The Atlanta Fashion & Polo Classic, Through a Networking Lens

Last month, I made my way out to Bouckaert Farms in Fairburn for the 9th Annual Atlanta Fashion & Polo Classic, and I'm still thinking about it. Polo match, runway shows, signature cocktails, gourmet food, VIP tents, a vendor market: Dr. Miguel Wilson really said "why choose?" and put it all on one field. Though it was hellish hot I had a blast just to be around the energy!

The best part for me was to see the fashion and take notes in my head. Apparently I need to find a good Seersucker suit with the shorts. Those men had the right idea! The food looked great and the drinks did what they needed to do! The polo game was a sight to see as well and my first polo game.

Would I Go Back!?

Short answer is yes! I think the event was a great way to relax, see a few familiar faces. But I would not recommend it to someone who might not know many people in the city. Or if you were to go to bring a friend. Some events are cliquish especially the social events because everyone wants to naturally hangout with their friends. I couldn't imagine myself at a social event coming up to a circle of people talking and interject myself as I would at a networking event.

Looking forward to attending next year and it would be wise to grab an early bird ticket. The prices are high for luxury connectors!

The Lesson Learned

Believe it or not but I like to be a wallflower at an event and that was me for sure. Enjoying the fashion looks and seeing how people interact. I took my cousin as my guest and we came on the topic of how networking was going for me. At the moment I replied with I'm just happy to be in the room and some events I just walk around and see who I know. Hence the lesson learned is some events are for networking and some events are for just being seen!

General Networking Events

A general networking event will have name tags to encourage people to talk with a stranger. Even some structure for intentional networking. Those events are solely for networking with like minded individuals. You can go to these events by yourself while not feeling out of place as you meet other networkers. Ok, so those are the general networking events you usually see on the list but what about those events that are quite frankly serve the purpose of "see and be seen" affairs.

See-and-be-seen Events

A "see and be seen" event are the typical galas, holiday parties and social events. The perfect example is the Mayor's ball where you need to have the funds to be in the room and the network to work the room properly. Because you can't exactly introduce yourself lets say to the mayor's right hand man without an introduction. Otherwise (in my opinion) it can just be a waste of time unless you have a hell of a pitch.

From my experiences these events work well for me because I have been in the "ATL business community" to the point someone will look familiar. It's a great opportunity to meet quality contacts, enjoy an upscale event and take pictures for LinkedIn. Remember to take pictures and post about it on LinkedIn. I see people (me included) go to an event and not post it. The benefit.

The Takeaway

Know what you want from an event before buying the ticket. If you want to meet new people, look for an event that encourages introductions. For a gala or social event, bring a friend, ask who else is going, and see if someone can make an introduction. Afterward, follow up with anyone you connected with and share a photo or takeaway on LinkedIn to keep the conversation going. And if you simply went to enjoy yourself, that counts too. Every outing doesn't need to become a sales meeting.