How to Network at a Conference
Conferences are one of the few places where the people you want to meet are all in one building. Most attendees leave with a bag of swag and no new relationships.
To network at a conference, decide before you go who you want to meet and why, reach out to a few people in advance, sit with people you do not know, ask questions instead of pitching, go to the smaller sessions and social events, take notes right after each conversation and follow up within a few days with something specific. Follow-up is where most conference networking fails.
I spend a lot of time at conferences, as a speaker and as an attendee. The people who get the most out of them are rarely the loudest in the room. They are the ones who come with a plan and follow up when they get home.
A conference is a few days of access to people who would be hard to reach any other time. It is worth treating that access with intention.
Seven steps to network at a conference
- Pick who you want to meet. Speakers, sponsors, peers.
- Reach out before. A short note to set up coffee.
- Sit with strangers. At meals and sessions.
- Ask, do not pitch. What brought you here?
- Go to the small rooms. Breakouts and socials.
- Take notes right after. Name, topic, follow-up.
- Follow up within days. Something specific.
Plan who you want to meet
Look at the speaker list, sponsors and attendee app before you go. Choose five to ten people you would like to meet and why. A short message in advance makes a hallway conversation much easier.
Ask questions instead of pitching
Open with curiosity: what brought you here? what session has been the most useful? People remember who was interested in them far more than who pitched them. See How to Build Rapport With Customers.
Meet the speakers
Speakers are usually happy to talk after their session. Ask a thoughtful question about something specific they said. It is one of the easiest introductions at any conference.
Follow up within a few days
Most networking dies in the inbox. Within three days, send a short note that mentions what you talked about and suggests a next step. That one email separates you from almost everyone else they met.
Building relationships that open doors is part of my signature keynote, You Are Capable of More. See also How to Find a Mentor.
Conference networking works with a plan and a follow-up. Decide who to meet, reach out before, sit with strangers, ask instead of pitching, go to smaller sessions, take notes right after and follow up within a few days.
Frequently asked questions
How do you network at a conference?
How do you start a conversation at a conference?
Should you contact speakers at a conference?
How soon should you follow up after a conference?
You Are Capable of More
A No-Excuses Guide to Becoming Your Best Self. The bestselling book behind Chris’s keynotes and the 2026 Paris Book Festival winner in the How-To category. Many teams hand a copy to every seller at their kickoff.
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