I went to WordCamp Toronto 2012 last weekend. This event was focused more on the users and designers of WordPress. The next one in November will be developer oriented.
It was great. I talked to lot of people and learned about their business.
If you went to WordCamp Toronto. Here is a video of me so you can recognize me:
Somebody asked me what my goals were when I go this kind of events.
I like that kind of questions because they make you think.
My personal business networking goals when I go to networking events are to:
- find potential clients/strategic alliances that are a good match for what I am offering and it is a win/win for both parties.
- learn more about technology, marketing, some good practices.
- share knowledge
- give suggestions how people can improve their services, products or do better with technology (e.g. are you BCC'ing your clients instead of using a 3rd party email list service?)
- be a better communicator and connector
- learn from speakers and organizers how they do their presentations
- find potential partners for future projects: designers, developers, marketing people, lawyers, beta testers etc.
- collect business cards
Prediction about the future
I believe that in the present/future people will be like the * elasticity* of the cloud technology.
For some projects you connect to your network of trusted partners and work on a project.
One month one of the people will be leading the project in the next it will be another person.
Here are some networking basics tips by Marie Forleo: 8 Tips to Networking Without Being Fake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkqd6T399tQ&feature=em-subs_digest-newavtr
