Group of young business people are working together in modern office. Successful team in coworking are celebrating event with champagne. Freelancers.
Are you thinking about throwing a networking party?
Or, are you wondering how to plan a successful networking event?
If you want to form great connections in your industry and help others do the same, then hosting a networking party can be a great idea. Unfortunately, doing so is a lot easier said than done. It can take a lot of effort to plan and execute a networking event while ensuring that everyone has an amazing time.
Luckily, we’re here to help. Below we’ll give you our top 7 tips for throwing a memorable networking event.
1. Focus Your Event
One of the first things you should do when hosting a networking party or event is to decide what its purpose will be. It can be helpful to choose a theme or to create a unique format for the event.
Simply having a “general” networking event usually isn’t enough to attract attention and convince people to attend. Creating a unifying theme can help.
You may want to consider having an event that’s targeted specifically towards either men or women, people of color or professionals in their 20s, for example. By selecting a specific audience or purpose for your networking event you’ll differentiate your networking party from any others that are going on in your city.
2. Choose a Great Venue
When trying to throw an amazing networking event it’s crucial that you recognize the importance of your venue. A great venue can make help make your event a memorable experience to all that attend while a poor and uncomfortable setting can lead to people having a bad time.
While a simple community or event room may make sense for a small budget, choosing a venue that’s a bit more interesting may be worth the extra money you’ll spend. Using a venue space that’s unique in some way or that has a great atmosphere can make a big difference in how your event goes and in attendance numbers.
3. Create the Right Atmosphere
While choosing a good venue is half the battle, you also need to do a few other things to make sure your networking event is comfortable and fun for attendees.
Providing snacks or refreshments can go a long way in ensuring people are having a great time. Planning other activities or having a guest speaker within your event to make it seem more exciting and interesting can also be helpful.
Additionally, you may also want to check with this event production company to find a great DJ who can help make your networking party more exciting.
4. Think Carefully About Timing
If you want as many people as possible to attend your event then it’s crucial that you choose the right time and day for your networking party.
Depending on who you’re targeting one time of day for your event may work much better than another. A morning or afternoon event may work great for an older crowd while a nighttime party may be better suited for college students.
Think about the demographics you’re targeting when planning your event and there will be a much better chance of having high attendance numbers.
5. Get the Word Out
Planning a great networking event doesn’t mean much if people don’t know about it. You’ll need to have a solid plan for getting the word out about your event while making people believe attending will be worthwhile for their goals.
You must think carefully about your promotional plan to ensure that you don’t end up with an empty room on the night of the party. Think about ways you can get the word out to the exact demographic or industry you’re targeting and be sure to position your event as a unique opportunity to meet other professionals.
Contacting organizations directly, posting flyers in key spots, using social media, and setting up a Facebook event can all help ensure attendees find out about your networking party.
6. Make Introductions Easy
One of the biggest mistakes that networking event hosts make is that they don’t come up with clever ways to bring people together and to encourage mingling.
While some attendees will be very outgoing and will talk to everyone, a large number of attendees will stick to themselves and the people they already know. Many simply don’t know how to successfully start a conversation at a networking event.
Having a “speed business networking” mixer on your schedule or coming up with another unique mini-event can help ensure that everybody who attends meets someone new. There are other creative ways to make sure people mix and mingle as well, so don’t be afraid to think outside of the box when planning your event’s schedule.
7. Have a Plan For Following Up
One final step you need to take to host a great networking party is to have a plan for following up with attendees afterward.
Consider having an email sign up list at your event or creating a Facebook group that everyone who attended can join. Then, make sure you reach out to attendees to ask them if they had a good time and to get suggestions for what you can do differently next time.
Additionally, you should be sure to keep the contact info of attendees and reach out to them if you plan to throw any new events later on.
Using These Tips to Host a Great Networking Party
If you want to throw a networking party that people remember for a long time to come, it’s important to think carefully about each piece of the puzzle. By using the tips above when planning your event you’ll find that it has a much better chance of becoming a resounding success.
Looking for more business and networking tips? Explore our blog now to find more helpful advice and useful guides.
