Few things are as frustrating as hosting a networking event and having no one participate.
If you need to stir the social pot at your next gathering, use these helpful tips from a corporate catering expert and you’ll have more interaction, more socializing, and more fun at your next networking event!
Before the event gets started, create an event hashtag that can be used by people in attendance. Hashtags will help keep social media posts in one place, and encourage people to participate in your event and post their participation online.
Keep your hashtag short and to the point, and make sure it accurately reflects your event. Of course, make sure everyone attending knows the hashtag by posting it online, on banners, and on handouts. A good hashtag won’t create a successful event, but it will lay the foundation for socializing, mingling, and interaction all through the day.
You can use a variety of different talking points and conversation starters to encourage interaction during your event. One of the most interesting, and one of the easiest to execute, is simply asking who traveled the furthest for your event.
You may find that most people only traveled a few miles, but it’s also possible that someone traveled hundreds or even thousands of miles to be there. This encourages interaction among attendees, and essentially acts as an ice-breaker for conversations.
Attendees of your networking event will go through a lot of sessions and planned events throughout the day. Why not mix things up with a mid-session activity of some kind? Anything that encourages attendees to breakout of the routine and mingle will get the job done. This can include small-group sessions, games, or even online polls that allow people to vote on their favorite part of the day.
The layout of the event can do one of two things: either encourage or discourage interaction. Obviously you want to design the layout to be a source of encouragement.
The most important aspect of a good layout is to make sure the space is not crowded. Don’t clutter the floor space with tables, chairs, and displays, as it will block walking paths and make it harder for people to go from one space to another. This may require a large venue to accommodate a big crowd, allowing you to add all the features and stations you want without creating claustrophobia.
You should especially keep chairs to a minimum, as you don’t want people sitting in place. (If they’re sitting, they’re rarely interacting!)
When hosting any event, a meal is usually the first thought. With a networking event, leave the dinner out and instead have an assortment of light, healthy appetizers and hors d’oeuvres. If you host a formal sit-down meal, people will plant themselves in place and likely won’t move, which brings networking, mingling, and interaction to a halt. With a simple assortment of appetizers instead of a full meal, people can get a quick snack without stopping their interaction.
While we’re on the subject of food, it’s also worth mentioning that you should avoid dense, heavy foods. Burgers, pizza, and fried food will make people lethargic and lazy; it’s far better to offer light fare based on vegetables, fruits, fish, and other light ingredients.
The food you offer at a networking event shouldn’t just fill their bellies, it should also encourage networking and socializing. One of our favorite options is a “dragon’s breath” station. This is essentially a frozen dessert made from cereal balls or another ingredient dipped in liquid nitrogen. The nitrogen creates a vapor the comes out the nose and mouth, making it look like the person is breathing smoke, just like a dragon.
This is a fun, simple treat that encourages interaction. Everyone wants to try it, and it creates a lot of laughs; most of all, it gets people to start interacting with each other, creating a fun and social atmosphere.
Without fail, there will be wallflowers at your event. There will be people who, while maybe not shy and certainly not antisocial, simply don’t gravitate to social interaction. You’ll often find them sitting in the corner of the room or leaning against a wall, usually close to the entryway.
To get these people to interact, which is the ultimate goal of your event, you should designate three or four people (or more, depending on the size of the crowd), to act as designated “connectors.” Connectors don’t need to be pushy, but they should encourage people to interact and help others introduce themselves. The connectors should be well versed in the event, as well as the local community, so they can help inactive attendees get the most from your networking event.
People do not attend networking events to hear speeches. Other than a short introductory speech, and maybe a few public statements on specific features of the event, they should not have to sit and stare at the person behind a microphone. Speeches distract from the social aspect of the event and disrupt networking and interaction. Skip the long speeches and let the event be what it’s supposed to be: social!
Have you seen minimal interaction at your events? Perhaps it’s time to encourage interaction through games and prizes. For example, you could create a challenge where participants need to meet three people, learn something about them (first car, favorite pet, home town, most unique skill, whatever!) and write down the information on a slip of paper. Everyone who meets three people gets their name placed in a raffle, and a name is drawn at the end of the event; the winner gets a small prize, such as a gift card.
This is just one example. If you think creatively, you can likely think of multiple games that would encourage interaction at your networking event.
Need to hire a top-quality catering company for your next event? Contact Left Coast Catering today and discover how we can enhance your big day with elegant, interesting, and delicious foods and event management!
