BE CONCISE AND MEMORABLE They say “You only get one chance to make a first impression” so present - ing yourself in a professional manner that respects the speaker’s time will go a long way in successfully follow- ing up with the speaker post-event. The worst thing you can do is take up all of a speaker’s time by asking ques- tions while not being cognisant of the other people waiting for their turn. I’ve not only seen this, but it has also hap- pened to me a time or two, so my first tip is to be concise and memorable. When it’s your turn to say hello, always greet the speaker with a firm handshake while making eye contact, clearly conveying who you are and the organization you are representing. You should always thank them for their time and for sharing their knowledge with the audience. I always like to go into the conversation with a question
END ON A POSITIVE NOTE The final thing you want to do is end the conversation on a positive note. If people are waiting to also speak to the keynote or panelist you can say something to the effect “Hey look it was great meeting you, thanks for taking a few minutes to speak with me. I want to give others a chance to speak with you as well, do you mind if I add you on LinkedIn?” This shows social awareness and that you’re thinking of others. It also sets you up to follow up with the speaker on LinkedIn. If you do this right ten times out of ten, they will say yes of course, or even better they will hand you their business card. successfully introduced yourself and made a positive first impression, now it’s time for the follow-up! Now that you’ve
and a connection. The question should be related to the topic the speaker just spoke about and should also reflect your knowledge of the industry or topic. This helps give you credibility in the speaker’s mind. FIND COMMON GROUND As for the connection, I try to find someone or something we have in common so that when it’s my turn to introduce myself I can drop that name or thing in common. For example, you might have graduated from the same school, you may have worked for the same company at some point, you might have a close mutual connection, or anything that might make you memorable to the speaker. This helps build trust in the speaker’s mind. All of this can be achieved in under a couple of minutes if done right.
Generally speaking, most keynote speakers and panelists are industry leaders whose time is limited and sought after so the way you follow up is just as important as the first impression you’ve made. Assuming you’ve already sent a LinkedIn connection request to the speaker following your interaction at the event and that they have accepted here are my tips and tricks for getting a follow-up reply. Many industry leaders are inundated daily on LinkedIn with people trying to connect or to get time on their calendars so it’s important that not only stand out but provide value. One thing that I like to do when I attend events is to take a picture of the speaker or the panel that I can send in a follow- up message. This shows that I was engaged with the speaker, and it also
84 SPOTLIGHT MAGAZINE ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • VOL 24 ISSUE 5
SPOTLIGHT MAGAZINE ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • VOL 24 ISSUE 5 85
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs