With only a week to go, the passports are out, the shirts are dry cleaned and the bathing suit is packed. As your author writes this, looking out at the dreary UK winter weather, she definitely does so with a hefty dose of jealousy. My Edgefolio colleagues however will be there, so click here if you would like to meet them.

In our last blog, we discussed the pre-event preparation to get you on track for a successful event. Now, let’s consider the tips and tricks to get the most out of your time at the conference itself.

• Work to build personal connections with people you meet, asking lots of questions about their interests and experience of the event. Use the research you did pre-event to guide these conversations to topics your new acquaintance is interested in. If all else fails, ask if they have a local Miami restaurant/tourist recommendation. 

• Remember all the details; these will be the foundation of your follow up. Later, ask how that fishing trip or cycling holiday went. Give them your feedback on their local recommendation (which of course you will love). 

• Try to connect with people digitally, e.g. using LinkedIn or the event app. Better still if you have an investor portal, grant them access. This is a fast and efficient process for both sides. 

• Use voice notes to capture the details of your conversations, and WhatsApp or Slack to store and share these with your team. 

• Post something positive about the event on key social media channels, with a great photo and using the event’s own hashtags. This stands a decent chance of being reposted by the organiser, and therefore shared with a huge audience.

When connecting with people on site, firms using a modern fund marketing platform have a real advantage. This system gives your investment prospect access to all your fund data and thought leadership – instantly letting them learn more. This system will also be your CRM, so as your new connection signs up to your portal, they are actually adding themselves to your CRM. You will be able to monitor and manage the entire relationship in one platform, from the information they engage with to the follow ups you send them, building on that interest. 

In our recent white paper, “Eight steps to building quality relationships at in-person events”, we go into more detail on your essential on-site tactics to get the most from any in-person event, and also consider how you can optimise your follow up to build on that success. Click here to read the paper now.