Speaker 1: The first time I went to a conference, I was overwhelmed by the thousands of other researchers and professionals that were in attendance. The list of speakers and events seemed endless and the complexity of the conference honestly made me want to stay home. But I knew that the networking potentials at this conference were endless and I needed to be my best. You might find yourself in a similar situation soon. Welcome back to UniEdit. My name is Anthony P. And today we're going to make a plan around how to network with peers and key researchers at an academic conference. Stepping into a room full of strangers for the first time or the second time or the third time can be an intimidating experience. And networking at a conference is no different. So to get started, we need to prepare days or even weeks in advance. Section one, do your homework on your potential network. Yes, I'm giving you homework. So get your hot cup of tea and get comfortable. It's definitely worth spending time preparing yourself for effective networking at a conference. First off, look up the list of registered delegates that will be at the conference. For the people you hope to meet, prepare ahead of time by reading their latest work and any news on the organization they may work for. You should also find them on social media, such as Twitter or LinkedIn. The same goes for researching the different exhibitions that will be present. Once you know who will be there, make a priority list and get a good idea of where to start. Now that you have that good idea of whom you want to meet, let's go to our next section. Make contact with them beforehand. You can connect with key contacts through the conferencing mobile app, LinkedIn, Twitter, and anything's okay, and introduce yourself. Say, maybe you are looking forward to meeting them at the conference. That's okay. This increases the chance of them having a real conversation with you in person and makes a positive first impression that shows your genuine interest in them. Now we can design your schedule with networking in mind. When the conference releases its schedule of events, take a look at the timings and plan a personal schedule for yourself. It's a good idea to check to see if the conference that you're attending uses a mobile app that allows for schedule personalization. Maybe the most convenient option. If your schedule is booked with lectures, you won't have time to network. So please leave time for breaks, meals, and social gatherings. Putting thought into your day helps you maximize your potential network. Now it's time for the hard part, talking to people. But don't worry, I believe in you. First, we need to prepare some conversation starters. Writing down conversation starters is the easiest way to prepare yourself for networking opportunities and will lead to others viewing you as more prepared and professional. Don't worry about sounding scripted. Brainstorming a list of questions that you can ask ahead of time makes you sound more natural even when you're nervous and helps you avoid drawing a blank. Some simple ones to start with include, where are you from? Maybe what brings you to this conference? And what sessions slash speakers are you looking forward to? Or which sessions and speakers did you enjoy? Want to have a one-on-one session with me or another UniEdit teacher? Please visit www.uni-edit.net slash lessons. Now onto my favorite section, elevator pitches. Simply put, an elevator pitch is a short introduction to you, your research, and why you are attending the conference, or even what are you excited about at the conference. Maybe you plan to meet a mix of researchers, industry professionals, and exhibitors, so preparing different pitches for different types of professionals is a good strategy. Regardless, keep them under 30 seconds. This is important. It should be information you can convey while standing in line to get coffee quickly. Here is a sample of a clear and concise elevator pitch for me. My name is Anthony, and I work for an editing company called UniEdit. I primarily design professional development materials for postgraduate students, and I came to this conference to learn more about modern teaching styles from around the world with the hopes of improving the quality of my own courses and lectures. A bad example would be, nice to meet you, I'm a teacher, and I'm here to learn new things. Hear the difference? This example has no real information, so avoid introductions such as this. Now, what if you're very nervous? It's a good idea to boost your confidence at the exhibitor booths. If you're at an event for the first time and having trouble getting into the networking zone, stopping by an exhibitor booth to have a chat with some of the people there is a great way to loosen up. They're generally very friendly, which makes it the perfect opportunity. For even more help, you can use conference badges to your advantage. Conference badges should have a person's key information such as their name, job title, organization, et cetera, and you should use this tool at your advantage at every conference. Asking questions about their company is also a good icebreaker. You should always be wearing yours. It makes you more approachable and more memorable. As you start to meet new people, be sure to repeat their names, and that's our next section. This will help you remember them. A simple, talk to you later, Antony, or, well, Antony, it was great meeting you, is perfect. If you didn't get their name, say, actually, before I go, I didn't catch your name. What was it? Saying someone's name is also an excellent way to make a good impression. Okay, following along so far? If you have any questions, please leave them below, and don't forget to hit the like button to support this kind of free content. On to our next section, taking advantage of idle time. Those short moments between main events are important. So if you have time sitting in a session before the presenter speaks, chat to the people sitting next to you. If you're waiting in line for food or coffee, ask the people behind you how their day is going, instead of passing the time looking at your phone. If the conversation goes well, then think about giving that person your business card, which happens to be our next section. Bring business cards, but don't rely on them. The majority of people still use business cards to share their contact details. Therefore, make sure you put some thought into yours, and print enough cards that will last you the entire event. Pro tip, consider adding your social media information and a photo to make it easier for others to remember you and to keep in touch. Personal notes are also a fantastic idea here. However, try to avoid passing out your cards without engaging in a truly valuable and genuine conversation first. If someone doesn't have the time to talk a lot, you can exchange cards and plan to get in touch later. Now that you have a bunch of business cards, we can talk about our next section, business card organization. You can organize the cards you receive by using a business card app to electronically store the cards, or you can write a few notes on each of the business cards about the interactions you had with the person and the next action you should take to develop the relationship. Maybe did you promise to send them something, to call them, to add them on LinkedIn? Make these follow-up notes as soon as possible, right after the conversation is the best time. You will thank me later. Next, we need to focus on forming mutually beneficial relationships. One of the biggest mistakes people make when networking is approaching it with a get attitude as opposed to a give attitude. If you're constantly searching for what people have to offer you and only looking for feedback on your work without thinking about what you can offer them, they may perceive your interaction as less genuine. Now that we have successfully started our conversations, our next strategy needs to be around planning your exit strategy. You may find yourself in a conversation that is lasting too long. Plan your exit strategy so you can politely leave a conversation if necessary, and make a lasting impression at the same time. One recommended easy-to-remember formula is give a genuine compliment, then a follow-up item, and a handshake, like this. Your research is so intriguing, and it sounds like you will help a lot of people. I will reach out to you via LinkedIn soon to talk about your findings. Take care. Having dozens of networking conversations is going to be great for your career, but you might start to feel worn down, and that's okay. That's why our next section is about knowing your limits. Talking to people all day is exhausting, we know. And while it's important to take advantage of all the conference has to offer, don't stretch yourself too thin. Remember to take breaks. If you are tired, or irritable, or hungry, it's going to show, so take care of yourself. For tips on how to manage stress, check out our video up here. And lastly, oh, there it is. And lastly, remember that quality is better than quantity. Now, on to our final section. Keep networking after the conference ends. Some of the most important conversations and opportunities are going to occur long after the doors of the venue close. A simple thank you and an inquiry into the event for them is a great way to start, and it keeps your name fresh in their mind. If you have the time and want to go a step further, send on an article that you think would interest them. Later on, when the time comes that you need something from them, they're gonna be much more likely to respond. Okay, to recap what we have talked about. When planning to network at a conference, you should make a plan ahead of time. Use conversation starters and elevator pitches to start conversations and leave good impressions. And we talked about how to make good closes and how to practice self-care. Lastly, we talked about networking. After the conference ends, networking doesn't stop, so plan ahead. Using these techniques will enable you to meet and ask questions to key researchers in the field and also meet like-minded people in the industry. If you aren't excited to attend a conference yet, you soon will be. All right, that's all for today. Please click like below and subscribe to gain access to over 100 UniEdit videos. My name is Anthony P, and it's been a pleasure. See you next time.