Business networking events can create new relationships, fresh ideas and opportunities that are hard to find while sitting behind your desk. Yet many business owners wait until the last minute to buy a ticket because they want to know who else is going, how they will feel closer to the date or whether their business will be in a better position by then.
A recent lesson in our new apartment complex reminded me exactly what happens when we wait.
The great paver project
We recently moved into a beautiful new place with 51 apartments in the complex.
My husband, Mark, is a former carpenter and an all-round excellent human. He decided we needed pavers out the front of our apartment.
Then he took it several steps further.
He found the pavers, negotiated a bulk deal, organised the trades and went around to our neighbours asking, “Do you want in?”
About half said yes. The others decided to wait. Perhaps they wanted to see what the pavers looked like first. Perhaps they needed more time to think about it.
The pavers went in and looked fabulous.
Then the people who had waited decided they wanted them too.
They can still get their pavers. The bulk deal has finished and the trades have completed the job, so they will need to organise everything themselves and pay more.
As I watched this unfold, I realised how often the same thing happens with business events.
Waiting feels like the safe option
I regularly hear people ask questions like:
- Who else is going?
- Will I know anyone?
- How will I feel closer to the date?
- Can I decide later?
- Will my business be ready by then?
They sit on the sidelines and watch.
As the event gets closer, people begin talking about the conversations they had last time, the connections they made and how much they loved being in the room. The tickets start selling faster.
Then the messages arrive.
“Is there any chance you have another ticket?”
This happened with Go-Getter Day in Brisbane. I personally messaged people I knew would benefit from being there. Some waited, the event sold out and we ended up with a waitlist of people hoping to get in.
The right room can change things
Choosing to attend a business event is an investment of your time, money and energy. That decision deserves thought. It also helps to recognise what you gain by being in the room.
A good business event gives you the chance to meet people who understand the realities of running a business. You can talk through an idea, hear a different perspective and build relationships with people you may never have met online.
Those conversations can lead to clients, collaborations, referrals and opportunities. Some create an immediate result. Others grow over months or years.
You also gain energy from stepping away from your usual routine. A day in a different environment can give you the space to think bigger about your business and what you want next.
Make the decision with what you know today
There will always be reasons to wait.
The timing may feel inconvenient. Your workload may be full. You may want more cash in the bank or a few more ducks lined up.
Ask yourself a few practical questions:
- Does this event support what I want to achieve?
- Are these the kinds of people I want to meet?
- Can I afford the investment?
- Will being in the room help me move forward?
If the answers point towards yes, make the decision.
Put the date in your calendar. Buy the ticket. Organise what needs to be organised and give yourself the chance to participate fully.
My very sophisticated business advice is simple.
Don’t wait for the pavers. 😂
If you already know you want to be in the room, get in the room.
My next events are the BD Sprint from 5 to 16 October and Day with the Queen on 22 October. Day with the Queen only happens every two years, and there are 26 tickets remaining.
If you have been thinking about joining us, now is the time to make your decision.