The Networker #56: How To Research The Event Guest List Like A Pro
All networkers have been told at some point; “research the guest list before an event”.
But few share practical ways to do so.
Until now.
But preparing and researching allows you to:
- Go into events with a clear picture of who is going
- Map out who you can connect and reconnect with
- Warm up conversations
Maximising your time and efficiency.
Leaving less to chance and serendipity.
Reducing the risk of you leaving thinking; “that was a waste of time”.
Unfortunately, many networkers think reviewing a guest list is all about the new people they need to connect with.
But there are two groups you’re ignoring.
Here’s how to research the guest list like a pro.
First things first, the guest list is not a hit list.
I’ll be honest, I’m chuffed with myself with that line. Get it on my gravestone.
It’s not a resource for you to single out all the new people you can ‘target’.
You’re not hunting. You’re networking.
Before an event, when you’ve receive the guest list, try this.
Something I’ve coined, ‘The 3 Who’s Framework’ (work in progress – feedback welcome).
3 questions to ask yourself and plan who you want to meet and help.
Starting with:
Who can I reconnect with?
“Wait, what about all the new people I need to go and meet?!”
Relax, that’ll come.
Networking is as much about reconnecting with existing connections, as it is about connecting with new ones.
It helps you:
- Reconnect with an old connection
- Reignite a previous conversation
- Stay front of mind
- Become the first person people think of
It’s also much easier and less stressful to build on an already established rapport with someone, than it is forming a new one.
File that one that under; ways to network smarter, not harder.
It’s like that second or third date. You’re starting to get in the groove, are more relaxed, and are more you.
So as you review the guest list, make a point to highlight 2-4 people you can reconnect and catch up with.
This could be for a quick hello and catch up to see what they’ve been working on.
Or a chance to deepen the relationship or reignite and go deeper on a previous conversation.
Don’t ignore these people when networking.
People need to be reminded about you, not taught once.
You cannot rely on meeting someone once and thinking they’ll remember you when the time comes.
Spoiler alert: you’re not as memorable as important as you think.
They, or someone they know, won’t need what you do the first (or tenth) time you meet them.
But checking in, reconnecting, continuing the conversation will ensure you are the person they think of when they do.
Once you’ve done that, onto the next question.
Who is new I connect with?
Naturally you want to meet some new people.
But realistically, there’s only so many quality conversations you can have with someone you’ve just met.
And that’s what you want when meeting someone new and making a first impression.
You might think having lots of fleeting conversations with new people is effective.
But the reality is they are left with little reason to remember who you are.
And sorry to say, it’s extremely obvious that’s your game plan.
Focus on quality conversations rather than quantity.
On the guest list, highlight 2-3 new people you’d like to meet, then arm yourself with good questions and a curious mindset.
And enjoy conversations without the stress of needing to fit everyone in.
If you’re in it for the long haul (if not, reconsider why you’re networking), you’ll catch those you miss at the next event.
And if you miss them and really want to meet them, reach out after and see if you can do so separately virtually, over a coffee, or at the next event.
Lastly, something to consider on this is, if you only keep meeting new people at events, how deep are those relationships you are building?
Which is why the focus should first be on reconnecting over these.
But wait, there’s one last ‘Who’ to consider.
Who can I connect together?
Making introductions is life hack.
You make an impact on two peoples lives instead of one.
It also feels rewarding. And is a free way to add value and feel good about yourself.
However, avoid connecting for the sake of trying to make an impression.
Or by doing a one-sided introduction.
Because it can backfire.
Making a one sided introduction will lead to one party feeling used.
The ultimate introduction is one that helps both parties.
If you’re unsure, ask them both in advance.
Something like; “Hi X, I noticed you’re attending and I’d like to introduce you to Y because I feel you could work well together. Would that be ok?”
Getting consent from both is what I call a ‘double opt-in introduction’.
Consider industries that work well together and compliment each other.
Then make a point to facilitate it at the event.
Think of the impact this makes to them, and how that is reflected on you.
Behaviour like this will compound hugely and come back to your in spades (remember you’re helping two people in one interaction).
People remember those that connect them.
Be a connector, and you’ll be a power networker.
The Wrap Up
How you do this guest list research is down to you.
You could go old school and print it off. Then mark these three groups down in a different colour pen or highlighter.
Or export into an excel sheet and colour code on there.
Block out 30 minutes 1-2 days before the event for this exercise.
After doing so, you should have 5-10 people you are hoping to reconnect with, introduce yourself to, or connect together.
Anymore and you’re biting off more than you can chew.
Unless your event is all day, but I’m using an average 3 hour event as an example.
Then feel free to lean on the organisers to help point those people out or form the intro.
That’s what they are there for.
And if the organiser hasn’t sent you a guest list, ask them.
If they don’t send one out, or want to share it, ask yourself if you should really be attending that event.
Any good event organiser should want their attendees to prepare and maximise their time.
The 3 Who’s Framework is there to help you do so:
- Who can I reconnect with?
- Who is new I connect with?
- Who can I connect together?
Happy networking.
P.S. this is one of five pre-event tasks I will be covering in the ‘Pre-Event’ lesson in The Networkers Playbook.
What Is The Networker?
The weekly newsletter to help business owners and sales leaders network smarter.
1 networking tip, trend or tidbit – every Wednesday morning.
Connect With Me
Previous Editions
The Networker #55: 4 Ways To Improve Your Conversations
The Networker #55: 4 Ways To Improve Your ConversationsRead time: 3 minutes & 22 secondsWhen someone recommends a book to me, I don’t rush to buy it right away. Here’s what I do. Search for the author on Spotify to find podcasts they’ve appeared on. What you find...
The Networker #54: What Time Of Day Is Best For Networking?
The Networker #54: What Time Of Day Is Best For Networking?Read time: 2 minutes & 12 secondsMorning, afternoon, or evening? What’s the best time to network? Today I talk through this old age conundrum with networking. Because networking becomes more enjoyable and...
The Networker #53: How Doing This Online Expands & Deepens Your Connections
The Networker #53: How Doing This Online Expands & Deepens ConnectionsRead time: 3 minutes & 09 secondsShowing your human side online is an easy (and free) way to improve your networking experience. Whilst also creating opportunities and connections from where...
The Networker #52: How To Increase Your Enjoyment From Networking
The Networker #52: How To Improve Your Enjoyment From NetworkingRead time: 1 minute & 20 secondsNetworking and playing golf have a lot in common. Before I lose you, you don’t have to like or play golf to understand this edition. Replace golf with any sport you...
The Networker #51: Build 1000 Relationships A Year, In 3 Minutes Per Day
The Networker #51: Build 1000 Relationships A Year, In 3 Minutes Per DayRead time: 2 minutes & 11 secondsHow could you nurture 1000 relationships this year? Jesse Itzler will. In under 3 minutes a day. How?! Itzler shared his approach on a podcast that he uses to...
The Networker #50: 7 Networking Lessons From 50 Editions
The Networker #50: 7 Networking Lessons From 50 EditionsRead time: 3 minutes & 46 secondsA year ago, I committed to writing a weekly networking newsletter. As I hit 50 editions, I reflect and realise there are lessons and principles that can be applied to...
The Networker #49: Enhance Your Networking Performance – Just Like Your Workouts
The Networker #49: How To Enhance Your Networking Performance (Just Like Your Workouts)Read time: 3 minutes & 22 secondsIt’s the start of January. We’re all detoxing eating almonds and spinach. Hitting the gym and getting in shape is top of mind for many. Given...
The Networker #48: What I’d Tell My Younger Self About Networking
The Networker #48: What I'd Tell My Younger Self About NetworkingRead time: 1 minutes & 49 secondsI was 22 when I started networking in my professional life. Truth is, I was doing so before I even had my first ‘proper’ job. I got that job as a result of someone I...
The Networker #47: Best Editions of 2023
The Networker #47: The Most Shared Editions of 2023Read time: 3 minutes & 44 secondsI spent a white trying to think of a quirky acronym for these awards. The NOTYA’s 2023 is the best I’ve got. The Networker Of The Year Award 2023. Where I recognise the editions...
The Networker #46: How To Maximise Networking In December
The Networker #46: How To Maximise Your Network (Or Not Networking) In DecemberRead time: 3 minutes & 44 secondsDecember is a funny month for networking. Social events ramp up. Traditional networking events slow down. With many other occasions filling your diary...
The Networker #45: The White Flag Approach To Leaving Conversations
The Networker #45: The White Flag Approach To Leaving ConversationsRead time: 2 minutes & 44 secondsLeaving conversations is hard. Having dedicated edition #17 to this very topic. But I've since learned about a new approach to help leave conversations. Thanks to...
The Networker #44: My #1 Book Recommendation For Networkers
The Networker #44: My #1 Book Recommendation For NetworkersRead time: 2 minutes & 44 secondsI had a friend doing some work for me in the garden recently. He was a landscaper for over 10 years. But last year he changed industry into the world of sales and customer...
The Networker #43: Your Network Trust Battery
The Networker #43: Your Network Trust BatteryRead time: 3 minutes & 42 secondsThe Networker is all about helping you network smarter. Some editions are practical. Some offer a new way to think about your networking. Today’s edition is one of the latter. As I dive...
The Networker #42: Tracking Your Networking (and how to get started)
The Networker #42: Tracking Your Networking (and how to get started)Read time: 3 minutes & 42 secondsHow do you know if your networking is working? Like any marketing and sales activity, it needs tracking. In this edition, we explore why that’s important, and how...
The Networker #41: Are You Ignoring These People When Networking?
The Networker #41: Are You Ignoring These People When Networking?Read time: 2 minutes & 04 secondsIt’s not just the new connections you make when networking that are important. Today, we look at a simple method to help you identify those you can reconnect or...
The Networker #40: Build Better Networking Habits Asking Yourself This Question
The Networker #40: Build Better Networking Habits Asking Yourself This QuestionRead time: 2 minutes & 22 secondsWe all want to be remembered, right? Particularly important with networking. It is, after all, about becoming the person people think of, when they...
The Networker #39: How To Define Your Target Market (And Increase Referrals From Networking)
The Networker #39: How To Define Your Target Market (And Increase Referrals From Networking)Read time: 3 minutes & 22 seconds“What do you do?” The most common networking question. The second most? A variation of; “What types of business do you work with?” How you...
The Networker #38: The 12-4-1 Follow Up Framework
The Networker #38: The 12-4-1 Follow Up FrameworkRead time: 4 minutes & 11 secondsThe magic of networking happens between the events. And with the 12-4-1 Follow Up Framework, you can become a networking magician. Unfortunately, many believe following up after an...
The Networker #37: Amateur v Elite Networkers
The Networker #37: Amateur v Elite NetworkersRead time: 3 minutes & 43 secondsIn any discipline, you’ll have amateur and elite level individuals. It’s not genetics that differentiates them. It’s how they think, how they behave and approach their skill. From their...
The Networker #36: The Magic 7-11-4 Sales Rule – And How Networking Plays a Role
The Networker #36: The 7-11-4 Sales Rule - And How Networking Plays a RoleRead time: 4 minutes & 10 secondsDo you ever have that feeling you see someone everywhere? At events, on LinkedIn, in your inbox. They seem to pop up all the time. This is Google’s 7-11-4...
The Networker #35: Networking Pre & Post Pandemic – What Has Changed?
The Networker #35: Networking Pre & Post Pandemic - What's Changed?Read time: 3 minutes & 49 secondsLast week marked 2 years since the events world began to emerge from the pandemic. Well, it did for me. As an organiser and an attendee. But are networking...
The Networker #34: 6 Tools That’ll Support Your Networking
The Networker #34: 6 Tools That'll Support Your NetworkingRead time: 4 minutes & 15 secondsNetworking has evolved far beyond the traditional exchange of business cards. Truth be told, I can count on my hands how many times I’ve given out a business card this year....
The Networker #33: Turn Conversations into True Connection with These Responses
The Networker #32: A Salespersons Biggest Networking Hurdle: Their ManagerRead time: 4 minutes & 48 seconds2 years ago in September 2021 I said goodbye to the toughest period of my life professionally. Returning to live events having run a networking organisation...
The Networker #32: A Salespersons Biggest Networking Hurdle: Their Manager
The Networker #32: A Salespersons Biggest Networking Hurdle: Their ManagerRead time: 4 minutes & 48 secondsSalespeople face many challenges when it comes to networking. But there’s one that’s often closest to home. Their manager. Today, I explore how to manage...
The Networker #31: 6 Networking Mistakes That Lead To Inconsistency
The Networker #31: 6 Networking Mistakes That Lead to InconsistencyRead time: 4 minutes & 12 secondsJanuary 2023. The Networker started with 0 subscribers. After 5 editions I could’ve given up. After some editions I heard crickets in my inbox. But gradually, 500+...
The Networker #30: Three Small Words, One Big Impact on Your Networking Conversations
The Networker #30: Three Small Words, One Big Impact on Your Networking ConversationsRead time: 2 minutes & 48 secondsYeah, asking a good question at a networking event is cool. You know what’s cooler? A great follow up question. And there is a three worded one...
The Networker #29: Navigating Networking in August: To Network or Not to Network? [VIDEO]
The Networker #29: Navigating Networking in August - To Network or Not to Network? [VIDEO]Read time: 20 seconds | Watch time: 8 minutesIn this different format of The Networker, I bring you a video edition for the first time. I discuss the challenges and...
The Networker #28: Joining Conversations at Networking Events
The Networker #28: Joining Conversations at Networking EventsRead time: 5 minutes & 27 secondsIn my time I’ve witnessed (and been on the receiving end of) some very dubious methods to joining conversations. From the bull-in-a-china-shop style entrance. To the...
The Networker #27: Visual Networking Lessons [Part 2]
The Networker #27: Visual Networking Lessons [Part 2]Read time: 2 minutes & 32 secondsToday's edition is part two following on from edition #12. With some more visual networking lessons. Whilst I love to write and share networking nuggets and my musings,...
The Networker #26: What To Do When Meeting Competitors at Networking Events
The Networker #26: What To Do When You Meet a Competitor at a Networking EventRead time: 4 minutes & 10 secondsYou walk into a networking event. You start chatting to the first person you come across - it’s a competitor. What do you do? Today we explore this...
The Networker #25: Maximising Your Time Networking (When You Don’t Have Much of It)
The Networker #25: Maximising Your Time Networking (When You Don’t Have Much of It)Read time: 3 minutes & 22 secondsThe most common reason I hear why people don’t attend networking events: "I don't have time." I get it. You’re busy. Networking takes time. But not...
The Networker #24: The Power of an Accountability Networker
The Networker #24: The Power of an Accountability NetworkerRead time: 3 minutes & 22 secondsI touched on this concept in edition #2 of The Networker. And received a number of replies acknowledging. The premise of finding an ‘accountability networker’. And how it...
The Networker #23: Will AI Be The Death Of Networking
The Networker #23: Will AI Be The Death of NetworkingRead time: 2 minutes & 58 secondsWill AI be the death of networking? My opinion is - the opposite will happen. Let’s dive in.In recent years, the use of AI has significantly increased. And this year it seems AI...
The Networker #22: The “ABCD so you can ABCD” Networking Approach
The Networker #22: The "ABCD so you can ABCD" Networking ApproachRead time: 3 minutes & 44 secondsI love learning from successful entrepreneurs on how they've built their networks. About how they’ve approached networking. And how that’s impacted them to grow...
The Networker #21: Spent Time vs Invested Time at Networking Events
The Networker #21: Spent Time vs Invested Time at Networking EventsRead time: 3 minutes & 44 seconds“I don’t have time to go networking”. How many times have you heard that? Or said that yourself? I know some of you have - as you replied to the question of your...
The Networker #20: 30 Minute Weekly System to Engage Your Network
The Networker #20: 30 Minute Weekly System to Engage Your NetworkRead time: 2 minutes & 41 secondsToday I’m introducing something brand spanking new. A practical model and system I hope can truly help you become a smarter networker. Consider it a 30 minute workout...
The Networker #19: Craft The Perfect Networking Introduction
The Networker #19: Craft Your Perfect Introduction at Networking EventsRead time: 1 minute & 22 seconds (+ watch time)“So what do you do?” The most common question you navigate at a networking event. And my guess is your answer ticks one (or more) of these:...
The Networker #18: The Networking Event Sandwich
The Networker #18: The Networking Event SandwichRead time: 2 minutes & 41 secondsThe sandwich. A staple in the diet of so many… From school days spent tentatively waiting to find out which filling you’ve got in your lunchbox… To your on-the-go supermarket meal...
The Networker #17: Leaving Conversations at Networking Events
The Networker #17: Leaving Conversations at Networking Events - Without Feeling RudeRead time: 3 minutes & 15 secondsToday I address the challenge 1 in 5 of you have shared to the question I pose when subscribing to The Networker - “what is your biggest networking...
The Networker #16: You Get What You Pay For With Networking
The Networker #16: You Get What You Pay For With NetworkingRead time: 4 minutes & 49 secondsWhy pay to go networking? Straight out the gate I’m going to address this. “But of course you’re going to say you should pay to go networking, you run a company that...
The Networker #15: Improving Your Networking Conversations With ‘The Swivelling Spotlight’
The Networker #15: Improving Your Networking Conversations With 'The Swivelling Spotlight'Read time: 2 minutes & 54 secondsSince starting The Networker, I’ve received over 100 replies to the question I ask all subscribers; what’s your biggest challenge with...
The Networker #14: Building Networking Habits
The Networker #14: Building Small (But Impactful) Networking HabitsRead time: 3 minutes & 22 secondsGoals give you direction and a destination. Habits help you get there. Last week I explored setting realistic networking goals. Today it’s connecting some healthy...
The Networker #12: 6 Networking Lessons [Visuals]
The Networker #12: 6 Networking Lessons [Visuals]Read time: 2 minutes & 55 secondsToday's edition is a more visual edition. As I share some of my most popular graphics from the #VisualiseNetworking content series on LinkedIn I've shared over the past 9-10 months. ...
The Networker #11: Why Going to The Gym is Like Networking
The Networker #11: Why Networking is Like Going to The GymRead time: 4 minutes & 39 seconds Summer is on its way. Maybe a New Year’s Resolution was to workout more - and you’re still going strong…right? (Virtual pat on back to you if so). I’ve just relocated to...
The Networker #10: Networking For ‘Anyone’ Means You’re Networking For No One
The Networker #10: Networking For ‘Anyone’ Means You’re Networking For No OneRead time: 2 minutes & 55 secondsLet’s play a quick game. Think of two people you know: Anyone An owner of an accountancy firm Who came to mind quicker? Which was easier to picture...
The Networker #9: 7 Books to Supercharge Your Networking
The Networker #9: 7 Books to Supercharge Your NetworkingRead time: 4 minutes & 48 secondsMany factors are at play when networking. First impressions. How you listen. What you say. How you say it. Your approach. Networking is a skill. One you can continually be...
The Networker #8: 4 Habits For After a Networking Event
The Networker #8: 4 Simple Habits as You Leave a Networking EventRead time: 2 minutes & 55 secondsYou walk out of a networking event. Great. The real work starts now. Amateur networkers walk out of an event and move onto the next thing right away. They get their...
The Networker #7: Short-Sighted Networking – How to Spot and How to Avoid
The Networker #7: Short-Sighted Networking - How to Spot and How to AvoidRead time: 3 minutesHow many times has this happened to you at a networking event? You get chatting with someone, establish what you both do, then before you know it they start looking over your...
The Networker #6: The One Thing To Not Take Networking
The Networker #6: The One Thing To NOT Take NetworkingRead time: 4 minutesBusiness cards, check. A pen for notes, check. Positive attitude, check. There’s a lot of talk about what to take to a networking event. But rarely about what not to take. Today, I’m focusing on...
The Networker #5: The Two Types of Networkers You Meet When Networking
The Networker #5: The Two Types of Networkers You Meet NetworkingRead time: 4 minutes 11 seconds We’ve all been there, right? Picture this. How good does this feel when networking: Walking away from a conversation at an event feeling buoyant, energised and motivated....
