Get A Room! (3 Tips on Networking)

May 16, 2007 by jack petrie.

Working for a real estate firm that focuses exclusively on tenants, we don’t have the advertising & marketing budgets of our competitors who represent landlords and can “slap” their names and logos on buildings or tombstone transaction announcements throughout the media.

However, when life gives you lemons, it’s time to make a great batch of lemonade!

The Dearth of Midtown Meeting Spaces

Many attendees at CresaPartners-hosted events have been witness to the power of one of the greatest marketing assets our firm possesses – our conference/event space. Due to the shortage of affordable meeting/conference space in New York City, our conference facility (offering close proximity to Grand Central Terminal and a maximum seated capacity of about 75 people) has recently been in great demand.

Since our relocation to our 100 Park Avenue offices three years ago, I have offered this space to every group imaginable – Chambers of Commerce, Industry Trade Associations, Marketing/Networking Groups. Surprisingly, not everyone accepts. Not surprisingly, sometimes we’re asked to join a sponsoring group. Not a problem though, as we have found a successful formula for networking within this type of group.

The Service-Firm Marketing Model

Taking a page from the marketing playbooks of the law and accounting firms, we have found that event sponsorship offers tremendous marketing value and provides a high level of marketing awareness among attendees.

Additionally, from sponsoring and attending so many events, I have learned a lot about the event dynamic, itself.

Three Networking Lessons

1. Don’t “Eat Alone” - One lesson learned is that (like Keith Ferrazzi describes in “Never Eat Alone“) it is more efficient to market to 75 people collectively rather than individually, particularly when one has the credibility of being an event sponsor or host. At CresaPartners-sponsored events, I typically deliver a quick elevator pitch to the audience. But I don’t stop there. I usually network before the event and collect cards and I definitely follow up after the event.
   
2. Be an Early Bird - Another lesson learned from panel discussions is that the best time to network with the panelists is before the event, when everyone’s standing around waiting for the event to begin and the panelists are up front and eager to get started. If you wait until after the event, you’ll get lost in the horde and quite frankly, at that point the panelists are in a hurry to get home or back to work.
3. Always Make Re-Introductions - After attending several events the likelihood increases that I will have previously met some of the attendees and/or panelists. When this is the case, I always reintroduce myself and say hello to someone I’ve met before. I also try to approach the panelists (pre-event, of course), reintroduce myself to anyone I’ve previously met and say a few quick words. Many times, a warm reception and/or recognition from one of the panelists makes it easier to introduce yourself to the other panelists.
   

By utilizing this approach the benefit is that once the event starts, the “heavy lifting” has been completed and you can focus on the event content and stay as long as your schedule allows. This approach also allows for “double booking” or attending multiple events in a morning or evening. It can certainly make networking extremely efficient.

Event sponsorship is no substitute for the sales process, but calling on prospects who have visited your offices and have a familiarity with your firm and personnel can instantly warm up a sales call. It is a lot easier to make a warm call to someone who already knows who you are, what you do, “where you live” and who has visited your workspace and observed your company culture recently.

Next Steps…

1) Planning your next office relocation? Here’s a quick tip: double the size of your proposed conference facilities!

2) Looking for event space? Contact me at jpetrie@cresapartners.com and perhaps we can discuss a possible fit with our facility.

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