When was the last time you took the lead on organizing a networking event with your fellow independent agents or business owners? The past year and a half have created a huge void when it comes to networking. But it has also created new opportunities for you to step up and reinvent the networking event moving forward.
Taking charge of organizing a networking event will strengthen your professional reputation and brand image, but you have to be considerate of the times. Despite obstacles created by the pandemic, there is always a way to turn weaknesses and threats into opportunities and actionable strategies.
While we’ve done our best to stay connected digitally, there is nothing like being face to face at a networking event. It’s hard to mingle on Zoom, and mingling is a huge part of a networking event.
We’re starting to gather and move about more freely, but that doesn’t mean that the nature of face-to-face gatherings hasn’t changed. Be sure to consider our new normal when you organize a post-pandemic networking event. There is still a bit of social anxiety lingering, so be considerate.
However, considering people’s hesitation to gather in large groups is an opportunity to create more intimate and exclusive networking events. Focus the guest list on a select few professionals with similar goals and client lists. Segmenting your audience and breaking up your business and marketing strategies into groups, you can use this same strategy with your networking events.
Who to Invite
If you’re new to organizing events, the best place to start is with people you know and have connected with previously. Your first step as an industry leader is to gather your team. The goal of your first networking event may simply be to connect a group of colleagues and friends and form a small coalition to share ideas and brainstorm how to grow.
Once you have your core team, you can work together to expand and invite new professionals.
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