Hey there! Smart Listing team attended the 5 top conferences in the world, and we are thrilled to be able to provide outstanding recommendations on how a startup should behave at a conference to maximize their chances of success.
Let us share our sage words of wisdom with you so you can come prepared. Remember, fail to prepare=prepare to fail. Bear in mind these hard-learned truths so you can make sure you get the best experience possible: who said you can’t combine business and pleasure?
This may sound prosaic, but it is true: just like 70% of boxing is psychology, 70% of our success, for the better or the worse, depends on our social connections. Make sure to speak to people first, even if you’re the shyest person you ever knew.
This doesn’t mean you have to be an extravert for the rest of your life, just in case being open doesn’t come to you naturally. Just think of it as a theatre role. Be everyone’s favorite for a few days and at least pretend to genuinely love people and talk to them about everything, not just business. If that’s not your thing, you can always go back to being quiet and thoughtful on the plane back. And if you are by nature open and friendly, this will be heaven. In both cases, your enthusiasm will be noticed by investors, admirers, and friends-to-be.
This also may sound too simplistic, until you realize you flew over to an event where no-one really knows what’s going on (or cares). The lecturer reads a text they copypasted from an aerosol can but no-one is noticing because no-one is listening? The brochure text is written in such bad English that you just give up trying to understand what’s up? Everyone is talking about stuff that is obviously ancient but they don’t seem to know things radically changed two months ago?
That’s because you just booked tickets without checking whether anyone reputable is coming, how well-written the announcements are, and who’s running the show. We can tell you from the start the event in London won’t let you down because the English are famous for their sterling standard approach to getting things done well, but if you’re looking at a promo that says “we have the best event ever, just, like, seriously though, trust us” and there are no specific details – reconsider your strategy.
Ecamb’s Peter Tatishchev and Maria Adamyan are confident 99% of your efforts and results will be based on a follow-up you do after the event, which will be your chance to get the most things done. Most people don’t, which means a lion’s share of opportunities will be missed. Be smart and start dialing.
This is a tough one. A lot of people will be after certain celebrities, and yet in terms of your overall time, it’s better to spend it trying to make friends with influential people first. Just like you eat meat and potatoes before the dessert and not the other way around, have a go at ticking the most vital boxes first.
On the other hand, don’t be a snob either. No-one likes an elitist these days, so be nice. Everyone matters. However, remember Communism 101: all people arу born equal, but some are more equal than others.
Also a cliche, but it helps a lot to go over the main points of what you and your business are about before you tell anyone. Don’t prepare a memorized speech because that may weird people out, but it’s always good to have some kind of quintessence in mind so you can get straight to business without getting all fluffy and distracted and sounding uncertain about your project.
Go forth and prosper!
