1. Networking
Events are best places to get to know new friends and potential business partners.
I met my book project’s co-author, who is also one of this site contents’ contributor, Raz, in Malaysia SDG Summit 2019. She has been very helpful in sharing our workload and contributing a lot to our project progress. If I had not joined the event, I would have not met another great person and have her in our team.
However, as a friendly reminder, not all people you bumped into might be good people. You just got to be very careful on who you met and do your very own due diligence along the way before you decide to go further into any relationship. It works just like how you make new friends all the while, only the contact point or location is different.
2. Branding
Through appropriate communication etiquette, mingle around with the right group of people, you get to promote your personal branding or businesses to a wider, and most of the time, targeted audience.
3. Exposure
You get the right exposure to the right group of people if you know clearly what type of event you are joining. You may not ready yet for promoting your products or services but at least you start building the groundwork for what could be helpful once you are well prepared.
4. Learn New Things
Most of the events will have exhibition or forums along, or some product launch alongside. You get the access to latest market info on related products or services, or the industry and related ecosystem itself.
Events such as ASEAN Sustainable Development Summit (ASD 2019) and Sustainability Ready Exporters (Su-RE) Conference 2019 which happened right after the Malaysia SDG Summit could be seen as a sequel to further elaborate the industry support and movement surrounding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
5. Explore New Places
You could be joining events from around the world! It is not just to make new friends or learn new things but get yourself a short break while doing your work at the same time!
For instance, if not for the Blockchain Innovation & Investment Summit 2018, Dubai, I would not have been thinking of visiting Dubai, at least not within these few years at time of writing.
While attending the blockchain event and learn new things about industry movement was the main job, I also got the chance to visit Burj Al-Arab and take a look at the architecture and buildings in Dubai
In summary, going to events may be a good way to grow your business. Platforms such as Event Brite and Peatix are some of the good places for you to explore the events out there.
