My first experience of Speed Networking, how to plan, execute and benefit from giving it a go!
(Sarah McKee-Harris, Founder of Lighthouse Executive Ltd & Team Ambition Limited (Feb 2025))
Speed Networking can potentially sound like a scary prospect for some business leaders looking for ways to promote and develop their business, increase sales opportunities and client base. Perhaps it’s because it conjures up images like speed dating or the stereotypical salesperson over-enthusiastically telling you how wonderful their product or service is too close to your face, talking at a million miles an hour, expecting you to hand over your credit card there and then!
So when I was asked if I’d like to not just participate but also help run a speed networking event for the FSB in my local region of Essex where I’m an active member, of course I said ‘yeah sure why not’ then immediately started to regret my decision as the images mentioned above started to play out in my head, with me covered in sales people spittle, credit card maxed out, not knowing what day it was and what I’d agreed to purchase.
Rather than make some excuse about double-booking my diary or pulling a sickie to avoid the event, instead I thought to myself, ‘I can’t be the only one who thinks and feels like this about the prospect of speed networking,’ and so I suggested to the event organiser, (Ann Scott @ Essex FSB) we create and share this helpful guide and run a short webinar to help others just like me, get over their fears (conscious or not!) of speed networking so that they (we) can prepare and participate like a pro to not just reap the rewards of this different style of networking but actually enjoy the process as well!
- It’s all in the preparation!
As with all business meetings, preparation is your key to a successful meeting (even if it’s only a 2-minute meeting!)
- Check the event details in advance – location, timings, how many will be there, the planned format, what you’re allowed/not allowed to do or take with you etc. You don’t want to be late as you’re already limited on time in front of potential customers and it’s important to make a good impression from the word go. Plus the organisers may not be able to slot you in straight away – potentially missing valuable business introductions!
- Business Cards – make sure you have plenty with you, I suggest physical cards as opposed to electronic cards/your LinkedIn QR codes to exchange as they come in useful to make notes on if there’s space and don’t get lost in the contact lists of doom.
- Take a pen (two in case one runs out like it probably will do typically when you need it most) and a notepad to make notes of what the other person is saying when meeting them. This will help when doing your follow up after the event.
You might want to use an AI tool instead to record your notes, such as a voice memo/otter.ai – these are also fine just aware it will be noisy in the room with everyone else speaking at the same time as you so these might now be as effective in picking up just your conversation.
- Prepare your pitch/elevator pitch – in the event we are running with the FSB, participants only have 2 minutes each to ‘sell’ their business to the other person, so keep it short and sweet, e.g.
- Your Name
- Your Job title and Company name
- Describe the value you provide to customers, e.g. What problems can you solve for your customers? How/What do customers benefit from by working with you? If possible, describe an actual, typical example to help them understand.
- If you have time, conclude your timed pitch by saying what your goals and results you want to achieve from the meeting today.
- Make yourself memorable! Remember the people you meet in the event will be meeting a ton of other people just like you so if you can have something prepared to make them remember you – e.g. wear business branded clothing, if there is space and it’s relevant to your business and what you’re selling, take a prop of some kind – this could be an example of what you sell, a take away for the people you meet, such as a branded pen etc (if it’s a larger item then best you check with the organiser in advance on how much space they have in the room otherwise it might be a waste of time bringing along a banner for example that you can’t put up!)
- During the event…
- I’d suggest before you do anything, say hello and exchange business cards, otherwise you may forget and remember these may be useful to make notes on when the other person is speaking. You might want to shake hands too, just make sure if you do, it’s a firm handshake as people read a lot into this welcome gesture!
- Take notes! You might think you have a great memory but when you’re under time pressure and meeting up to 20 businesspeople all saying different names, companies and things they are great at, surprisingly (es even for you!), things might be forgotten – these notes (if you can read your handwriting afterwards!) will be very useful when doing your follow up after the event.
- Try to stick to your planned pitch format as prepared as the clock is ticking and although the weather on the day might be dire/beautiful you don’t have time to be typically British right now) This is your, very limited, time to shine!
- If, and only if, you have any spare time (which is highly unlikely), you might want to have a couple of pre-prepared questions in your back pocket to ask people you’re meeting, e.g.
- What made you decide to come to today’s event?
- What inspired you to start doing the work you’re involved in now?
- Finally – be respectful of the timer – when your time is up, no matter how important you think it is to tell the person you’re meeting at the time, you must stop and let them speak. You will have already exchanged business cards and you can make a note to follow up with them after the event to hopefully finish your conversation.
- The follow up…
It’s amazing how many people forget this part of the process. One of the most important aspects of networking is to follow up on the contacts you have received during the meeting. For some reason though, a good number of speed networkers think that all of the magic is supposed to happen during the event. The reality is, if you do not follow up you might as well have stayed in the office and done something more useful.
- Place a quick phone call, book a lunch, or send an email so that the person gets a more lasting impression of you and what you do. (This is where those notes we spoke about you taking come in really handy!)
By revisiting your notes, it will be easier to recall details related to the goals of the other party and ensure they accept your invitation to put that follow up meeting in their diary.
My final piece of advice and by far the most important one is – relax, smile and enjoy the experience.
You may feel completely out of your comfort zone, but do you know what? So does everybody else in the room!
Plus, don’t forget you paid to be here – so make the most of it and go get some business ;0)