3 Smart Ways to Maximize Your Next Live Real Estate Event
By Derek Jones, Director of Community for Buffini & Company
Live real estate events are a great place to learn, grow, and get fired up. Not only will you soak up great content the energy in the room can give you a much-needed boost.
But the real magic? That happens away from the stage — in the hallway conversations, lunch table chats, and those unexpected moments where real connection begins.
Here are three simple ways to get the most out of your next live event experience:
1. Have a Plan
Before you attend an event, spend some time thinking about why you’re going in the first place.
What information are you hoping to come away with? What speakers are you most excited to see? Perhaps it’s the keynote speaker or another business motivational speaker? And most importantly: who are you hoping to meet?
Set a connection goal for yourself — maybe it’s reconnecting with two people you already know and meeting three new ones. Having that goal in mind from the start opens you up to those opportunities as they come. You’ll be surprised how often the right conversations show up when you’re actually looking for them.
2. Go Deeper, Not Wider
“I hate networking. I just don’t have the energy to talk to all those strangers!”
Sound like you? You’re not alone. A lot of people don’t like the idea of networking because it feels overwhelming.
In fact, a Harvard Business Review study found that just hearing the word “networking” made some participants feel literally “dirty.” That’s because we often associate it with being transactional or fake — like we have to work the whole room and impress everyone we meet.
But here’s the truth: it’s not about meeting everyone. It’s about the quality of connection.
Better to have two or three really great conversations than 50 quick interactions where you’re just throwing your business cards at anyone who passes by (I call that social littering, by the way).
So don’t feel like you need to “work the room” at industry or smaller business presentations. A few meaningful, one-on-one conversations will go a lot further — especially if you do this last thing…
3. Follow Up
So you met some great people. You exchanged cards or stored their info in your phone. Now what?
Unfortunately, a lot of people stop there. The event ends, they get back to work, and by the time they find that crumpled business card in their suitcase (while packing for the next event), they can’t even remember who that person was or what they talked about.
Don’t be that person.
The follow-up after the event is where real relationships are built. So here’s a little trick: send a message right away. Something simple like:
Hi Alex!
It was great meeting you at the Growth Conference! I’d love to connect and hear your takeaways from the event. What day works best for you?
You can even send this right in front of them (it’s not weird, I promise) or schedule it for later that day. The point is: don’t leave it up to your post-event brain to remember.
Do it while the conversation is still fresh — you’ll stand out and you’ll deepen that connection.
Follow these three tips, and your next event won’t just be something you attended — it’ll be something that actually moved you forward.
Find out more about how getting connected can help grow your business with a free Business Consultation. Book yours today at buffini.com/bc.
