA
Stuart Baum, Director of Marketing, Blackman Kallick, Chicago, IL

One of the most valuable benefits of AAM membership is networking with fellow marketers and industry leaders. It’s time to practice what we preach to our CPAs, and work the room!  Here are a few suggestions for being a networking superstar in DC.

Plan to hit the major events. The Summit offers so many different venues for mingling. There are receptions every night, along with coffee breaks, luncheons, and general sessions where it’s easy to strike up a conversation. The Twilight Tour of DC and the AAM-MAA Gala promise to be fun places to create memories with your new friends as well. 

Pack your shopping list. What are the top five ideas you want to bring back to your firm? What tools and techniques would be most valuable to your marketing efforts “back home”? Odds are, there is someone at AAM who has “been there, done that” or a vendor (with reference users on site!) who can help you bag your prizes. 

Contact attendees beforehand. Anyone who has been to the Summit before knows how quickly it can fly by, so it’s important to plan ahead for the connections you want to make. Take a few minutes before your trip to check out the conference website to see who is coming. Exchange cell numbers and plan to get breakfast or have a cocktail.

Bring your business cards. We give CPAs a talking to when they forget theirs, and for good reason.  Make sure you have plenty on hand to give out, and take notes on the cards you collect. By taking a free moment between sessions to remember each interaction and plan what your next steps should be, you’ll get the most out of introductions and make stronger connections.

Leverage social media. Connect with your new contacts on LinkedIn or follow them on Twitter. This will keep them fresh in your mind, and give you the opportunity to easily interact with them on a more informal basis.

Elevate your elevator speech. Go through your current elevator speech for business events and upgrade the message to speak more directly to the industry leaders you’ll be meeting. You know that part of the speech where your CPAs are supposed to explain what sets your firm apart? AAM is the best place to test it out on people who have heard plenty of pitches over the years and would be happy to give you some critiques and pointers.

Prepare. You’ll have plenty of Summit stuff to talk about with all of the sessions and events going on. Review the schedule ahead of time so you’re aware of what’s going on. Think about some standard questions that will help get the ball rolling if you’re at a loss for small talk.  

Listen. Nothing ruins an introduction quite like one person dominating the conversation. Listening is absolutely crucial to having positive, meaningful interactions. Take in what each person is saying and tell your story naturally by playing off of theirs. The added benefit: if you’re a newbie or not completely in your element networking, it makes the situation more comfortable for you.

Look. Those ribbons on the nametags can tell you who are committee members, board members, speakers, organizers, and new folks. Use these oh-so-obvious clues to spur conversation, learn from those in the know, or help make sure new attendees see how friendly and helpful their peers can be.

Be bold. Big rooms with hundreds of people can be daunting, especially if you’re there by yourself or new to the association. Make sure to introduce yourself to everyone at your table at the sit-down meals.  Set a goal of meeting 2 or 3 new people at each reception or coffee break. You never know who you’ll meet or how you might click, so leave no hand unshaken! And if you are there with someone else from your firm, this is not the place or the time to “talk shop.” You counsel your CPAs to meet new people … it’s time to walk the walk. (Or, to be more precise: talk the talk with someone you’ve never met before.)

Follow up. Once you get home from DC, do a debriefing session and determine what action items you came back with. Make sure to follow through on any information or materials you may have promised to your new contacts.

In short, the Summit is a great opportunity to meet peers from across the country, and it’s your chance to forge some powerful friendships and create valuable connections. Get prepared now to have a productive time later. And don’t forget to have plenty of fun along the way!