Attending PSW: Networking
Posted on 22. May, 2009 by Terry Reinert in Photoshop World
The first installment of my Attending Photoshop World series of posts is going to focus on networking. Thousands of artists, business gurus, tech gurus, and down right cool people go to Photoshop World which manifests many opportunities to network with others of like mind. Networking is much more than just smiling at someone across the table and saying hi. Networking leads to long lasting contact and / or friendships with others. This post is going to focus on the most efficient ways to meet new people and build your network of friends and business partners.
I broke this topic down into two parts; the best ways to meet new people and the best way to trade contact information with them quickly and efficiently. In addition to writing my own opinions and methods for networking, I asked a few people who attend conferences regularly how they network with others. It is my hope that this information will be of great use to those attending the upcoming Photoshop World in Las Vegas as well as all the future Photoshop World conferences.
Contributing Parties
Rob Vanelli is the owner of Exposure Photographic Art Studio, a photographer, and a photography / Photoshop educator. Vanelli has been to every Photoshop World conference except one.
Cherie VeArd is one of the technomads behind the Technomadia blog and has attended many technology related conferences across the world.
Heather Reinert is a traditional artist turned freelance graphic designer. She is also really cute. 
Terry Reinert is some guy who rambles on and on about all sorts of things… kinda like me. No wait, that is me!
PART 1: HOW TO MEET
The first thing that you have to realize is that everyone at the conference is there for many of the same reasons that you are there. So you already have something in common that can be used to introduce yourself under. Photoshop World has many great opportunities to approach a stranger and network with them. Here are some ideas for you…
1. Using Social Media Networks
Cherie says…
Network before the event! A lot of conferences now host some sort of social networking online where attendees can join up and tell a bit about themselves. By browsing those and interacting on places like Facebook and Twitter, I go into the conference with already some knowledge of folks, and perhaps with plans to meet up.
Cherie says…
Twitter at the conference – find out what the hashtag is, and post from the various sessions you’re attending. You’ll be able to engage in conversations with other conference goers, and may find that the person you’re tweeting with is sitting just a few rows over! I’ve also seen folks organize a social event via invites over twitter – mingling after the conference really goes a long way to meeting folks socially, so that the next day at the conference you know a few folks.
Terry says…
If you have an iPhone or BlackBerry make sure you take photos of the event and upload them to Twitter or Facebook. If there are people in the photo, make sure to tag them so it appears on their page. This gives them a link back to you.
2. At Conference Events
Cherie says…
Put something interesting on your badge. If the conference prints your name or location or company name – try to make it stand out. As an introvert, this has been a great way for people to break that ice with me. Since I’m a technomad, that’s usually the thing that piques curiosity most in others. So I find ways to make that print on my badge, as either my company name, title or location – so that it’s an easy way for folks to break the ice with me.
Vanelli says…
Wear your Photoshop World Conference badge everywhere you go especially in the hotel elevators. In a crowded elevator with people from other conferences, commonality with another Photoshop World attendee will make you feel more comfortable striking up a conversation.
Vanelli says…
Smile at the staff members working the event and if they are not busy talk to them. They are there to help make the event run smooth and ensure that everyone is getting the most of Photoshop World. Staff members are another commonality that you can use in your networking to start conversations with others.
Heather says…
Keep your head up and smile whenever you are walking around the area. If you look friendly then people are more likely to engage you in conversation. If you walk with your head down or always frowning then people will try to avoid you.
Terry says…
Introduce yourself to the people sitting next to you in any of the classes you attend before and after the session. You could ask if they have ever taken a class with the instructor before and what they thought of it. You could ask what they are hoping to get out of the class you are about to take. For those that are really shy, ask to borrow a pen to write a quick note in your book and then build a conversation from there. Just make sure you are not talking while the instructor is teaching.
Terry says…
If you see someone looking at a book that you have read or looking at a gadget that you have used, introduce yourself to them and tell them what you thought about the book or device. Many people like to get advice and read reviews prior to buying something. If you have experience with that book or device then they will probably have a lot of questions to ask you!
Vanelli says…
If you are an artist or photographer, make sure to have examples of your work on an iPod or have a small portfolio with you. Once you show other people your work, it will help them remember you as well as keep the conversation going.
Heather says…
If you see someone carrying a book or product that you are interested in, stop them and ask their opinion about it. It seems that people walking around with gadgets or copies of their favorites books usually have opinions about it and are open to conversations based around those items.
Terry says…
If all else fails, find Vanelli and ask him to introduce you to people… just be prepared to meet a LOT of new people!!
3. Lunch Meetings and After Hours Parties
Vanelli says…
Share a taxi whenever you go anywhere. This will this help you save money and make new contacts.
Terry says…
There are two after hours parties associated with Photoshop World conferences. One is usually at a local restaurant or bar where Scott Kelby’s band, Big Electric Cat, plays a gig. This is a great opportunity to kick back, relax, and meet new people. The other event is Midnight Madness. Try to get a ticket to this event as it is a whole lot of fun and presents many opportunities to network with others. Also, if you are attending the event alone, attend the Dinner with a Stranger event that is sponsored by the Photoshop World conference itself.
Cherie says…
If the conference hosts lunch or minglers, attend! To get your feet wet with networking, find a table where there’s already a couple of folks, and sit down. Say hi and introduce yourself. The standard ‘What sessions have you attended today? Where are you from? What do you do outside the conference?’ questions work remarkably well to initiating a conversation. I’ve typically found that just as many of my fellow conference goers are as nervous about networking as I am, and they’re thrilled to have someone help them break the ice.
4. Other Times
Cherie says…
Practice your ‘elevator pitch’. Have something to tell about yourself so that when people do approach you, you have something to say that is interesting and engaging. Remember, you are interesting.. but if you can’t convey that, getting a conversation started will be even more difficult. But do make it sounds smooth and natural – just be comfortable with who you are.
PART 2: TRADING INFO
This is where things get a lot more easier for everyone. Trading information can be very easy… but it can also be a real pain when you are in a hurry to get to your next class or some other event. But more importantly just passing on your contact information does not mean you are creating a network… Without prior planning it is like a shot in the dark.
Your contact information is nothing more than a few words on a business card or a smart phone screen. All it really tells someone about you is your name, address, phone number, and maybe a few small samples of your art work. That is not enough to create a network on. What you need is something more to really explain who you are and what it is that you do. Something like a website. Actually, something exactly like a website.
So, the first thing that you should do is create an online presence. There are many options for this that span from extremely expensive to extremely cheap. You could hire a web designer to create a website for you. This is a given if you are selling your artwork or are a professional artist. If you are not in the market for that level of online presence then you have many cheaper options. Start a free WordPress blog, create a Flickr account, or even a Facebook account. Once you have your account of choice created, write interesting things about yourself and publish some of the best work you’ve done. Now you have something that tells who you are and what you do. Next step is to meet people as discussed previously and give them your contact information that includes a link to the interesting information you just wrote about yourself on your new account. But how do you actually pass on your contact information?
Business cards are one of the most standard ways of trading contact information… and also one of the most standard ways of littering and filling up landfills. Seriously, business cards can get lost, dropped, thrown in the trash, made into little airplanes to fly around during training sessions, and crazy other things that you are really better off not knowing.
The key is to get your information into their phone or computer address book. This way they cannot lose your information unless they lose their phone and people tend to pay a lot more attention to their phone then a business card. That and when they get home that information gets synced into their computer which makes accessing your highly informative online site and getting in touch with you much easier.
To transfer your information there are some nifty applications out there that you can use. One such is for the iPhone and iPod Touch called Bump. This application is great for trading information quickly but it does require an internet connection to work. So if you are on an iPod Touch and there is no wifi at the convention, you’re hosed. If you have a BlackBerry, set up a contact in your address book for yourself and you can send that to your new friends email address as an attachment which they can then import into their address book. Not as ideal as Bump on the iPhone but it works.
PART DONE: CONCLUSION
Now you have some ideas about how to meet new people and trade contact information in a way that will not fill up landfills and give a higher chance that you’ll actually add people to your network of friends and business contacts. If you have other ideas that are not listed in this post, please leave them in a comment so that others may benefit.
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