Networking Event: Creating a Dynamic Brand Community | 2023

Oh, you are looking for new ways to strengthen your brand's community-building strategy? Hmm…Have you considered hosting a networking event?

Whether it's an in-person or virtual networking event, it can be a fantastic way to connect with your audience, build meaningful relationships, and make your brand stand out from the crowd.

While in-person events have long been a staple of community building, the virtual networking event has exploded in popularity over the past year.

In this post, we'll explore the benefits of hosting a networking event (whether it's virtual or in-person) for building a dynamic brand community.

What Is a Networking Event?

Essentially, it's an event where you bring together people who share a common interest or goal. Additionally, you can use it as an opportunity to share your brand's message and get to know the attendees.

So, it's a chance to create an experience that people will remember… talk about… and be excited to come back to in the future.

How Does It Help With Community Building?

• Networking events offer an opportunity to get creative and experiment with different formats, themes, and activities that can help people engage with your brand in a more meaningful way.
• Hosting a networking event allows people to experience your brand first-hand, which is a powerful way to create an emotional connection and build brand loyalty.
• A memorable event will help your brand stand out and be more memorable to attendees.

How to Use a Networking Event to Build and Nurture Your Brand Community?

1. Choose the Right Format

When it comes to hosting a networking event, there are many different formats to choose from.

Whether it's an in-person cocktail party, a virtual conference, or a panel discussion, the format you choose will depend on your goals and your audience.

In 2022, 93% of event organizers considered their virtual event a success in terms of attendance rate.

Regardless of the format, make sure that it is engaging and interactive.

This will help attendees connect with your brand and with each other.

2. Invite the Right People

To build and nurture your brand community, you need to invite the right people to your networking event.

Consider reaching out to existing customers, social media followers, or industry influencers.

The key is to invite people who are likely to be interested in your brand and who could potentially become part of your brand community.

By inviting the right people, you'll create a more engaged and receptive audience.

3. Provide REAL Value

In order to make your networking event a success, you need to provide value to your attendees.

This could be in the form of information, education, or exclusive access to your products or services.

By providing value, you'll give attendees a reason to attend your event and engage with your brand…and probably be a part of your brand community.

4. Encourage Attendees to Connect With Each Other

One of the main benefits of a networking event is the opportunity for people to connect with other like-minded individuals.

By facilitating these connections, you're essentially creating a web of relationships between people (the whole point of a community?) who share a common interest in your brand.

And the more people feel connected to each other, the more invested they'll be in your brand.

This will help build a stronger sense of community and increase the likelihood that attendees will return to future events.

5. Follow Up With Attendees

After your networking event, it's important to follow up with attendees.

By reaching out and checking in on them, you're showing that you value their time. And this means that you're invested in their success.

Plus, it's an opportunity to keep the conversation going while proving that your company cares more than for their attendance at your event.

This could include sending a thank-you email, offering a special discount, or inviting them to join your brand's social media channels.

What's more…You're showing that you care about them as people and that you're committed to building a community that supports and uplifts one another.

Bottom Line

In summary…In this blog we've covered how to use networking events, whether in-person or virtual, to build and nurture your brand community.

The key is to focus on your attendees and their needs by connecting them with each other, following up after the event, and providing real value that they can use.

By doing so, you can watch your brand community grow and really really flourish!