Hosting a networking event gets people in the door and gives you the spotlight if you’re looking to raise awareness about your organization. If you create an arena for business professionals to come together for a mutual benefit like networking, it can build up your reputation and help you be a positive influence within the community. 

Remember, networking events don’t have to be narrowed down to happy hours or after-work gatherings. Ribbon cuttings, open houses, volunteer events, and breakfast meet and greets are all events that can bring your audience to your business’ front door.

Here are a few tips from Superevent on how to host an effective networking event:

• Define a goal for the event: if you find a niche for your gathering, guests will have a common topic to discuss as a conversation starter.
• Choose the right setting: Where your event is located and how its presented is important. Keep your audience in mind when you decide on the venue, food, and interactivity.
• Round up the volunteers: There’s a way to avoid having too many attendees hide from interacting with others. Keep the conversations flowing by bringing in volunteers to connect with guests to ensure everyone has a takeaway from the event.

Read more tips on how to make the most of your event here.

After all is said and done, how will you track the success of your event? The Receptionist says making a plan to follow up with your guests is the key to bringing in business from the you event. The deal might not happen during your coffee discussion round table, but it could happen the next day when you send a thank you to everyone who participated.

What are the top metrics you should keep track of to calculate your events ROI? Eventdex says:

• Track Your Guests: Calculate your event’s expenses and divide them by the number of attendees to get a general idea of how much your spent on each attendee.
• Track Engagement: Include a social media element to your event to gather data on comments, photos, highlights, and more. 
• Net Promoter Score: Collect audience feedback on hwo likely they are to recommend your events to others. Those who rank your event high on the scale could be seen as potential promoters, or enthusiastic supporters willing to help you get higher attendance rates.

Find out other ways to identify your event’s successes when you read the full article from Eventdex.

Do you have an in-person or virtual event coming up? CuyEast Chamber will help you promote it! If you’re ready to host an open house, local meetup, ribbon cutting, or virtual event, we’re ready to help you plan and attract attendees. We’ll promote your event through the CuyEast website, emails, and social channels at no cost to you. We’re all about networking!

And, it’s easier than ever to fill us in on the details for your event. Complete the Host an Event form here in just a few minutes.

Looking for a member event to attend? Check out the CuyEast Chamber Events Calendar.