In our previous blog, we emphasized the importance of one-to-one meetings in creating successful events for sponsors and exhibitors, as well as attendees. Meeting programs are essential for creating business connections, facilitating business deals, and taking the first step to build win-win relationships.
The design of a 1x1 meeting program is crucial, by ensuring that the right people connect in a structured and meaningful way.
In this post, we’re discussing the first of five distinct approaches to setting up how 1x1 meetings work. This first option we call "Anonymous Requests - Manual Scheduling."
This model offers a high degree of control for event organizers, because it involves “meticulous matchmaking” based on detailed attendee profiles and their event objectives. It allows the participants to offer guidance as to who they would like to meet - but leaves all the decision making to the 1x1 coordinator.
Who Uses It
- Investor Conferences: When the host has a business interest in allocating meetings a specific way - and where target companies are often over-subscribed with interest, and meetings have to be rationed carefully.
- High-value Hosted Buyer Events: If the Buyers are VIPs, and their interests need to be carefully curated to provide the best possible meeting experience.
How it Works
- Attendee Input: Attendees submit meeting requests without knowing who else has expressed interest. They may rank, or provide extra color with their requests.
- Centralized Scheduling: The event host, or a designated team, carefully reviews all requests and manually schedules meetings among attendees.
Key Benefits
- Precision and Control: This method is about careful planning to ensure each pairing is optimal.
- Flexibility: Because this method involves a lot of manual work, event organizers can accommodate last-minute changes or special requests.
- Prioritization: Organizers can prioritize specific meetings for key stakeholders, to ensure sponsors and exhibitors make the exact connections they want during the event.
A Powerful Tool for Investor Conferences:
Imagine you’re heading up a growing tech startup, and attending a major investor conference. You’re eager to connect with potential investors who share your vision, who can provide valuable funding. With hundreds of investors and companies competing for attention, making the right connections is crucial.
The "Anonymous Requests - Manual Scheduling" approach enables conference organizers to leverage their expertise of all the attendees, to optimize start-up/VC Fund pairings. They can prioritize key connections and adjust to last-minute changes.
For a more in-depth look at this approach and four other innovative strategies for structuring 1x1 meeting programs, download our free ebook. This guide is packed with insights and best practices to help you maximize the value of your event's one-to-one meetings.
Stay tuned for our next blog post, where we'll explore another 1x1 meeting program option that balances attendee choice with organizer oversight.
