When it comes to making the most of events like MIPCOM 2015 being held in Cannes in October of 2015, there is a lot to be said for being able to network successfully. This style of event allows you the chance to meet successful and important people from all around the world in the industry that you work in. Knowing how to make a connection with these people will help you achieve success so be sure to brush up on your networking skills.
Work out who you really need to talk to
It may seem a little bit callous to rank the people or sort of people that you need to talk to, and there is always scope for being surprised about what a new contact can offer you, but it is important that you think about who you need to connect with. You only have a limited amount of time at events like MIPCOM 2015, which means you should be looking to focus on meeting certain people.
You may not be able to speak to everyone that you would like to buy by drawing up a list of worthwhile people, say a TOP 20, you will find that you have a focus to your activities.
Develop a follow-up list
Hopefully you will be able to meet all or most of your TOP 20 and make a good impression on them but it is also of benefit to have a list of other people you should look to make contact with. These can be people who will provide other benefits in the long-term or who can provide a solution or support in the event that your main targets are unable to help you out.
If you stumble across these people or if you have time after focusing on your main guests, having another tier of people to look out for will provide you with the best chance to making the most of your time during a major conference such as the MIPCOM 2015 event.
Look to engage everyone
Of course, you can’t meet everyone and there will be some people that can help you but you don’t yet know about them or what they can offer you. This is why you should look to create some form of round-up at the end of the event that can help put you in front of people. Perhaps send out a newsletter rounding up the event or creating blog posts about your time at the conference. Anything which provides people with a chance to get to know you, even if you missed the chance to connect with them in person has to be of benefit.
Work out how you can help others
If there are people that you really need to connect with and you want them to help you, think about what you can offer them. Someone is far more likely to listen to you and look to help you if you are in a position to help them. This is why it is good to work out what you can do and offer, and then think about how your skills or services can be of benefit to the people that you want to connect with. If you can outline a way that your presence and support is of benefit to others, you will find that people will be far more receptive to you.
Connect with people, not just their positions
When time is tight, you may think that it is only worthwhile focusing on connecting with the people that can help you now but this isn’t necessarily the best use of your time. If there are people on the rise and who will have a lot to offer in the future, getting to know them now will be of great benefit. It may be that you don’t get close to a CEO or major producer at these events but connecting with people close to them or people who are likely to hold these positions in a couple of years could really help your ability to grow and develop in years to come.
Sometimes it is far more important to connect with important and impressive people as opposed to the role.
When it comes to making the most of MIPCOM, you need to be refreshed and ready to give your best every single day. This is why you should make sure that you are staying in the best form of accommodation. There is a great range of properties and accommodation options available in Cannes, and no matter what you are looking for, there should be something for you. You’ll find that by staying in the right type of Cannes accommodation, you will be at your best to network with a range of very important people.
Andrew Reilly is a freelance writer with a focus on news stories and consumer interest articles. He has been writing professionally for 9 years but has been writing for as long as he can care to remember. When Andrew isn’t sat behind a laptop or researching a story, he will be found watching a gig or a game of football.