Sarah Karingi’s Post

It's spring conference season! I'm seeing lots of posts here on LinkedIn about joyous reunions. #jealous A question I often get about conferences is: how can I maximize my fundraising efforts there? My advice: less pitching, more connecting! Conferences are fantastic opportunities to forge or renew connections, not to make a hard sell. Your primary mission? Expand your network and set the stage for future conversations. How? Strike up conversations everywhere. Your opener can be simple: "I don't think we've met yet..." or "What made you sign up for this session?" or "How's the lunch?" or "What brings you here?" Know your goals for attending and ask conference goers to help you. Even if you're attending the conference for general reasons, come up with a specific goal for your attendance. You could be trying to learn about something specific. You might want to meet people who do X. Share your "why" for attending with everyone you meet and ask for their thoughts, help, and guidance. Make time for follow-up. Record one or two things that stood out to you about people you want to keep in touch with and how you'd like to connect with them in the future. Block time now on your calendar to do your follow-up when you're back home. Most of all, have fun! 

Do you do the same normal event grind as most people? I'm talking... 🚶 Show up. 🗣️ Schmooze. 🚶➡️ Leave. 👍 Pat yourself on the back for getting out there. 🔁 Repeat. I've got this client Dan. And Dan's one of the most connected people I know. And let me tell you, Dan doesn't do the normal event grind. I asked him how he became so connected, and this is what he said... 1️⃣ Find the right events to attend. Where the people you need to know are in the room. 2️⃣ Get to know the person running OR speaking at the event. (And ideally, both.) 3️⃣ Look for ways to add value to the speakers and people running the events. Find out what they need. How you can contribute. ...You can check out the video for the back story and deep dive... But in short, "drive-by" connecting isn't the way to forge strong connections. It's not the way to make an impression. Showing up repeatedly and making yourself valuable? That's the way. So if you've just been attending events passively? (Or not at all?) Maybe it's time to change it up. PS - I've got a follow up to this happening on Friday, talking about the 3 people I think you should always seek out at events, and why. (The last one may surprise you.) Get with me here: https://lnkd.in/d4KXTFVz to make sure you get it in your inbox

In her first monthly message for the CCA, Yi-Ling Lin shares tips on networking during conferences, speaking from her own experience at the CCA's recent Annual Meeting in Marco Island, Florida. She acknowledges that networking can be intimidating but offers strategies to make it easier: Start with familiar faces. At networking receptions, approach people you already know who are in groups with new faces. This creates an easy introduction opportunity. Engage with speakers. After sessions, approach speakers to introduce yourself and share your thoughts on their presentation, as they are usually open to feedback and conversation. Breakfast networking. Sit with someone who is dining alone in the morning to start a casual conversation and build connections. Yi-Ling emphasizes setting small, achievable goals, like meeting 2-4 new people over a multi-day event, to make the process less overwhelming. She concludes by encouraging others to reach out and connect. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eHdPFE9S #actuary #actuaries #CCA

Only 2 days to go until our next New Member Welcome session. These sessions are designed to help new members understand our values and our goals as an Association as well as to brief them practically on all the wonderful opportunities we have to engage and work with each other. The broad agenda will be: 💡 Overview of the Association: our mission, values and direction. 💡 Key events and opportunities for you to engage with and meet people and content.  We will outline the events lined up for this year. 💡 Introduce yourselves. We’re going to invite you to register for the event so we know what sort of numbers of attendees we’ll have on the day.  Depending on numbers, we will organise break out groups accordingly so you get to have good conversations with each other. 💡 Sharing your hopes for why you’ve joined and what value you’d like to see out of your membership. We can’t wait to welcome you all! https://lnkd.in/e77f2fQZ

In my first monthly message for the CCA, I share tips on networking during conferences, speaking from my own experience at the CCA's recent Annual Meeting in Marco Island, Florida. Networking can be intimidating but I offer strategies to make it easier: Start with familiar faces. At networking receptions, approach people you already know who are in groups with new faces. This creates an easy introduction opportunity. Engage with speakers. After sessions, approach speakers to introduce yourself and share your thoughts on their presentation, as they are usually open to feedback and conversation. Breakfast networking. Sit with someone who is dining alone in the morning to start a casual conversation and build connections. Set small, achievable goals, like meeting 2-4 new people over a multi-day event, to make the process less overwhelming. I encourage others to reach out and connect. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eHdPFE9S #actuary #actuaries #CCA

Stop asking experts and professionals to speak or work for free. This week I was approached by yet another organisation who is organising a high profit sell out conference. On the request for the experts to fill their conference programme, the email stated; 'Please note: we do not pay any of our keynote or sessional speakers'. This one came from a full ‘for profit’ organisation who charges a healthy sum of money to attend every one of their events. I am assuming the caterers, the venue, the AV are all not free and the conference organisers themselves are not working for free on the day. Yes, there might be a little bit of ‘exposure’ and yes the more you speak the more you speak, but it’s really about respect for not only professional speakers and experts but anyone in the professional services industries that constantly gets asked to work for free. I get it, it may be an opportunity to get in front of your ideal customer but you can still do this and still get paid what you deserve for sharing your expertise. If we all stop saying yes to speaking or working for free in the hopes of ‘exposure’ (unless it really is a strategic decision or a cause you really want to support or give back to), event organisers will realise that they don’t have a conference without the expertise of these professionals. Many of these professionals who you are asking to work for free have spent decades, thousands of hours and a many times a huge financial investment to master their skills and hone their craft so they can be of service to others, and so they can build a sustainable business to support themselves and their families too. Please think about this next time you ask someone to work for free. Or at least offer them a fair exchange in value. What are your thoughts? Are you constantly being asked to work for free? #stopworkingforfree #valuepricing #fairexchangeofvalue #professionalspeakers #experts #professionalservices #eventprofs

𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙠𝙞𝙙.𝙣𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙...☹️ today Saturday 10/08/2024 By some very influential Kingdom experts... I was so bound on every side that I didn't realize how much time was flying pass my breakfast and launch time. Haoma Worgwu kid.napped my attention with 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 2024 for hours and I didn't feel it! My God! these speakers didn't let me breathe, before I could write a powerful point another one dropped! I attended virtually and I literally felt like passing through my phone and appearing in Lagos...you know that feeling right...😅 There are conferences and there are mountains of LIGHT...! Too much value from all the speakers that I can't explain today. I'll unveil them subsequently. For today I just want to encourage you to never miss industry events especially if you don't have any emergencies...These experts don't just impart KNOWLEDGE they impart the SPIRIT TO REPLICATE the results. One beautiful thing Haoma did was to have the speaker pray for everyone...there's a transference that is invincible but will produce visible results! 𝙉𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪...I have 3 questions for you.(Choose 1, or 2 and answer or be generous to answer all 3)🫶 1) What is your perspective about #industry #events ? 2) Have you every attended an industry event that gave you a complete mind shift? 3) How did you spend you #saturday ? Thank Our phenomenal LinkedIn Queen Lady Haoma Worgwu for yielding to the instruction of our Creator and paying the price to go all out. Your reward will be bountiful!🙏🙏🙏 Wishing YOU reading the best of weekend 🤗 #thoughtleader #saturday #socialsaturday #thelightconference #thelightcomferemce2024 #undercoveragent #lightbarer #brandmarketer #brandmarketing #digitalmarketing #20daylinkedinchallengewithhaoma #thephenomenalclotilde

Are you hosting an event in 2025? If so, its altogether likely the task of "book a speaker" is just one of the 247 tasks on your list. So let's talk! I'd love an opportunity to introduce myself as your "𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗜𝗡 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗥". What does that mean? It means that in addition to delivering your event's keynote, I'm also happy to: * 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 prior to your first networking break to ensure the event's attendees go into that opportunity with the right mindset and intention so they make new connections and have great conversations; *𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀 as they arrive to set up their information tables and make sure they have what they need for the day; * 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 to mix and mingle with your attendees, sponsors, and special guests; * 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 you can share on your social channels to encourage registration; * 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀 who are joining to share insights about new trends or industry highlights; and * 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸-𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 later in the day or even the next day to help you get the most out of your already tight budget. If you could use an "𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗜𝗡 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗥" for your event, let's connect. And cross at least two, but maybe even three or four, tasks off your list! Reach me at gina@ginaconnects.com.

Do you attend last second invites to audio or video events? Many of us have this issue arise and when they do a majority of the time we don’t simply because we have prior obligations such as having to attend meetings that are already scheduled, have a deadline to finish etc…. Regardless of what we have going on that’s set up before being invited to such events, sometimes we have some flexibility to attend while other times we aren’t as flexible. Sometimes we make time to attend while other times we have to pass on such an event regardless if we want to attend or not such events. I like many prioritize such things as a lot of the time we can not attend due to prior commitments that are pre scheduled and are top priority. Sometimes I, like others can take advantage of attending such events varying of specific factors such as what time they are being held and other factors such as geographical location which also is time factored . Regardless, I do try to attend various globally valuable events especially when I have the time to attend and even then sometimes I make time to attend by knowing what day and time the event will be ahead of time so that I can free up some time to attend if / when possible. Note: last second invitations usually have a low turnout for the fact we have things that are pre scheduled ahead of time and that can’t be rescheduled. It is also wise too , when possible to send invitations on such events ahead of time so that we may have the time to make arrangements that can allow us to attend. Sometimes we may get ahead of the day by finishing up early in which we might be able to quickly last second attend. #socialmedia #Linkedin #Bestadvice #Businesses

Are you hosting an event between now and the end of 2025? If so, I would guess the task of "book a speaker" is just one of the 247 tasks on your list. And since it's already mid-October, you probably want to get as much lined up as possible before the holidays arrive. So let's talk! I'd love an opportunity to introduce myself as your "𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗜𝗡 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗥". What does that mean? It means that in addition to delivering your event's keynote, I'm also happy to: * 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 prior to your first networking break to ensure the event's attendees go into that opportunity with the right mindset and intention so they make new connections and have great conversations; *𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀 as they arrive to set up their information tables and make sure they have what they need for the day; * 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 to mix and mingle with your attendees, sponsors, and special guests; * 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 you can share on your social channels to encourage registration; * 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀 who are joining to share insights about new trends or industry highlights; and * 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸-𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 later in the day or even the next day to help you get the most out of your already tight budget. If you could use an "𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗜𝗡 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗥" for your event next year, let's connect. When you hire me, it's one fee. (And then you can move on to all the other things on your list.) Reach me at gina@ginaconnects.com.