Episode 172: How To Make Networking Work For Your Wedding Business with Kevin Dennis

Networking is incredibly important for almost all wedding businesses and it can be a great source of leads but networking can also feel awkward and kind of sleazy. Good news: there are ways to make networking work for your wedding business work without having to feel sleazy or weird. In this episode, I’m digging into how to do networking in a way that works for you and feels good with our guest, Kevin Dennis. If you want to build more relationships with your fellow wedding professionals and get more referrals, this episode is for you!

As an event industry veteran and owner of Fantasy Sound Event Services, Kevin takes pride in his leadership and involvement in industry associations. He is a past chapter president of the Silicon Valley NACE as well as the international president for WIPA. Recognizing a need for networking in his own region, Kevin founded the Tri-Valley Wedding Professionals in 2010 and the association has now grown to a membership of nearly 700 pros.

A respected thought leader and national speaker, Kevin was recently ranked as one of the top 3 speakers at NACE Experience. He is an ongoing contributor to Catersource and SpecialEvents.com and has been featured in BRIDES, Martha Stewart Weddings, and the Travel Channel, among others. He recently received the Certified Professional in Catering and Events (CPCE) designation from NACE.

In this episode we’ll cover:

• What to do before a networking event
• How to change your mindset around networking
• Why you need to have a goal when going into a networking event
• How long it took Kevin to get business from networking groups
• Getting on preferred vendor lists
• How to stay off the blacklist
• Why you should look at the wedding day as a networking opportunity
•  How to approach people at networking events and conferences
• The importance of asking questions and listening
• If you should bring a friend with you to events
• How to start a conversation at a networking event
• The importance of being consistent
• How to measure the ROI if networking
• How to avoid burnout
• How to choose the right networking groups for you

Links & Resources:

WIPA (Wedding International Professionals Association)
National Association for Catering and Events
Book More Weddings Summit April 2020 All-Access Pass
 

More from Kevin:

Website: www.weddingiq.com
Instagram: @wedding_iq
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WeddingIQ
Twitter: @WeddingIQ
 

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