Rule Six

Put structures into your networking and mingling opportunities.

Do people collect business cards from people who they can't remember after the conference?

Many conferences provide opportunities for people to meet. However, is it good enough that people should meet by chance? You can create new alliances at numerous levels by defining what's possible when people meet.

• Do you want people to meet who have common problems?
• Do you want people to find common interests for potential collaborations or alliances?
• Do you want people to meet who can continue to mentor or act as a sounding board in the future?

All of these add value and impact to your event. This is the best way to ensure that people come back to your event.