Checklist · 6 min read
Key Takeaways
- Walking in with three specific questions beats walking in with a stack of business cards.
- Researching who’s likely to attend matters more than researching the venue.
- A good conversation ends with a concrete next step, not just an exchanged contact.
- What you do in the 48 hours before an event shapes the conversations you’re able to have during it.
Most networking advice focuses on the follow-up message, but by then the conversation itself has already happened, and how it went was mostly decided before you walked in. This checklist covers the week before an event through the event itself, so the follow-up has something real to build on.
Research attendees→Follow up
1 Week Out
Research Who’s Actually Going
Researching the venue or the agenda tells you less than researching the people. Knowing who’s likely to be there changes who you can have a genuine conversation with.
- Check the attendee or speaker list if one is available ahead of time.
- Identify three to five people whose work genuinely overlaps with something you care about.
- Look up one recent, specific thing each of them has worked on or published.
- Note one honest question for each, not a generic icebreaker.
2-3 Days Out
Prepare Talking Points, Not a Script
A memorized pitch reads as rehearsed. A clear sense of what you want to say and ask lets the actual conversation stay natural.
- Prepare a genuine 15-second answer to “what do you do” that isn’t just your job title.
- Prepare two or three open-ended questions that go beyond small talk.
- Decide specifically what you want out of the event, not just “networking” in general.
- Confirm you have a working way to share contact details on the spot.
Day Of
Handle Logistics and Mindset
Arriving late and distracted undermines even good preparation. Small logistics decisions shape how much energy you actually have for conversations.
- Arrive within the first 30 minutes, when starting conversations is genuinely easier.
- Set a goal of a handful of real conversations, not maximum contacts collected.
- Bring a way to jot quick notes, a phone note works fine.
- Eat beforehand so hunger or fatigue isn’t competing for your attention.
During the Event
Use Conversation Tactics That Actually Work
The difference between a forgettable exchange and a real connection usually comes down to a handful of small habits, not charisma.
- Ask about their work before pivoting to talk about yours.
- Listen for one specific detail you can genuinely reference later.
- Exit conversations gracefully rather than letting them trail off awkwardly.
- Jot a quick note right after each conversation ends, while it’s still fresh.
Within 48 Hours After
Turn Contacts Into Connections
The follow-up window is short, and a message that references something specific from your conversation reads completely differently than a generic “great to meet you.”
- Send a follow-up message referencing the specific detail you noted.
- Connect on the relevant professional network with a personalized note, not a blank request.
- Suggest one concrete next step if there’s genuine mutual interest.
- Note in your own system who’s actually worth checking in with again in a few months.