Social Media Networking Tips When Attending Conferences

January 10, 2014

There are tons of powerful social media networking tips you can use to get the most out of your next conference or event.

With social media you can create relationships with people who are relevant to you before even stepping foot inside a room. Using social media allows you to do what is called targeted networking so you can meet people who you really want to meet while attending a conference or event.

This week on the Social Media Social Hourwe’re joined by the Marketing Director of New Media Expo, Deborah Cole (aka Coach Deb). As head of marketing for one of the largest blogging/new media conferences in the world, Coach Deb is full of great networking tips on how you can leverage social media to get the most out of your networking efforts next time you attend a conference or an event. I also share with you a great tool to track hashtags across multiple platforms.

About the show:

Social Media Social Hour PodcastThe Social Media Social Hour is a podcast for marketers and entrepreneurs looking to get on the social media fast track. The podcast is an interview format, where each week I get up close and personal with top brands and influencers to talk social media, tech and online marketing. Each week I also share tools that I personally use to help me with social media management, sales, marketing, account management and productivity.

In this episode, here’s what we’ll cover:

  • Tech Tool of the Week: #tagboard
  • Coach Deb dives into New Media Expo and how she became involved.
  • New Media Expo, which started out as BlogWorld, has become a great networking convention for bloggers, podcasters, web TV stars, and social media marketers.
  • Even if you cannot physically attend NMX, there is a virtual ticket to let you participate from anywhere.
  • Coach Deb says that NMX is very beneficial for the content marketer and the influencer.
  • New Media Expo helps individuals in the field interact and learn from each other.
  • Social media has altered conference networking practices, as individuals can build relationships prior to meeting face to face.
  • Deb talks about how NMX is using social media to help attendees build relationships before the event.
  • NMX is using Google hangouts to interact with fans, attendees, and influencers.
  • Google+ highlights the person who is speaking.
  • Coach Deb talks about how the casual nature of Google hangouts helps everyone to learn and distribute different types of tips and information.
  • At an event such as NMX, she advises attendees to track the hashtag and interact with the speakers in any way.
  • Coach Deb says that if you want to be known, find out what is valuable and then tweet it.
  • Researching people ahead of time helps you know where to spend your time networking at an event.
  • She advises to make sure your social media profile pictures look as much like yourself as possible so you are easily identifiable to people networking with you.
  • Targeted networking helps to prepare for the event you are going to.
  • The beauty of new media is that everyone gets to participate.
  • Leveraging twitter lists is helpful to engage individuals you want to meet at events.
  • LinkedIn is a great way to network and connect with others and it helps you to keep up with the industry because it updates contact information for you.
  • The beauty of social media is that you carry it around with you in your mobile phones.
  • She advises to get phone numbers, Twitter handles, and LinkedIn connections right away with people you want to do business with.
  • Tweeting is a form of journaling and giving press/coverage.
  • Twitter keeps you top of mind but it is also important to go beyond Twitter.
  • Coach Deb advises conference goers to get connected in mobile phones of others to take those networking relationships to the next level.
  • Keynotes prove themselves for conferences and get themselves in those speaking roles.
  • Coach Deb advises to ask for want you want and to be proactive in offering your services.
  • Her advice prior to attending an event is to find out who you would best be valuable to and ask how you can help them.
  • Coach Deb says that it is essential to become the leader of a group and prove yourself as someone who has the information others need.
  • She says that you want to host the party on your front lawn.

Coach Deb’s Social Media Six Pack:

  1. What is your favorite personal social network? Twitter
  2. What is the last Facebook page you personally liked? Baby Cakes
  3. What smartphone are you currently using? iPhone
  4. What was the last app you downloaded for your smartphone? Minecraft
  5. Excluding NMX, what is the best digital media, social media conference? South by Southwest
  6. What is the best keynote you have ever seen? Gary Vaynerchuk

Items mentioned in the show:

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