What You Should Take Away From A Networking Event (besides moo cards)

At some point during our time on Social Media, most of us will have attended some form of networking event. This could be a 140 Conference event, a cocktail party, or an event for a launching start up.  Each experience presents opportunities for its attendees.  I  have had the good fortune to be present for a good number of such events in the two and a half years I have been involved with Social Media.  The most common practice among the people attending is to share business cards.  This is an excellent way to connect to others with like interests, a speaker you found interesting, and in some cases, even a brand you were impressed with.

Handing out your cards is only a small part of the vast array of benefits you could harness while at such an event.  In no particular order of importance, I have found the following to be true:

You should gain a new perspective about a point of interest, knowledge, and even yourself. I have always heard that two sets of eyes are better than one, In Social Media that rings very true.  Sometimes you need someone else to point out a new angle of an existing concept in order for you to really get it.  These events give you an opportunity to meet people from all over the world and gain a perspective you may not have access to otherwise.

I normally attend 140 Character Conference events because they are attended by the most people I associate with in Social Media.  I have enjoyed every minute I have spent at these conferences and the time spent at the events surrounding them.  If there is one held near you, I suggest you check it out.  Even if you just attend an event like a cocktail hour or dinner.  The conferences are also available via Ustream when they are held but I enjoy the person to person meeting that goes with them when you attend.

Recently, I began to check out a few other conferences that were held here in NY.  I attended Business Insider’s Ignition 2011 conference which was a totally different experience from the 140 Conferences.  I actually learned that I agree with some of Glen Beck’s ideas about media and the future of media.  Before this, I really didn’t have an opinion on him but after his presentation, I was left with a good impression of him as a thinker. We were treated to a great interview with Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.  I was very impressed by the way she represented herself as well as Facebook.  You can read more about that here.

I found the Business Insiders conference to be a bit less social than the 140 Conferences but the information attained was extremely valuable.  You can read a bit about Angry Birds, Turntable.fm, and Google here. This gathering was more technical minded with less emphasis on the social side, yet there was some time set aside to mingle and network.

I also attended the Social Media Analytics Conference here in NY this year.  Again, this one was more technical but there were always moments to socialize and get in some connecting time.  I do find the technical side to be just as interesting as the social side, after all, one really can’t exist without the other.  I can come away from these gatherings with a clearer idea of what new technologies are coming up an which will make my social media life a little easier.

If you have a chance, I suggest you check some out in your area, find an affordable one to start with and just go.  See what you come away with for yourself.  I don’t think you’ll be sorry and you may find a new activity to add to your schedule.

Related articles

• Social Media Thought Leaders Worth Meeting (wendysoucie.com)
• 2morrowknight: The Phenomenal Jeff Pulver (huffingtonpost.com)
• http://www.teeco71.com/2011/12/business-insider-ignition-2011-angry-birds/ (teeco71.com)
• http://www.teeco71.com/2011/12/business-insider-ignition-2011/ (teeco71.com)
• http://utweet.it/featured-articles/the-140-character-conference-and-community/ (utweet.it)