This week’s reminder is simple but underrated: local networking and industry events.

In a world that’s become overwhelmingly digital, getting back to in-person interactions can feel like a breath of fresh air. And it’s worth pausing to think about that shift. We went from everything being in-person to everything becoming digital, and now we’re seeing a pull back to real, face-to-face connection.

Why?

Digital spaces are saturated. Feeds are filled with repetitive content, AI-generated posts, and endless sales pitches. The same ideas, said in slightly different ways. It’s noisy and in all honesty, it’s getting old.

In-person, on the other hand, cuts through all of that.

Conversations are more human. People aren’t speaking in polished or templated language; they’re just being real. And things actually move faster. You don’t have to wait for an email or a follow-up message. You can connect, learn, and build relationships in a single conversation.

But, if you aren’t making the effort to understand the events and meet-ups happening around you and taking advantage of, sometimes free, events, then you are missing out on real human connections that can generate partners, sales conversations, and much more.

So, when was the last time you took notice and advantage of local networking events or industry meet ups? Here are a few places you can start.

1. What events have you been to in the past?

Make a list of the events you have attended recently. Maybe it’s the last two years, or if you’ve been to quite a few, just use the last year. This can give you a starting point for understanding what events you have gone to. Then, write a few details about each event. This can include:

• Event Type: Local event, networking event, lunch and learn, large industry event, etc.
• Event Goal: Build industry connections and network, introductions to potential partners, spark sales conversations
• Event Involvement: Attending, sponsoring, exhibitor
• Event Location: Local, in-state, out-of-state
• Attendance: Large or small event
• Event Results: What was achieved by attending this event?

Answering these questions about previously attended events can gauge whether the event was worth attending or not. Plus, you can get a sense of the type of events you most frequent and decide whether these are working for your team, or if there is too much frequency, say in large industry events, that you might pivot to another event type, such as local networking events.

2. How can you find events?

Sometimes it can be a challenge to find events. If you are in a smaller city, there might not be as many available, and sometimes the larger events might seem out of reach from a price point. While the types of events you look for vary by your location, goals, and resources available, here are a few ways that you can find events.

• Eventbrite: This is a great online tool that helps you find events, especially local ones. Set your location and explore all types of events.
• Google Search: Something as simple as typing in your location and the type of event, such as “Austin networking events” or “Austin marketing events” can yield search results for events that might be of interest.
• Social Media Groups: Whether it’s a Facebook or LinkedIn Group, these are often good places to look as well to see if anyone is hosting something local or in your industry.
• Coworking Spaces: Visit your local WeWork or other coworking spaces and see what flyers are up around the office. Many organizations advertise their events there, and it can be a great way to make connections.

3. How can you make the most of the events you attend?

Have fun. Talk to people. Promote your brand. Those are the three pieces of advice I would give to anyone attending an event, whether you’re just attending, have a booth, or a big-name sponsor. One of the core reasons you’re there is to make connections. If you’ve done that, you’ve pretty much achieved what you need to. Outside of that, make sure your brand gets out there. Whether it’s just to a few people or several hundred that might come to your booth if you have one, getting your organization out there is essential. If you make connections with people in person, ensure you connect with them via LinkedIn or reach out via email, letting them know how great it was to meet them. Just be a human, and not the AI-filled content and posts we are more consistently seeing online.

At Launch Marketing, we help you understand the right types of marketing activities to use to reach your ideal audience and generate conversions. Events can be a critical piece in your marketing mix. Let us help you identify key events to attend, or even sponsor, to grow your connections and business.