Form Your Own Futre: #SproutChat Recap: Networking for Social Media & Community Professionals

SproutChat7-insights

For social media and community managers, prioritizing networking and attending events and meetups is key for career advancement. Connections often lead to valuable collaboration opportunities or bigger, better roles. This week, the #SproutChat community offered their advice for making meaningful connections at conferences and meetups, and vouched for a number of events and associations that are worth checking out.

Do Your Research & Set Goals

It’s always helpful to do some research. Use social for doing research before an event and for making connections during an event. Keep individuals that you’d like to connect with top of mind. Channel extrovert tendencies, and don’t be afraid to walk up to strangers. Most people attend events for the same reason you do.

A3) Approach quietest person in room – they're as nervous as you are, & networking begins when someone says hello #sproutchat

— Gordon D (@gordondym) January 13, 2016

A3. Don't overthink, just be yourself. It's about creating relationships, you do it all the time outside networking events. #Sproutchat

— Rasmus Hallgren (@rasmushallgren) January 13, 2016

A3. Watch the movie wedding crashers, take note, apply to your situation #sproutchat

— Chris Desadoy (@EliteYouTubePro) January 13, 2016

A3. Have a good time. Networking is about forming connections that /might/ pay off in the future, not selling your boring biz. #SproutChat

— Nathan Young (@notnathan) January 13, 2016

A3 just think of the possibilities- just meeting ONE person could change everything. #sproutchat see who you'd like to build long term relp

— LUCYrk (@LUCYrk78) January 13, 2016

A3. Before events, I'll do my research on folks who I think will be there. Check who's hosting the event & the RSVP list. #SproutChat

— Margot Mazur (@margotcodes) January 13, 2016

A3: Also, set up @IFTTT to create a twitter list of those tweeting. Use that to help you connect! #sproutchat

— Chris Barrows (@CBarrows) January 13, 2016

Keep an Ear to the Ground

You’ll likely hear about larger events on social through dedicated hashtags, friends or advertisements. To avoid missing smaller events, sign up for the event sponsor or hosting organization’s email list. Other tactics to help stay in the loop include joining Meetup or Facebook groups and checking Eventbrite.

A4: I try to sign up for relevant newsletters & pay attention to local event calendars. @TheBostonCal is great one for #Boston #sproutchat

— Aaron Lumnah (@aaronlumnah) January 13, 2016

A4: I find events on Facebook Groups and Pages, as well as in newsletters and @Meetup . #SproutChat https://t.co/DJoyKkCLKq

— Zach Solomon-Beloin (@ZachSB) January 13, 2016

A4 Follow people who write & report for your industry's trade magazines. They're always on top of the best events for that field #sproutchat

— Jon Hochstat (@JHochstat) January 13, 2016

A4) My resources include @Eventbrite @SMCChicago @Netsquared & trusted colleagues like @SproutSarah #sproutchat

— Gordon D (@gordondym) January 13, 2016

A4: Monitor what events others in your niche/circle/etc are going to, how they liked them, etc. #sproutchat https://t.co/8eyvWm5umY

— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) January 13, 2016

Recommended Events

Here are some events focused around marketing, PR, advertising, journalism, entrepreneurship, startups and tech that the #SproutChat community recommended. Check them out, and see if any would be a good fit for you.

We’d love to see you at an event in 2016! Be sure to check here throughout the year to see where Sprout will be.

Recommended Associations

Professional organizations and associations are great resources for networking and learning more about the industry. Check out the list of national, international and regional groups the #SproutChat community finds resourceful.