The Networker

How to complete The Networker

Conferences are easy to attend and easy to waste. The real win here is leaving with three people who would actually recognize your name and reply to a message later, not three business cards you never look at again.

1. Before you go, scan the speaker list and attendee app, and pick 5-6 specific people whose work overlaps with yours
2. Skip the keynotes if you have to and prioritize hallway tracks, meal tables, and small sessions where conversation is possible
3. Open with a question about what they're working on rather than your own pitch, then find one concrete thing you can offer or follow up on
4. Within 24 hours, send each new contact a short personal message referencing what you actually discussed, not a copy-paste

Tips

• Aim for depth with a handful of people over collecting fifty contacts you'll forget
• Volunteering or asking a thoughtful question during Q&A makes people approach you afterward
• A connection only counts once they reciprocate: a reply, a connect-back, or a follow-up call

What counts as done

Three people you met have responded to your follow-up and you have an ongoing thread or scheduled chat with each.