2023 NAMM Keynote on Effective Trade Show Networking

Hey there everybody. Thank you so much for showing up to my NAMM Talk

And let’s give a giant round of applause to all everyone working behind the scenes putting this all together for us. I don’t just mean this talk. I mean every single event that makes NAMM meaningful. Can you imagine all the moving pieces?

And let’s give a special thank you to all the audio and video teams around the entire convention center making us all look and sound so good. THANK YOU! The heroes on side stage are what NAMM is all about.

Anyways. Let’s get right into it. We’re on a timer.

I’m going to call a few of you up on stage so that you can publicly introduce yourself to the group.

o   Tell us a quick story about who you are.

§  And tell us WHY you’re here and WHAT your hoping to get out of attending NAMM 2023.

·       Cool. Who wants to start?

PAUSE

Nah. I’m just playing. Putting anyone on the spot or making anyone uncomfortable is the EXACT opposite of networking.

NO ONE EVER SHOULD EVER feel like that.

Besides. Telling people a white bread  vanilla story about yourself WHILE also telling them about what you want from them. MHM MHM. Not so cool. I don’t recommend doing that.

Not here.

Not in a 1:1 situation.

And certainly not at your next dinner party!

BECAUSE HERE’S THE TRUTH. As awkward as it is for you. It’s worse for me. I didn’t sign up to give this talk to listen to manicured introductions. And you all certainly didn’t grab a seat to hear strangers sharing.

And that’s it. Less than 2 minutes in — and we’ve exposed the dual truths of why NOBODY LIKES NETWORKING.

You don’t want to make self-conscious go-nowhere chit chat.

And I don’t want to hear it.

It’s uncomfortable for both of us.

Yes. It’s not easy to be the person initiating the conversation.

BUT— it’s just as rough being on the receiving end.

Which is why we avoid engaging at all costs — why we don’t even make eye contact anymore!

Which makes it really hard because NETWORKING IS A TEAM SPORT That requires active participation from both parties.

And if one is doing it wrong, then we’re inevitably going to

play to the lowest common denominator.

Sadly. This holds true universally.

It doesn’t matter if you’re at a cocktail party or at a networking trade show like this.  

SLIDE SWITCH

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If you don’t believe me — get this.  was on a plane flying down to New Orleans to deliver my first Keynote Talk on Effective Networking — and I was nervous. I had only recently left the comfort and safety of working for Logitech to share these techniques that have brought me so much success.

Anyways — there I was on the plane - I was going over my notes - reviewing my script — rehearsing my delivery — and the guy next to me starts reading over my shoulder. He saw his mark and the minute that he had a chance to interrupt my flow, he blurts out. Networking huh. I’m a networker. I’m like a master networker.

Then he proceeds to start trying to sell me his vitamins or whatever garbage he was peddling.

No wonder people hate dudes who say they are great networkers. (And no wonder people hate SalesMen in general. They’re not doing the Networking cause any favors!)  

Nope. Guys like that make Networking a dirty word.

3;30)

·        

• Be honest. just talking about this conjures up feelings of cheap car salesmen.  

• And be double honest. Some of you are wondering if I’m a cheap car salesman and you’re looking around how you can bounce without making a scene.

• I get it.  That makes perfect sense. Since almost everyone does it wrong. Networking deserves its bad reputation.

• No one likes feeling used or tricked

• No one likes feeling taken advantage of or manipulated

• Why whole concept of networking feels like speed dating

• Or strip mining. Or clear cutting. Or any other resource exploitation

• Hi. Nice to meet you. WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR ME!!!!

This is why we don’t think of networking as skill that takes work and practice to develop. I mean, who really wants to get good at being that guy?

• It’s also why we make excuses like: Well. I’m an introvert. Or why we make comparisons like — oh you’re just naturally good at it. I wasn’t  born with that skill.

Or MY PERSONAL FAVORITE || You can do it because you're in sales & marketing.  That one is just peaches!

430

Because the thing is, Networking is not marketing or selling. Even though it’s often confused as such.

Networking is also not about self-promotion.

Nor is it about getting LIkes / Subs / or Follows on your socials.

Actually, It’s not even about attending mixers or networking events.

And it is certainly not about collecting business cards.

                 Or people.

                                   Or being fake or phony or schmoozy.

Well then —- So what is it? What is NETWORKING?

WHY ARE WE EVEN HERE?

5;00

Well. That’s simple.

NETWORKING IS ABOUT WHAT YOU GIVE

Networking is how you show up for people. It’s about where you put your time. your energy. Your focus.

It’s about how you help

It’s about how you care — how you are there for those around you.

It’s about how you deliver value

How you connect dots and build community an open doors for others

NETWORKING  is about how you manifest and how you create!

ANOTHER WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT IS THAT NETWORKING IS SIMPLY WORKING WITH OTHER PEOPLE & TEAMS IN ORDER TO TACKLE THE BIG CHALLENGES THAT YOU CANT DO ON YOUR OWN —‚ IN ORDER TO CREATE LASTING VALUE

In the most direct sense —

NETWORKING IS THE PATH YOU MUST TAKE IN ORDER TO GET THINGS DONE AND TO MAKE THINGS HAPPENS!

If you really want to know and understand how I put together impossible deals and deliver tremendous value for everybody that I know, it’s because I’ve taken the time to really focus on this aspect of my craft.

Got it! So now — let’s apply this all back to trade shows and go over some very concrete steps that will make you significantly more effective and make your time spent here more impactful.

____________________________ 6:00

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SLIDE SWITCH

Now — I know I might be wired funny, but I absolutely love trade shows. I've been to more than I can count, in more countries than I can name. And I'm not even embarrassed to tell you, I go to trade shows that aren't even my industry. Where I don't know anybody, and where I don't even know a thing about what I'm looking at.

I just go and wander like a tourist, amazed at everything that's happening. For me, it's about the energy. The hum, the hustle. I love it.

Where else do you get such a condensed version of buyers, sellers, manufacturers, suppliers, press, , lecturers, old friends, new friends, and opportunities sitting in one singularity?

An entire ecosystem gets condensed into space and time. Think about this. The ENTIRE global music industry just converged here in the convention center.  That’s the power of NAMM. That’s the gravity. The pull. The mass. I mean. Let that sink in. We all just stopped what we were doing to come and be here. That’s crazy

And yet in spite of the smorgasbord that exists — the global opportunity of everybody in one place in one time together — The unlimited potential that's going on. Time after time I see my friends, my peers, my colleagues go back to the same limited small section of the buffet. Eating the same food, hanging out with the same people YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.

That's squandering opportunity.

Look. I'm guilty of it too. I do the exact same thing. As humans, we crave routine and the familiar. There is comfort in the known. But I also have a strategy that I employ that forces me to break out of my comfort zone and to set myself up for larger success.

Here's what I do for every event or trade show that I attend.

There are 3 MAIN Categories that we’re going to focus on:

For any event or trade show — there’s the pre-game prep work — that’s the bulk of the heavy lifting.

Then there’s the show or event itself.

And then there’s the follow-up.

Each one of these categories is critical to your success. And I’ve got to tell you, most people never spend any time doing their pre-game prep.

And nearly no one does anything with the follow-up. Which to me is absurd. But that’s the reality of it.

And if I'm being completely honest, half the people just phone it in when it comes to the showing up part.

So if you master just one of these sections, you’ll be a threat. You master all 3 of them all and you’re a force of nature.

(2:30)  (8:30)

SLIDE SWITCH

OK  Let's start with the pre-show prep work.

You want to do this as soon as you can. Like 1 or 2 months before everything gets started. And just as a fair warning, this part's a lot of work. It takes hours, it takes days. It takes serious commitment and effort. But this is what sets you up for success. (And don’t worry. If you didn’t do all these steps for this show — it’s ok. Do them next time. These slow gradual changes pay dividends over time!

By the way — I was so nervous about doing this talk and I had so much else going on with launching a new product and filming a documentary that I almost skipped doing this for myself this year. It was only when I was reviewing all my notes and going over my checklists that I realized that I dropped the ball and was about to be a big giant hypocrite. So yes. You want to aim to do this as soon as possible but it’s also ok to frantically do it at the last minute.

Here's how to start your pre-show prep

For your next show. Before you even buy your ticket, I want you to just spend a week or two thinking about the bigger picture. Why are you attending the event? What do you want to get out of it?

But more importantly.

What do you want to give while you're there? Who are you going to help? What doors are you going to open?

And once you have that clear articulated vision, then you have your motivation. You’ve got your larger picture to work from. You’ve got your reason WHY.

Then start by hitting the tactics like this.

Go through the catalog of the event. Find the list of exhibitors, the list of speakers. Find everything out that you can about who will be attending.

Scan through all those lists and look for all the companies that you know. Look for all the people that you know. Look for all the vendors and suppliers — press -— and speakers that you know. FLAG anybody and everybody who you already have a week bond relationship with.

Here’s what I mean and how I define WEAK BOND. You’re not looking for your best friends here. You already know that they’re attending, and you see them outside of the show anyways!

You’re looking for people that you tangentially know. People that you “sort of” work with. People who’s name’s you might recognize from email threads or cold calls. Maybe someone you’ve had minor dealings with before in the past; someone you’ve met briefly at a different show. Friends of friends. Like that. OK!!

Now. Once you’ve made your first pass and cataloged everyone that you tangentially know — add each of those names into your spreadsheet.

And this part is key — because the organization here is going to matter. You’re going to keep coming back to this spreadsheet over and over and over.

SLIDE SWITCH

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Okay. Second Verse. Same as the first.

Start with the same list - the same vendors, exhibitors, speakers, etc... BUT THIS TIME — I want you to scan for people that you DO NOT know yet— Look for the people that you want to meet.

WHO ARE THE Companies that you want to do business with?

WHO ARE THE People that you find interesting.

WHAT’S the research being done that catches your eye. Make notes of all of that.

And Put them all in the same contacts into spreadsheet (And make sure to add your notes about WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT AND RELEVANT TO YOU AND WHAT YOU WISH YOU COULD ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER)

(3:00) (11:30)

SLIDE SWITCH

OK. Last pass. Third time is a charm. And this is a pro move right here. Pay attention. This is when it starts to get good.

This one is geographically specific to where the event is being held. Like sunny Anaheim for example.

I want you to think about all the people that you know, who live and work in and around Anaheim that are NOT PART OF THE  INDUSTRY AND WHO WILL NOT BE ATTENDING THE TRADE SHOW.

You’ve got to have a marketing firm or vendor in LA right? Or a street team in Long Beach? Or a cousin. Or an uncle. Or a friend of your cousin’s uncle down in Laguna.

This is your chance to cross pollinate. Of bringing worlds together. Anybody that you know who's in the region, give them a call. Tell them that you're going to be down there for the event. And that you'd love to connect with them and join up.

Add those people to your list too! And you should absolutely bring these people to your so called “Work Meetings.’ The whole point of authentic networking is to think about how to bring people from one industry and to connect them with people from another. How do you make it about fun and friendship, rather than just about work and grinding out the deal? This is your chance to really make things come together.

And as long as we’re talking about work meetings, who on your team is the most junior? Who has no idea what they’re doing or what NAMM is even about. Who’s barely cutting their teeth? Make it a point to be responsible for them. Take them under your wing and show them the ropes. Let them tag along with you to all those work dinners. Plan on being the consummate host that brings everybody together.

SLIDE SWITCH

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OK. So you have your list, you have your clarity of vision. You know what you want to accomplish, and you know who you're going to bring along for the ride. Now is the fun part. Now you start reaching out.

Start with all those tangential acquaintances.  Send each of them a quick email.  THIS IS ALL THAT IT NEEDS TO SAY:

Hey there —  I'm going to be at so-and-so. Can't wait to connect with you.

And that’s it. Short, Simple. Sweet.

SLIDE SWITCH

For people that you don't know, this might feel a little awkward if you’re not well practiced at making cold calls. But just think about this from their perspective for a second.

They are also going to the show. They're putting themselves out there to be seen. They're not just showing up for the fun of it. They are working. JUST LIKE YOU!  

You reaching out to them, why that's networking from their vantage point. You’re doing the hard WORK FOR THEM!!!

LOOK. I'm giving this talk because I like to share. But at the same time, I'm advertising my services. I sell these workshops and coaching sessions. And I guarantee that anybody else who's exhibiting at a show, or who's teaching or speaking has the same attitude. We’re here BECAUSE we want you to reach out! It’s a bust of a show if we leave empty handed.

Here’s the type of email that you’ll send to the people that YOU DO NOT KNOW:

“Hello, I'm so-and-so. I'm going to be at the NAMM show. I would like to stop by and introduce myself because I really like what you're doing with X, Y, or Z.

Provide something concrete. Something that's tangible, and something that's actionable — based on your notes and on what caught your eye in the first place.

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(2:30)  15:00

SLIDE SWITCH

OK. So what comes next? After you reach out, people will get back to you.

So what do you do?

You be flexible and you accommodate — especially if you were reaching out at the last minute. This means that you work around their schedules. You’re the one that reached out to THEM. Nothing is more maddening than when someone reaches out to me — and then expects me to jump through hoops for them.

It is your responsibility to make the time to fit them in.

So on your spreadsheet, make sure that you build out a matrix of days and times. And really start blocking off segments of where you're going to be, how you're going to get together. And I'm going to challenge you to think outside the box. Don't just think about the show hours. I need you to think about breakfast, lunch. Dinner, drinks. And it's okay if you have multiple breakfasts.

At the shows that I’m paid to attend, I am an unstoppable beast.  I have my first coffee meeting. I have my second coffee meeting. I have my third coffee meeting. I have my breakfast meeting. I have my dinner meeting. And I have my after-dinner meeting.

I maximize the time the best that I possibly can. And I don't need to tell somebody oh, this is my third dinner of the night. No. I eat and I enjoy and I use my manners! I fit my time around everybody else’s schedule. And I don’t make excuses like --- oh, I’m busy. Or I don’t have time….

SLIDE SWITCH

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OK. And what do you do when people DON’T get back to you? You’ve reached out and crickets. Nothing!

Don't take it personally. People are busy. And they think you’re spam. Just follow up politely but don’t browbeat them or not nudge them to death.

And if they never get back to you — it’s still worth passing by and introducing yourself. 9 times out of 10 — they’ll mention that they got your email and thank you for stopping by.

1:30 -  16:30

_________________________________SLIDE SWITCH

All right. Game time. Day of the show. Just like right here. Right now.

This section is all about attitude. You've already done the hard work. You've mentally prepared. You've practiced, you've rehearsed. You have a game plan. You've got your calendar. You've got your schedule. You’ve got your spreadsheet and matrix. You know what's expected of you from your employer. And you know how everything fits in. You are ready to go.

Now, you've got to check your head. Here's what I do. And I strongly recommend that you do it too.

SLIDE SWITCH

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#1 I show up with a smile because it matters.

What I feel inside is what I project outward. If I'm uncomfortable, or if I'm anxious, or if I'm overwhelmed by the crowd, Then that’s the vibe I give off. So I make sure to take some time for myself beforehand. I put on my game face, and smile.

#2  I make it my job to say hello to people. To new people. To random People passing by.

Look — Everybody is uncomfortable and everybody is anxious. I promise. No one loves all this noise and being surrounded by 100,000 strangers.  But everybody is at the event for the same exact reason. To meet new people. To be seen. And to see.

And so if we take the opportunity to realize that networking is a team sport, and that it takes two to dance. Then I'm going to take the lead, and I'm going to initiate.  A Simple wave, a nod. A hello. How's your show going? Can I help you with anything? Goes a really long way.

#3 I speak genuinely and authentically.

I learned this a long time ago. Trying to talk about things that I don't care about goes absolutely nowhere. I know that common convention says hey, in networking, talk to somebody about their kid, or their baby. Or their car, or whatever you think that it is that they like.

But I don’t care about your car. And that doesn't make any real difference. And that doesn't really build any connections or any bonds. So My job is to try to find things that we both care about. Where we have common overlaps. And that way, we can turbocharge the relationship. And really start sharing in a meaningful way.

And that leads right into #4. And this is my really big trick here. And bear with me, because I don't often share this one. But I'm happy to offer it here:

#4 I treat everybody that I meet like I’ve already known them for a very long time.

Like they're one of my childhood best friends. What this does is, this puts me at ease. It de-escalates all the social posturing. It de-escalates all the social anxiety that I feel. Instead of trying to show off, or be cool. I'm just hanging out with somebody that I've known for years.

And that makes me feel comfortable. And because my level of comfort disarms them, they put their guard down and start being comfortable too. So now rather than talking about the things that we think we're both supposed to talk about and by focusing on the things that we actually care about, we're able to find some overlap and move through all the blocks that normally prevent actual relationships from happening. This turbocharges the deeper connection and that makes everything much, much smoother.

(3:30)

#5, I commit to dressing appropriately.

It's a sign of respect. I take care of myself the way I'm going to take care of you. It matters. You might not think it does. But what you send out, what you telegraph, people pick up on.

SLIDE SWITCH

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#6. I practice being interested more than being interesting.

When someone's talking, I genuinely listen. I don't think about what I'm going to say next.

#7. When things get overwhelming, I take a pause.

I head outside. I head to the bathroom. I remind myself why I love my job and that I get paid to do this. I can not operate at a successful level if I don’t take care of my head game.

# 8. I try to be a great conversationalist.

Most things at shows are so routine, and so boring. So I try to add something unexpected to it. I try to make people laugh. To be a good hang.

#9. I'm a stickler for this one. This one's the most important. I keep a notebook in my back pocket.

Old school, with a pencil. And every time after I'm done meeting somebody, I make notes on what we talked about.

But more importantly, I make notes on the commitments that I'd made to myself and to them. If we were talking about a project or a potential opportunity together, I write it down so that I can follow up on it. If we were talking about a mutual interest, I make a note of that. I also note where I met them and how they fit into the ecosystem. So and so knows so and so….  

I promise — if you don’t write it down — you're going to forget it.

And #10 — I offer a card and I ask to get a card

If they don’t have a card on them, I ask them to write down their contact info on the back of one of my cards or in my notebook. And since trade shows are global, pay attention to cultural norms and expectations. Take the time to learn and understand how you present a card and what to say when somebody gives you a card internationally.

Look. Having someone’s card doesn’t mean that you are friends or that you can ask for something. It doesn’t’ signify that you know them. It’s just a piece of paper and it’s useless if you don’t take the time to follow up promptly.

SLIDE SWITCH

Which brings us to the last phase. The Follow Up.

21:00

Everything that you've done up until now will be completely wasted if you don't focus on this phase.

You took the time to plan, right? You reached out. You set up all those appointments.

You showed up. You suited up. YOU DID IT!!!

You made commitments to yourself and to others. You even wrote those commitments down in your trusty pocket notebook!

But you’ve still got to close the loops and tie them all up with bows.

Success is simply about closing open energetic loops. If you say you’re going to do something, then do it. And by the way. Follow up until the commitment is actually done. Just pitching the ball into someone else’s court is not following up.

You cannot ever expect to build and grow a relationship if you cannot complete even the most basic of tasks. Do you really think that I’m going to trust you or take your word on something if you cannot demonstrate your ability to follow through?  Nope. This is your chance to show me your level of professionalism and your level of respect.

So don’t make excuses. We’re all busy. Outside of the show, our real life is still happening and all the other work is still piling up.

Here’s what I do. And it doesn't matter how long my day is — or how many dinners and drinks I have. I make time in the hotel at night to try to close as many open loops as I possibly can. Because if I'm not doing it every night, I get backed up. And then, I've got to do it on the plane. And I might be a little Jenga master of balancing my laptop, my notebook. My business cards, my pencil. And everything that I'm trying to do, on that little card tray table on an airplane. But it’s hard. But if I don’t do it then, the minute I walk back in the office I’m hit with a thousand other things. And if I let it wait a week, then it's already too late.

SLIDE SWITCH

Now I’m not going to go into all the details and minutia of how to follow up or how to log a new contact in your CRM system. We’ll save that for a different day. But I will say that if you're doing all of this and you don't have any form of contact management system, then you're just missing the point. You're net drinking, not networking. And without a database system, you are not building anything of longterm and lasting value.

If you take anything away from this talk, it’s that you need to start building out your database of people that you know. You can’t get things done if you don’t know who to call.

Because it’s true. Your success is 100% absolutely based on who you know. But it’s more nuanced than that. Life isn’t just about who you know. It’s about how well you know them.

And effective networking is the process of turning all those business cards into relationships. Like I said before — that card is meaningless. But with the right process and structure in place, the person behind that card could on day be part of your inner circle.

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So really pay attention and do this daily.

Okay. First thing that you do is, you got to file the contact. Because if

Your memory can only capture... I'm not going to talk about your memory. But my memory can only hold two or three things at a time. And I'm going to drop a lot of balls if I don't have a process, and I don't have a system in place. So I don't care if you're just using your phone book, if you're using a spreadsheet. Or if you're using an actual CRM. Whatever you're using, make sure that you file the information.

Start by going through your notes and the business cards, and log everybody's name and email. And I always try to make a... I told you before, log who they know and where you met them. Because in five years from now, in 10 years from now, it's really nice to look back and be like, oh yeah. I first met that person at NAMM 2022, at the Believe In Music talk. If you can, if you have the information, associate them with the company. Where they work, what they do. Their title. These things matter. It helps you build a mental landscape of the industry that you're in. Of who's connected to who, and how everybody's interrelated.

You need to think of networking like building a map. Like what your landscape looks like. I often like to think about this as building a puzzle. If you had a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle just given to you in a paper bag, you could figure it out. You'd start with the border, but you really have no idea what final image you're trying to build. Networking is the same way like that. You're in this industry. You may know the borders, or you may not. But if you're able to understand how everybody is interconnected and interrelated, and you have a map to navigate, trying to get things done going forward, is a lot easier when you know who to call. Or at least, which direction to head.

Hopefully if this is a process that you adopt, this gets a lot easier over time. You're not always just adding new people to your system. You're just adding new touch points to the people who are already in your system. The more you do this, the easier it gets. The more people you meet, the more they're interconnected. And the more times you get to see people who you have weak relationships with, and that you make them stronger relationships. Because that really is the whole point of networking, isn't it?

Is that you're figuring out how to take a contact, and turn that into a deeper relationship. You're moving things forward, along space and time. Logging people in your system is just the very first part of the work. Now comes the fun part of it. This is the time when you start closing the loops, and you refer back to your notebook about the open commitments that you made to yourself and to others. Now's your time to follow up on them. If you met somebody and you know that you know somebody else who's able to help them to move their goals forward just a little bit, take the time and make an introduction. If you talked about doing something, set it out in motion. File these things away. Log them back on your calendar, of when you're going to follow up. Do what you said you were going to do.

That matters. That's your reputation. That's your integrity. And it's not just about making the commitments to others, it's about the commitment to yourself. That's the one that's going to keep you up at night. And finally, set longer term triggers. This isn't a one and done. This isn't triage. This is about making sure that you follow through with these commitments later. Set longer term calendar reminders. The work that you're doing at the trade shows should be able to bring you through for the whole rest of the year, if you've done it right. Now, here's the thing about setting things up properly and closing the loop. You close the loop, so that you can move things forward later. If you meet somebody, you talk about doing something. And you do nothing with it... Or if you set it into motion and don't follow through with it, later on when you reach out to them, hey. Let's do this. What are they thinking in the back of their mind?

They're like oh, this joker again. Always calling when he wants something. Never does anything. Taking, taking, taking. Not giving, giving, giving. The reason that you follow up is not just so that you close the loop. The reason that you follow up is so that you can set future things into motion, and tee yourself up and others up for the success that awaits. Following up is the greatest way to show your commitment to yourself and to others. And that you are going to do what you say you're going to do. And that's it. It's not that hard, when you break it down into all the steps. It just takes time, energy. Commitment, and follow through. But it makes a huge difference. So I'd like to think that after this, I'm going to get a couple of emails from anybody who's watching, thanking me. Or opening up a door.

But if past is any indicator of the future, it doesn't often happen. But I challenge this group, and hope that maybe it's different. That's my process. I feel like Penn and Teller. The more I show the trick, the better it gets it. It's not magic, it's just work. I put in the time... Everything that I have today to be thankful for, the work that I get to do, the people that I get to work with it, it's a derivative of what we just talked about. I have set myself up for the success that I have right now. And anyone can follow the same exact steps that I just outlined. To me, the power of doing this is that we all make each other stronger together. So please, I invite all of you to start doing this immediately. These steps are concrete and actionable. And they have a direct impact on your future career.

Now, I've got some bonus material specifically for NAMM. I've been waiting to work this bit out. I'm going to start here. I call this one, buying the ticket. You've done everything else. You've shown up, you've done it. And yet, are you going to the Tech Awards? Did you buy your ticket? And if you go to the Tech Awards, did you pay the extra for the VIP after party? No. You probably didn't. So why would you go all the way to the finish line, and not dot your I and cross your T?

And you're thinking, oh. Well, I don't know how to justify the additional expense. And that's small thinking, because the real expense was just all the work you just did. Your time, everything that you just put in. So why not take it that final step, and put the frosting on it. Because the people who are going to the Tech Awards and the people who are paying to go to the after party, they're the ones who did all the same work that you just did, and put the sprinkle on top. If you realize that everybody at the event is going there to be seen and to see, to create opportunities, then make sure you put yourself in the path of success. And put yourself in the place where opportunities exist. These things matter. And I know we don't like to talk about them or that they feel a little taboo to even mention, but do it. Pay the extra. Go to the show. Go buy the ticket.

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