Fifteen events so far this year — some ours, some our customers'.

Good time to write down what I've learned about making events work as B2B sales.

Before the event

If it's your event, you already know who's coming. Double check which of them are your customers.

• Have you met this person before?
• What do you want to discuss in the brief moments you'll have?

If you're joining a customer's or partner's event:

• Get a participant list. If not by name, then by company.
• Prioritize. Decide who you'll talk to, and about what.
• Be careful at a partner's event. Give the host room to talk to your customers first. It's their event.

Reception

Ideally the reception desk is staffed by people who aren't sales. That frees the sales person to stand nearby and be the one who greets the customer when they walk in.

If it's your first time meeting, exchange business cards right there.

During breaks

Check in. How is it going so far? What's been interesting? Which topic connects to their work?

All gems, and clues for later engagement.

Also ask the small things. Is the room too cold? Do they need anything? At the least it shows you care. Trust, one small step forward.

After-event cocktails

A mentor I respect very much told me: if a B2B sales person is eating and drinking excessively at an event, that person is a バカ (stupid).

I was the バカ at my first few events. Writing this hoping someone out there can skip that part.

One glass of wine or beer in hand. Eat only enough to make the customer in front of you comfortable.

Topics

Early in the cocktails, the sessions are a fine icebreaker. (Later on, customers are sick of being asked the same question for the fifth time.)

If this is someone you want to meet separately, steer the conversation there.

If there's no specific goal, just learn about the person. What their department does. Where they're from. Make a connection in that short window. You never know when they will show up again as your customer.

Follow ups

Send personalized emails within two or three business days. It makes you memorable — and it makes them memorable to you.

The beauty of in-person events

Eyes on the person, not the screen.

There's something rare about standing across from someone with no screen between you.

The headline topics are work. But there's almost always room for a human connection.