Kevin Willett explains how showing up early to a networking event can help the host in many ways.
The hardest part of hosting a networking event is the 15 minutes before the event begins. We hosts can get nervous thinking nobody’s going to show up. If you arrive about 10 minutes early, the host will appreciate it. For myself, having someone to talk with takes my mind off of wondering how many people will show up and whether a good time will be had by all. What is in it for you? First, you can often spend some quality time with the host. I can only speak for myself, but when I have 10 minutes to talk with someone before an event, I usually end up introducing them to a lot of people simply because their story is fresh on my mind. Second, it allows you more one-on-one time with other early arrivers. Also, the host often needs help with some last minute preparations, so being that helpful person will go a long way towards building your relationship with the host. I’d like to thank everyone who shows up early for my events. Thanks for keeping me calm and entertained.
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Kevin Willett is the Author of One Connection How you can grow your business (and change the world) one connection at a time. The business networking book is available on Amazon. Purchase One Connection on Amazon
Kevin is also the CEO of the Friends of Kevin Networking Group and the New England B2B Networking Group. Please connect with him on social media to hear about his upcoming business networking events.
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This is good advice and something I have done for years. However, after getting beaten down by years of arriving early and then waiting for all of the stragglers to come and waiting for hosts to start while waiting for those anticipated stragglers, I feel like I have wasted a lot of time. Our high school band director started the concert on the stroke of the appointed hour whether people were in their seats or not. The “fashionably late” should not rule the event. I urge all hosts to start right on time and teach attendees to arrive on time or miss out.
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