How to start networking now for TiECON?

So you have signed up for the conference and are planning to show up in June at the Hynes Convention Center. In the meantime, you have no other plans for the conference. If that describes you, here are a few tips for you to start your networking now and to get the best out of your investment in attending.

How to network prior to the conference?

1. Develop a list of specific individuals/organizations that you would like to contact. You can get ideas by reviewing the list of sponsors/speakers/attendees. If you are not sure about who to reach out to, just pick up the phone and call someone that you know within the TiE community or the TiE Boston office.
2. Identify the right individual. This is extremely important since chances that you will make the right connection will depend on who you try to network with. For instance, unless you are a C-level officer in a Fortune 500 company, you might want to avoid contacting Rajat Gupta directly. Identify someone who will benefit as much from you as you would from her/him. Peer-level networking is always the best way to get started and then you can find your way up through that initial contact.
3. Make the initial contact. Start off by establishing the TiECON connection (you/your colleague is speaking; your firm is sponsoring, etc.). Then quickly get to why you would like to establish a relationship (planning to run my business plan by a few industry experts; have an established business, but need growth capital; interested in investing in India biotech sector and need to identify investment opportunities; etc.). Suggest next steps (would like to email more information; set up a time to talk prior to/during the conference; etc.).

Hopefully, you will do fine from here on. Remember that almost everyone that is attending the conference is there to meet people that can help them succeed professionally. As long as you can make that happen for them, they will be delighted to network with you.

I will share more tips on networking at the conference in a separate article.

- Posted by Jay Dwivedi