The Elite Networkers of Dreamforce and What You Can Learn from Them About Great Conversations

You’ll notice them right away. Dreamforce has more than 100,000 networkers but the elite stand out. The conference regulars glide through the floor with ease and maintain composure as they shake hands and chat-up other cloud enthusiasts. They are rock stars of the expo floor and you could learn a thing or two from watching them.

Want to become one of the elite networkers of Dreamforce ’16? Just remember these three things:

 

• Be a participant, not a wall flower

 

In the cacophony of vendors, sales representatives and constant sessions, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Breath. Have an agenda and make the most of your conference experience. You can’t do that by clinging to your comfort. Break away from your colleagues and venture off into the Dreamforce jungle. Make your presence known and strike up conversations with strangers. Don’t wait for the conversation to come to you. Be interesting. Be charming. Be a participant.

Elite networkers aren’t a stand-still bunch. You’ll likely catch a glimmer of them dashing between groups and sessions. They are fearless and brave the tangled forest of the expo floor with confidence.

• Listen and ask questions

Dreamforce is a massive learning experience, but you can’t learn if you aren’t listening. And I’m not just talking about during the keynote and breakout sessions. Every conversation you have at Dreamforce is an opportunity to learn. Ask questions. It’s the quickest way to become the most interesting person in the room.

The pros know to make others the focus of their conversations. When you are the person asking the questions, you ultimately steer the conversation. Use questions to uncover common ground and interests. Listen carefully.

• Stay in touch

The difference between an average and awesome networker is the follow-up. Some rookies have the gift of gab and quickly take to collecting contacts. But at the end of the day, when they’ve returned to their normal business routines, they forget to solidify their new relationships. Tallying up business cards is only an illusion of networking. Want to be an expert? Maintain your new relationships throughout the year. Schedule drinks and conversations with your new contacts. If you don’t keep the spark alive, your networking flame will extinguish.

First time at Dreamforce? Stop by NewVoiceMedia’s booth and we’ll show you the ropes! Schedule a meeting with our team, and follow our conversations on Twitter with #GetCloser.