All entries tagged with “appointment-based”
795 Meetings Conducted at Facilities Management Summit - Houston, TX
Delegate attendees, including facility directors from ACE Cash Express, Biscuitville, City of Houston, Cracker Barrel, Enanta Pharmaceuticals, General Electric, HHS, Panda Restaurant Group, Inc., Penske Automotive Group, Race Trac, Speedy Cash Holding and The Apparel Group, met with providers for a total of 795 combined meetings over the day-and-a-half with solution providers including Architectural Graphics, Inc., Axis Communications, Detex, Egan Sign, MySmartPlans, Lightstat, Inc., Veritiv and Service Channel. “This was extremely well done. Enjoyed the format, the pace, the flow. List of delegates was excellent. Avigilon has absolutely added revenue to the pipeline, established new relationships and even bolstered old ones. Will definitely be at the next event,” says Avigilon, who attends numerous summits, including the most recent in Houston, Texas.
Delegate attendees made new connections while also learning about new solutions as part of the seminar program at the summit. Biscuitville returned to this summit, saying “As this has been my third show in which I continue to meet people in the industry, it’s a smaller summit which gives you a better insight of meeting vendors and industry peers.” Following the event, the Forum Team has received feedback from delegate attendees and all have reported they intend to do business with at least one connection they made at the summit.
So You're Attending Your First Forum...
Think of the last trade show you attended. Now subtract the huge exhibition hall, the miles of walking, the petty expenses, the numerous, useless introductions and the free pens. At an appointment-based forum, we cut through the you-know-what and give executives the most productive and efficient format for connecting and learning about solutions they are currently sourcing. Attendees of an appointment-based forum are stationed comfortably at their own table. They are given a personal itinerary of meetings with solution providers they have chosen in advance and seminars they have opted for. Throw in a high quality pool of personally-invited executives and luxury networking opportunities, and you’ve got the most productive day-and-a-half of the year. Sounds interesting, right? Here are some tips to optimize on your first appointment-based experience: Attend Your Meetings! Scheduling is the foundation of any appointment-based event. Should one attendee fail to show, major behind-the-scenes matchmaking has to take place. This is why we value our attendees highly and do everything possible to ensure the day runs smoothly. Attending your meetings is key to a successful event and leverages your networking opportunity. We understand that life happens – which is why we can work with you to build a flexible schedule around your professional needs (conference calls, late arrivals etc.). Ditch the Sales Pitch Appointment-based events are a ‘no hard sell’ zone. Networking at these events is primarily about building relationships rather than immediate sales. People do business with people they like – get to know the person you would potentially work with and their company, then pursue a working relationship. Ask Questions Don’t be afraid to ask questions. In an appointment-based setting you are allotted a 30-minute meeting with solution providers on your schedule. For high quality meetings, we advise you to ask questions about available solutions. Should you need more time to discuss the product or service, you may connect with the solution provider during free time. Listen! Listen! Listen! Listening on both sides of the table is effective for identifying needs and finding solutions. As Megan Duckett of Sew What, Inc.? said, “Not every communication is an opportunity to blow your own business trumpet. Sometimes you may find yourself sharing information about another company or service that you have heard of.” There are numerous opportunities to share your knowledge and to learn from others at a forum – including seminars. These are conducted in an open-discussion format, where attending executives are able to share what they know to innovate and find solutions to common industry problems. Relax & Enjoy the Experience An appointment-based event is a less stressful experience for networking. There are no overwhelming booths or hounding representatives – just intimate, one-on-one meetings for executives seeking new solutions. Taking place in an intimate and luxurious setting, these events are packed with networking activities including meetings, seminars, after-hour activities, meals and receptions. Do Your Research In any networking environment, it always helps to research beforehand. Whether this means skimming through the LinkedIn group to see who’s attending, or reading up on some industry news – you will definitely reap the benefits. The best way to make a great first impression is to know your stuff and break the ice by acknowledging your peer’s successes (we advise looking over press releases or following a company on social media). The Art of the Follow Up After making connections at the Forum – it does no harm to follow up. Stay true to your word, should you have asked a provider to give you a call, take that call when they make it! Remember that this event’s main purpose is to develop lasting business relationships and follow up is key. In your event program, you will receive the contact information of every attendee and solution provider– it does no harm to reach out to the connections you feel are beneficial.
For more information on Forum Events and the industries we are in, visit www.forumevents.com and register online for an event in your industry.
7 Tips for Appointment-Based Networking
Appointment-based events challenge a traditional trade show in the sense that your presence matters. While sitting across from a potential client or solution provider, your interactions are vital to build a working relationship that will benefit you both. Event organizers work diligently to make meaningful introductions with the potential to build future business relations – we make the connection, the rest is up to you. Here are just a few tips to make your networking at these events a success: 1. Attend Your Meetings! You wouldn't sign up for speed dating, and then stand up your date, so attend your business meetings as though your love life depends on it. Standing up a potential client or solution provider is not only rude, but it’s also a bad representation of your company. At an appointment-based event, you are meeting face-to-face with elite business professionals – a quality meeting like this is rare and deserves attention. 2. Ditch the Sales Pitch Appointment-based events are a ‘no-hard sell’ zone. Networking at these events is primarily about building relationships rather than immediate sales. People do business with people they like – get to know the person you could potentially work with and their company, then pursue a working relationship. 3. Ask Questions Don’t be afraid to ask questions. This is key when meeting new people, especially in a business setting where you are learning about their company. The more you ask, the clearer vision you will have, and even more importantly – the better conversation you will have! The more you learn, the better advice and solutions you can give and as Joshua Krane, the CEO at Ciplex says, “If someone likes them [your ideas], chances are they will hire you to execute them.” 4. Listen! “One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” Listening on both sides of the table is effective in identifying needs and finding solutions. As Megan Duckett of Sew What, Inc.? said, “Not every communication is an opportunity to blow your own business trumpet. Sometimes you may find yourself sharing information about another company or service that you have heard of.” Listen, learn and find solutions. 5. Relax & Enjoy the Experience An appointment-based event is a less stressful environment. You are not overwhelmed by booths and numerous representatives, it is an intimate and luxurious experience designed so that business executives can have productive and quality meetings. These events are also jam-packed with other networking activities, all of which take place in a beautiful venue. Enjoy it – because a month down the line, when you reconnect with your new contacts, you will have a shared experience to build the foundation of a fruitful business relationship. 6. Smile! The energy at these events is electric – a positive attitude and approachable demeanor is vital! Again, people do business with people they like – so be likable, polite and have meaningful meetings – whether you think there’s a business relationship to be had or not, a positive representation goes a long way! 7. Follow Up If You Say You Will If you tell someone you’re going to email them, email them. If you say you’ll reach out to them via phone, call them. From beginning to end, leave a lasting impression – make your attendance work for you and follow up with your new business connections promptly.
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The Facilities Management Summit dodged flash floods in the Houston Galleria area in the first week of June. As facility directors from the area gathered at the JW Marriott, the skies cleared, setting the scene for the second Facilities Management Summit of 2015.
