Presentation Tips: Where to Mingle After The Presentation is Over

David’s boss assigns him to present at a conference in New York City.

He does the research, brainstorming, and writes and designs the presentation.

Then, he practices and practices and practices.

He gets on a plane and flies to New York the day before the presentation.

Once he’s on the stage, he delivers his presentation to hundreds of strangers, receives applause and gets off the stage.

Up next is a mixer where professionals are encouraged to network, socialize and relax with food and drinks. Since David is hoping to make a few new contacts, he needs to find a spot to mingle after the presentation is over. This is something he didn’t learn in business school, rather it’s something learned from experience.

Luckily, Vanessa Van Edwards documented her experience in her book Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People. This includes great presentation tips for you to use. She breaks down the mixer into three functional areas that can either help or hurt your networking mission. There’s the start, side and social.

Presentation Tips: Where to Mingle After The Presentation is Over

The start is the front area of the event where you and others have walked in. Typically, you’ll see someone taking coats and handing out drink tickets and such. This is not a prime area for socializing because everyone is mentally preparing themselves for the event. This is a good area to meet a colleague or acquaintance, but not for introducing yourself to new faces.

The side is the perimeter of the event space, where you will normally see the catering and bathrooms. While it is tempting to become a wallflower next to the long line of food, this is also not a very social area. For one thing, it would be awkward to try and meet people outside of a bathroom. And you don’t want talk while food is in your mouth or try to introduce yourself to someone who is trying to eat. This area is a safe one for taking a break from socializing, but not so much for doing meet and greets.

The social is, as you might have guessed it, the best place to socialize. This is the area near the bar. Whether you are drinking or not, this is an effective spot to introduce yourself, start up conversations, share business cards, and politely slip away. People hanging around the bar are more eager to talk than those who are getting their coats checked at the start. And a little alcohol will help everyone feel more comfortable with holding conversation. If you are drinking, just remember to practice the two-drink minimum.

Read More: Post-Presentation Networking Tips

David stays in the social area for most of the night, and walks out with a handful of business cards, phone numbers and email addresses. He also might be flying out about next weekend to deliver his presentation at another conference.

Who would have thought that there is a logic to finding the best spot for networking? This opportunity is great for answering questions about your presentation, and sharing contact information for other public speaking opportunities. Apply this knowledge to your presentation tips. The next time you are heading out to a conference to present, remember to head to the prime spot for socializing to expand your brand and share your ideas.

Related Posts:

The Best Place to Stand at Networking Events for Schmoozing

The Complete Guide to Networking

33 Networking Tips, in 140 Characters or Less

Join our newsletter today!

© 2006-2024 Ethos3 – An Award Winning Presentation Design and Training Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Contact Us