By Victoria Buchy from Velvet Icons Productions
Does networking make you a little bit uncomfortable? Are you unsure what to say or do when you enter the room? We’ve put together some practical networking strategies and questions to help you feel confident and ready to mingle.
The Guest List
If you have access to the guest list for the event, take a moment to review it in advance. Identify a few people you would like to talk to.
It’s always good decorum to also know who organized the event and say hello and thank you to them while you are there, even if you haven’t met them before. See what conversation comes up. Event organizers are often expert networkers who chat to guests all the time--a safe zone for the new networker!
“Hi [event organizer], I’m [your name] and I just wanted to say thank you for putting on this event today. I really learned a lot from the presentation! I found it very valuable.”
The Environment
Keep in mind that some events that are more social in nature (e.g. cocktail party) and many attendees may not want to ‘talk shop’ the whole time. Use what’s happening around you at the event as a way into a conversation. Panels and discussion-based events are often better suited to starting direct conversations about industry topics.
“Congratulations on your award! How are you feeling after winning?”
“I heard [so and so] is speaking tonight. Have you heard them speak before?”
“This event venue is stunning! Have you been here before?”
“Do you come to this festival every year?”
“I thought the swag bags had a lot of great goodies in them. Did you get one?”
The Room
If you’re attending an event alone, it might feel uncomfortable to break the ice. Look for someone else who is also alone and probably feeling just as lost as you! Or find a large group of people of at least four or five to join.
“Is this seat free/Can I sit here?”
“What do you think of the [red wine] -- is it good? Should I try it?”
“Did you see the review in Variety for [that film]? What did you think?”
“How is the [festival/conference] going for you this year?”
“I heard someone say [topic of interest] when I was walking by and thought, these are people I’d like to talk to!”
Avoid approaching two people as it could be a sensitive or private conversation. If you are in an international setting, try to find people that are speaking in a language that you can comfortably communicate in so that the others don’t have to suddenly shift with your presence. Or don’t be afraid to ask if someone speaks your language when you first start chatting to help both you and the other person be at ease.
And the more you circulate at the festival, the more you’ll start to see the same faces and be recognized yourself. It will get easier to strike up a conversation.
The Simple Chat
Your conversations can be casual and short (5 minutes is okay!) and should be focussed on the other person to help you get a glimpse into who they are, what they do or what’s interesting to them. There’s no need to market yourself at every opportunity--what a relief for you and the other attendees!
“What kinds of [films/projects] do you focus on?” (Consider genre, length, etc)
“Do you work only in [film/new media]? (Based on whatever form they mentioned)
“What gets you excited or interested in your work?”
“What are you working on right now?” followed by “How is that going?”
“What are you hoping to do that you haven’t had a chance to do yet?”
“I saw your pitch earlier today. I heard lots of people buzzing about it. How did you feel it went?”
Use this as an opportunity to listen closely to others’ responses and relevant cues. For example, can you share any insights about their pitch that you saw? Or if they mention they are interested in a certain topic and you know there is a panel discussion about that same topic, let them know! Many attendees are busy and will appreciate tips you can offer that align with their interests.
“Did you see that there will be a panel about [that topic] tomorrow?”
“I recently read an article exactly about [that topic]. Have you seen it?”
The Repeat Meet
If you’d like to meet with someone again, try to ascertain where they are going next or what they recommend such as a panel, a screening, or an article. Make the effort to attend or read that material so you have something to talk about the next time you meet.
“Do you recommend any specific [panels/screenings] this week?”
“This is my first time here. What do you think are the best events to attend?”
“I heard that [this party/screening/discussion] is one of the most exciting parts of the conference. Would you agree?”
The Follow-Up
You might find that someone would be helpful to you or your work in the near-term or in the future. Ask for contact information and follow-up 24-48 hrs after the event with a simple “nice to meet you” message. It’s good to prioritize getting a business card from someone instead of giving one of yours away so that you have more control over connecting again.
“I think your views on [x,y,z] are really interesting and relevant to the industry today. Can I get your contact information so I can keep in touch with you about this?”
“I really appreciated our conversation tonight. Do you have a business card?”
The first time you meet someone is rarely the right time to ask for favours. Many people will build a basic relationship first, but if someone offers to help you, jump on it!
“Yes, I could use some advice on that in the near future. Do you have a business card so that I could contact you about it later?”
The Escape
It’s okay to move on when conversations aren’t catching on or you sense a shift in the conversation dynamic. When it’s time to go...
“It was great to speak with you. I just have to go talk to one other person before the speeches get started.”
“It was great to speak with you. I’m afraid I have to be off now to attend another event.”
“It was so great to speak with you this evening, I’ll send you some information about [x,y,z] that we discussed [OR] See you at that panel tomorrow!”
You can ask for contact information at this point if there is any follow-up that you’d like to do, or politely end the conversation. Attendees are going to be very used to people making quick exits and will have done so many times themselves, so don’t feel like you need to hang around for some perfect moment to leave.
Overall, the best advice we can give is to shift your perspective from scoring business points to simply getting to know a few people in attendance. Take the pressure off yourself to find the ‘best’ connections and you’ll enjoy more unexpected, sparkling conversations! You never know who you’ll meet.
Meet Victoria (who I met on a wonderful short film, SNOWBIRD, made during InsideOut Mentorship Program):
Victoria is a seasoned executive who is addicted to organizing creative chaos. She draws her expertise from more than a decade of leadership roles in the non-profit and performing arts sectors. She began her career managing sales campaigns for Canada’s largest theatre producer, Mirvish Productions. As the Director of Operations at The Glenn Gould Foundation, she produced complex live events for numerous Glenn Gould Prizes. Victoria later served as Executive Director at the Toronto Children’s Chorus, an internationally-renowned choral program where she managed business operations and directed multiple international tours.
Victoria is also a film and television script supervisor who trained with respected industry veteran, Daniela Saioni. Victoria enjoys the technical details of being a “scripty” and the opportunity to work closely with directors on the magic of visual storytelling.